Although Satan is a powerful foe, with divine help the Christian can cope with him. A believer can resist him. The Bible says: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7). The word "resist" means "to withstand, to be firm against someone else’s onsets."
The word "resist" also indicates that we are not to flee from this enemy. Courage is called for in this fight, and courage God will give His child. Satan and his forces have to flee when the Christian stands his ground in the might of the Lord. Our standing, or maintaining our ground, is the goal in this battle (Eph. 6:13).
The book of Ephesians gives ample proof that God will provide His child with the needed strength for the conflict. In chapter 1, verse 19, we read of the "exceeding greatness of His [the Father’s] power to usward who believe." In the sixth chapter the armor for the conflict points to Christ. In verse 18 of the same chapter the Holy Spirit’s contribution to our help in the warfare is emphatically expressed. It is through prayer, controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit, that we put on and keep on the armor, which is Christ, and find ourselves empowered by the Father.
Each member of the Trinity has a part in the believer’s victory over the evil one. We must always remember that our help lies in God and not in ourselves. Humble yourselves under God’s hand, and He will exalt you (1 Pet. 5:6). With infinite power on our side, Satan cannot stand against us.
Let it be added here that there is only one devil, but there are myriads of subordinate fallen angels and evil spirits operating under Satan though unseen by us. Usually our personal combat is with these, but we are using the words devil and Satan in this study as general and all-embracing terms.
The Channel of Victory
The Lord Jesus Christ at the present time channels His victory through the members of His Body. Jesus is the Head of the Church, and we, being members of His Body, carry out His will. He is the Mind for the Body, and the Planner. He originates the strategy and carries it out through us. No matter how much we may wish it could be so, sitting down at a desk and thinking would not mow the grass on our lawns – far from it. When that type of work needs to be done, our bodies must do it.
The same thing is true in the Body of Jesus Christ. When He wants something done, He does it through us. Our relationship to Him is as close as our little fingers are related to our bodies. If I want to write, my mind cannot do the writing. It does the dictating, and my hand must take the pen and apply the writing to paper.
It is for this reason we are told in Ephesians 6 to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. There is no other power by which we can overcome the evil one. And just as our physical muscles increase through use, so will our spiritual muscles become stronger as we consistently wage this warfare against Satan. Through us Christ is working in this world.
I remember dealing with a Christian brother some time ago who prayed that God would resist Satan. I broke right into his prayer and said, "Brother, that’s not what God told you to pray. If you want release, you tell the devil in the Name of Christ that you are resisting him. Take your stand." The man took his stand and was released. The whole spiritual tension broke. The pressure was lifted.
God’s plan is to use us as channels through which His power can flow to resist and cast down the enemy of our souls. That strength does not lie in us; it lies in Christ, but He accomplishes this victory through us.
