Back in the
1970’s I remember a comedian named Flip Wilson who had a routine where he was
impersonating a women who blamed the devil on every bad thing she did. Her
constant excuse for bad choices was always “The devil made me do it.” It was
pretty funny but not very realistic. Of course, there really is a devil. The
Apostle Peter tells us:
“Be sober, be vigilant;
because you adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom
he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same
sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
We also know that even Jesus had to put up with the devil (or Satan) when
He was tempted of the devil after 40 days and nights of fasting in the desert
prior to beginning His ministry. (Mathew 4:1-11) Jesus was able to fend off the
devil with Scripture and that should be a hint to us that we need to know what
the Scripture says and why. Jesus affirmed the existence of Satan in many
other instances to include the night he was arrested in the Garden when He
said:
“Simon, Simon! Indeed Satan has
asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that
your faith should not fail: and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your
brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32)
My
first encounter with evil and someone who was, more than likely, demon
possessed was in December 1972. I was a second lieutenant of Infantry in the
U.S. Army stationed in West Berlin, Germany. My battalion, the 2d battalion, 6th
U.S. Infantry was responsible for guarding Spandau prison every December, which
still held one of the Nazi criminals put there by the Nurenburg trials after
World War II. My company, C company, had the last 2 weeks of December and I,
and my 40 man platoon, had the week of Christmas. There were six guard towers
to the prison and one overlooked the courtyard where the only prisoner still
left incarcerated in this 200 person facility, Rudolph Hess, went for a walk
everyday at 9AM an 3PM. As I was making my rounds that first day checking out
each of the guard posts, I walked through the courtyard at the same time Mr.
Hess was taking his morning stroll. I glanced at him briefly and was careful
not to speak to him or acknowledge him in any way because that was our orders.
The only people who had dealings with him were the 4 governors from each of the
allied powers or the doctors. (also 4, one from each power)
One look at him told me I did
not want to talk to him. He had an aura of evil about him and if I were to draw
a picture of what I thought Satan looked like, it would be my visual image of
Rudolph Hess. Even though I wasn’t a Christian at the time I could clearly see
and feel the evil that emanated from this man. In 1999 I had a similar
encounter with evil in a completely different part of the world.
Our church had taken a ten-person team to Madurai, India and were
conducting pastors
conferences and preaching in several outdoor venues in
various towns and villages. In one of the towns, Sivakasi, our pastor was to
preach after the rest of us had sung a couple of hymns. When he got up and
started to speak, he could not utter a sound. He turned to the rest of us and
in a very weak voice told us that there was some power restraining him from
speaking out loud. He asked us to sing about the blood of Jesus and we stood
and sang “There is power in the blood.”
While we were singing I looked
out over the crowd and saw a man in the back whose countenance was exactly like
that of Rudolph Hess I had seen years earlier. Before we finished I saw the man
turn and walk away and when the song was complete, our pastor was able to stand
and deliver the message he had been given by God for the day.
Although there is a devil or
Satan, he has already been defeated at the cross! He has power only if you give
him power by allowing sin into your life. He likes nothing better to use his
demons to keep people, who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior from
knowing Him, and to keep Christians from being obedient and living their lives
for Jesus.
The apostle Paul also makes it very clear that we are to:
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may stand against the wiles of
the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.” (Ephesians 6:11-13)
Verses
14-18 tell us how to put on each part of the armor and to do it daily if we are
to be ready to withstand the wiles of the devil. But the best part is after we
have put on the full set of armor we just have to stand! God does the rest! He
fights the battle. He is our protector and champion!
So
what kind of assault are you under today? Put on the armor. Stand your ground
and watch and see Jesus win the victory! He is your strong tower. He is your
shield. He is your shelter from the storm and shade from the heat. He “will
never leave you nor forsake you.” You are more than a conqueror because you are
a child of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
Pray
1.
Lord help me to start every day putting on the
full armor of God. To spend time with you in your Word so that I will have the
power of this “Sword” at my disposal.
2.
Lord thank You that I can depend upon you to be
my shield and my strong tower and that you will fight my battle for me as long
as I stand with You.
3.
Lord help to be faithful to pray against the
powers of darkness that are seeking to destroy my family and my church on a
daily basis
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