Satan

Authority Over Darkness

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 Yesterday we talked about how Satan does exist but how we, as Christians, have power and authority over the darkness he tries to bring into our lives. Overall, we affirmed that Jesus has won the war! Today, I want to talk a little bit more about our adversary and where his pseudo-power comes from.  I believe that lack and evil in this world are carried out through the agency of people; however, their root cause is found in the angelic world, namely through Satan and the fallen angels who followed him rather than serving the Lord. Now, whenever we talk about the devil and Satanic influences in modern society, it’s easy for educated people to put their guard up — that’s because the enemy doesn’t want us

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Jesus Yields All Power

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” – Proverbs 15:3 We discussed yesterday how we have an enemy that is fixated on destroying believers before his eventual demise. Today, I want to provide another perspective on this: the devil may have his eye on you because God has chosen you to accomplish great things. My grandfather, Robert H. Schuller, is well-known to most of you. He was a magnificent man of God, and while he didn’t typically speak about Satan, he talked about spiritual battle, the Holy Spirit, and angels all the time behind the scenes. I recall one particular conversation I had with him about this issue. It was in college, and I was completely devoted to God. He was becoming older and required assistance from time to time, so I walked after him carrying his baggage. We were driving somewhere

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Your Authority in Christ

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” – Luke 10:19 We discussed yesterday how Satan exists, and that we, as Christians, have power and authority over the evil he seeks to bring into our lives. In this discussion, we affirmed that Jesus had triumphed in the battle! Today I want to discuss a little more about our adversary and the source of his fleeting sense of power. The existence of lack and evil in this world, I believe, is perpetrated by people; yet, their fundamental cause is found in the angelic realm, specifically through Satan and the fallen angels who chose to serve him rather than the Lord of all. When we talk about the devil and Satanic influences in modern culture, it’s natural for educated people to become defensive — because the

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The Ancient of Days

“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.” – Daniel 7:9 Yesterday, we discussed the world’s system and how Satan is waging war all around us in the kingdoms of the earth. Today, I want to talk about the good news we can cling to — that there is One greater than the devil! Further along in his vision in Daniel 7, the prophet, after seeing four hideous, terrifying, and powerful beasts, speaks of a throne of fire being set in place and the Ancient of Days ascending it to execute judgment. Interestingly, the Lord is often represented by fire in the Old Testament because the heat of flames purifies and their presence consumes.

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Don’t Fear the Devil

“I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” – Acts 26:17,18 Have you ever had one of those dreams where you were back in high school because you never graduated? I don’t know what it is about this proverbial nightmare, but it visits many of us at one time or another. Thankfully, as vivid as our mind might make it seem, when we wake up, we breathe a sigh of relief as we realize that we really did get our diploma. And as strange as the analogy sounds, I believe this scenario parallels a spiritual principle for those of us who’ve said yes to Jesus’ gift of salvation. While we have an enemy,

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Deception

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8 While it’s not pleasant to think about, it’s important to remember that there is a kingdom of darkness surrounding us and that as Christians, we have an adversary named Satan who is serious about wreaking havoc in our lives. Though we often envision the forces of hell warring in acts of blatant evil, violence, or malice, the primary strategy of the devil is always deception. The enemy is an angel of light, and he is really good at slyly deceiving us so that we begin to fall away from abundant life. He knows that if he can get us to doubt the Lord’s love in any fashion, he gains a foothold, and we start to suffer. By convincing us ever-so-subtly that our best existence is

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