How to stand against the devil (Part 3)

You resist Him in the Name of Jesus.

Today we see people trying to resist the devil through flogging, through the use of some so-called holy water (there is no, and there has never been any holy water anywhere in the world), in the name of a prophet, G.O. or angel. Some try to get the devil to obey them in the name of Mary, or one of the ‘saints’. This is all very ridiculous from a spiritual point of view, and that is why the devil is having a field day in many people’s lives as a result of these things. One man even went as far as “bottling up” some spirits that were against his progress; and I can give you a thousand and one other things foolish folks out there do to “torment the devil”. You don’t need any of that, what you need is the truth – that you can only confront the devil in the Name (on the authority) of Jesus. You can only exercise the authority we have in Jesus, and put God’s Power to work, in the Name of Jesus. You call Jesus to act on your behalf by using His authority – the one He gave us – in His Name. We are resisting the devil on his authority and command and on Jesus’ behalf! Christ is the one with power. When we command a demon to come out of someone in the Name of Jesus, We are commanding the demon on the authority of Christ – the authority Christ gave us. Of your own, you cannot command a fly out of somebody, just as much as a policeman cannot get a moving car to stop with his strength.

This post is a continuation of How to stand against the devil (Part  2)

Now to add something here quickly, the scripture says “in My Name” (and we have tried to explain what a name means) not “in My Names”. So we do not go around resisting the devil “in the name of Jehovah” or “in the name of El-Shaddai” because that is wrong. First, it is only the name of Jesus has been exalted above all other names, and at the mention of that name, every knee bows and every tongue must confess that Jesus is Lord, Phil. 2:9-11. Second, a name signifies authority, and in that Name only, is embodied the whole Personality of Jesus and all the power of the Godhead; in Him dwells the fullness of Godhead bodily (Col. 2:10). So use that Name to get back what is yours from the devil and put him to flight.

You resist him in faith.

1 Pet 5:9 says we should resist him steadfast in the faith. What does it mean to resist him steadfast in the faith? It means to be firm in faith; and what is faith? Believing and acting on the Word of God. To resist the devil steadfast in the faith means you are not doubting, you are rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined (that is the way the Amplified Bible puts it) and assure that he has no other option but to flee – to run away with fright  – when you resist him in faith. How do you resist him in faith?

Faith is based on the Word of God, and that tells you straightaway that there is no faith to exercise if there is no Word of God to stand on. Your authority only works within the scope of the Word of God and God honours only His Word. You need to find where it is written and address the devil with that. That’s what Jesus did when He was tempted in Matt. 4. He responded to each temptation with an appropriate “it is written”. Do you want the devil to leave your home, body, family, finances or love life? Find where it is written, base you faith on that, confront the devil with the authority you have in the Name of Jesus, and he’ll surely flee. Don’t command the devil to do what is not legal, spiritually. For instance, you don’t go around commanding demons to ‘catch fire’, because they are spirits, not flammable materials; and while someday God is going to throw them into the Lake of fire, don’t busy yourself in sending them there now or to the bottomless pit either because it won’t work, you have not being given authority for that in the Word. But is the devil troubling you with sickness? 1 Pet. 2:24 says that you were healed by the stripes of Jesus, and Isaiah 53:4 says that He has borne your pain and sicknesses, so the devil has no right to put that sickness on you. Rebuke Him right now on the strength of that verse and He’ll flee from you.

The word of God also includes what God has revealed to you. When God speaks something about you or yours to you (or through anybody, and He has confirmed it to you), you can, on the basis of that stand against the devil. 1 Tim. 1:18 says to wage warfare according to the prophecies previously made concerning us. But be rest assured that no word or prophecy from God will go against the scriptures – especially the new testament – because the Word of God is a more sure word of prophecy (2 Pet 1:19) and the scriptures cannot be broken (John 10:35). SO don’t go about saying you had a revelation that you were going to die prematurely or by accident. As long as you’re a child of God, Ps. 118:17 applies to you: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD”. Get into God’s Word: that is the way to brood faith (Rom 10:17).

This post is a continuation of How to stand against the devil (Part  2)

(to be continued) Thanks for reading. Do Subscribe to our feeds, share this and bless someone else, your comments and contributions are very welcome!