“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith … ” (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Many Christians are conscious of failure in their lives of hindrances in the work they are called to do, in their testimony, of times of depression and unusual temptations.
We are often conscious that we have been completely fooled in some decision we have made, and at such times we wonder why we have failed; why the way seemed blocked when we were sure God was in the thing we felt led to do. We wonder often why we arc depressed in heart, when there is no usual explanation for our feelings. We have not been able to explain how, usually wise in some decisions, we have apparently missed the mark. We have asked at times why prayer has been so difficult when we have “our access” to God in Christ.
We are prone to blame ourselves. Sometimes we should. But again, sometimes we must accept what the Word of God tells us about one-God’s malignant enemy and ours-who is ever alert, looking for the weak places in our armour, eager to take advantage of any opening we give him through sin, unbelief, lack of perseverance. We are apt to underrate the battle which is ours against this powerful enemy.
There is a great body of truth in Scripture that concerns ” … your adversary the devil … ” He is presumptuous (Matthew 4:5-6), proud (1 Timothy 3:6), powerful (Ephesians 2:2), wicked (1 John 2:13), malignant (Job 1:9; Job 2:4), subtle (Genesis 3:1-2; 2 Corinthians 11:3), deceitful (2 Corinthians 11:14), fierce and cruel (Luke 4:29). The scope and power of his work are beyond comprehension, for he ” … deceiveth the whole world … ” (Revelation 12:9), and he has endless energy(Job 1:7; 1 Peter 5:8).
A vast host of demons, who may be fallen angels, are under Satan’s authority. Many are the instances in the Word of God and in the lives of men when demons have possessed men and women to their utter ruin – a condition from which they are delivered only by prevailing prayer and the power of God.
THE INVASION OF HUMAN HEARTS
And there have evidently been times when the devil himself would concentrate on one person, rather than entrust this to a demon.
Witness the fact that the devil filled Judas Iscariot-a fact which shows his estimate of the importance of that awful mission. He also filled Ananias in Acts 5:3, ” … why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost … “
We do not find any sure scriptural witness to the devil or a demon ever entering the life of a believer. He may harass, afflict, buffet, sift, oppose the work of the Lord, discourage in prayer-but not enter the body of one truly the Lord’s. Many of God’s dear saints have been driven to distraction by unscriptural teaching in this direction. ” … he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18).
Some reject the sure evidence of demon possession brought to us by many missionaries who have laboured in the lands where Satan has had no opposition for years.
We who live in America may be in nice homes, in Christian homes, with a Gospel church to attend and kind friends about us and living in fairly good circumstances. If so, we can get easily satisfied with conditions in the world immediately about us and fail to realize that this world is not our home. Especially if we are not living in close fellowship with the Lord, we immerse ourselves in our immediate circle, have little touch with the vast multitude round about us and fail to realize their awful darkness, which will shortly end in Hell and the lake of fire.
This is all part of the devil’s vast program, blinding not only the eyes of those that believe not, but bringing a measure of that darkness in our lives. For, if we were in real touch with God, we would be increasingly dissatisfied and longing for the red emption of our bodies and our deliverance from this present world system, all of which is under the direct domination of Satan.
He, Satan, has all kinds of methods to satisfy and blind the dupes in the world, with one end- their eternal ruin in the lake of fire: and likewise, in every way possible, he seeks to render inoperative the born-again Christian. He may use anything from some apparently innocent pleasures to demon possession to enslave the lost forever. He may use anything from satisfaction in business, the home, or church life, to some secret sin, or to hatred or envy, to render useless every Christian who will listen to his devices.
Lance B. Latham