Power in Word and Deed, part 3

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. Genesis 3:15 

 

No doubt, this prophetic statement sent a wave of speculation and fear across the domain of Satan’s underlings. They trembled at the thought of their leader being crushed; what then would happen to them? 

 

Be afraid! Be very afraid! 

Our study of the story of Jesus in the synagogue in Capernaum bears witness to the trembling fear of the demons in the presence of Jesus. 

 

In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God.’ 

 

But Jesus rebuked him, saying ‘be quiet and come out of him!’ and when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, ‘what is this message? For with authority and power, He commands the unclean spirits and they come out. 

 

And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district. 

 

For four thousand years, the demons had followed the seed of the woman after the prophetic words of Genesis 3:15. From Adam and Eve to Abraham and Sarah, Boaz and Ruth, to David and Bathsheba, to most recently, the virgin Mary. They feared that the son of Mary, the One who speaks with authority and acts with the power of God, might be the fulfillment of God’s prophetic words of doom for Satan.  

 

The Grapevine of Gossip 

You see, demons are not omniscient and omnipresent. They are not all-knowing and not everywhere at the same time. Those attributes belong to God alone.  They are spirit beings, yes, but they can’t read minds or be in multiple places at one time. So, I have to assume that they get their information from some sort of demon grapevine. The rumors flying around the demonic grapevine lately must be fearful rumors of the arrival of the Messiah.  

 

Has He come to crush us? 

 

The demon in the synagogue trembled and blurted out: 

 

Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God.’ 

 

Yes, indeed, the seed of Eve, the Holy One of God, has come to destroy Satan and his demons. At His first coming, Jesus will destroy the works of the devil. His death on the cross will usher in a spiritual crushing of the work and influence upon the people of God. At His second coming, He will ultimately and permanently destroy Satan. 

This verse describes the work of Jesus, at His first coming, on the cross: 

 

He himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil… Hebrews 2:14 

 

The work of Jesus at His first coming makes possible our victory of Satan. He cannot wield his power of death and condemnation over God’s beloved children. We are secure, safe and protected. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Roman 8:1. He seeks to influence us and cause us to stumble, but it’s only a temporary setback. 

The good news is that our souls are secure in Jesus if we have been saved by God. But Satan does, nevertheless, seek to make us stumble in sin and minimize our witness. He wants to put a wedge of sin between you and your earthly relationships as well as limit your pursuit of a vibrant relationship with God. 

 

We are secure! Now live in victory! 

Yes, Jesus has destroyed the work of the devil and his power of death — we are secure for eternity through Jesus — but he still has influence in this world. We can overcome his negative influence, but it is not a walk in the park. Take up the armor of God for it is a battlefield. Like a well prepared and diligent soldier, we are called to humbly, 

 

Submit to God! Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 

 

Submit and resist — these are military terms that describe our necessary resistance of the devil’s influence with determination and grit. 

 

How should I therefore live? 

The Christian life is about knowing the truth and then taking steps, one at a time, toward the truth. Here’s what we know about demons: 

• They live in constant fear of God. They tremble at the thought of His power and their ultimate doom. They know God is real and all-powerful and they tremble. 
• They are completely and utterly subject to God. If you are saved and a child of God, they cannot touch you. Romans 8:31-39 
• They are finite, mono-dimensional spiritual beings. They are limited in their work. They cannot touch you. Their work is to whisper and influence. 
• Do not focus on Satan or his influence. Focus on your love and devotion toward Christ. Submit your life to God and when temptations come, seek to resist the devil’s influence and he will flee. If you stumble, humbly get back up, turn to God and re-submit. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

 

At His second coming, Jesus will finish His work and ultimately and physically, annihilate Satan and his demons FOREVER! Revelation 20:10. 

 

Father, may our focus be on You and Your glory, power, and love. May we fix our eyes on Jesus who leads us toward the truth and ultimately, to victory. For all You are, we thank you and ask that You would be our strength and our victory. We can only live a life of abundance through You. Amen!