Our posting on spiritual warfare up to this point has dealt primarily with a Christian. satan works on the pre-christian also. His strategy with the person who has not come to faith in Christ is deception, inciting to disobedience, and control.
Deception:
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Deception:
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Encouraged disobedience:
Ephesians 2:1-2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Ephesians 2:1-2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
1 John 5: 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
Direct control:
Matthew 8:28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
The non-Christian does not possess the power to break the hold of evil spirits. His/her only solution is found in Colossians 1:13-14
For he (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
How is this “rescue” accomplished? The first step in breaking satan’s stronghold for the non-believer, is to respond to Christ. To receive Him as Savior and Lord. John 1:12 says:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God--
This new Believer has been redeemed (bought back), brought into Christ’s kingdom, sins forgiven, and is rescued from the control (dominion) of darkness. From that point of giving one’s life to Christ, the challenge is to understand the warfare of the evil one and put on the armor as described previously.
satan is a defeated foe!
As powerful as satan is, he is a defeated foe facing a total demise pictured in Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:10 describes again satan’s ultimate rout:
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake
of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet
had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Our defeat of satan is reenacted daily as we: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:11).
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God--
This new Believer has been redeemed (bought back), brought into Christ’s kingdom, sins forgiven, and is rescued from the control (dominion) of darkness. From that point of giving one’s life to Christ, the challenge is to understand the warfare of the evil one and put on the armor as described previously.
satan is a defeated foe!
As powerful as satan is, he is a defeated foe facing a total demise pictured in Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:10 describes again satan’s ultimate rout:
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake
of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet
had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Our defeat of satan is reenacted daily as we: Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:11).
Our focus up to this point as been confronting the enemy from without - satan and his warriors. There is at times a larger enemy within - self! We’ll just touch on that next.
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