Ephesians 6:11-12 – Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)
I remember my enthusiasm as a new Christian joining Bible studies at a quaint little church where I became a member. During one session, I was surprised when the minister confessed his prior disbelief in the existence of Satan during many years of his pastorate. But a personal encounter with the presence of evil finally persuaded him that the Devil is real. Though I was thankful for this change, I wondered how he could overlook such an important biblical truth pertinent to our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Throughout Scripture, the Devil is described as having personal attributes. Ezekiel tells us, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28:15 KJV) So according to God’s Word, Satan is not just an influence or an idea but an actual being. We can see by today’s passage in Ephesians that the demonic world is a highly organized one. For instance, “principalities” refers to a rank of angelic beings, in this case, fallen angels.
Jesus Himself often spoke of Satan, for example, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18b KJV) And He confronted demons many times throughout His ministry. On one particular occasion the demon acknowledged Jesus’ lordship: “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?” (Mark 5:7b KJV) Hence, it is clear that demons know who Jesus is and respond to His authority.
Recently, I read several modern accounts of individuals claiming to have been set free from the power of darkness. One well-documented case occurred in the early fifties involving a young girl from the Philippines. The Manila Chronicle reported that bizarre, unexplainable events were eye-witnessed by at least 25 competent persons who testified to the incident. Then, because of her testimony that she was healed after receiving prayer by an American evangelist, the church experienced revival.
As Christians, we should never fear evil since the power of Christ lives in us. God’s Word assures us, “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b KJV) However, let us never underestimate the enemy’s craftiness and strength. He just may be behind the scenes of many of our earthly struggles.
Consequently, we should always be ready for spiritual warfare. Are you fully equipped with the whole armour of God?
Prayer: Father, enlighten our eyes in Your Word and purify our hearts with Your truth so that Satan may have no advantage over us. To You, we lift up the cup of our salvation in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, who by His supreme authority disarms principalities and powers, thereby setting the captives free. In His holy name, we pray. Amen.
Lori Ciccanti dlalsina@mchsi.com
Ocean View, Delaware, USA
Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca