By: S. Moore
ENFORCING CHRIST’S VICTORY OVER SATAN
“What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe,… which He (God) wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, . . . and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.–(Ephesians 1:19-23).
The Lord is head over all principality, power, might, and dominion and every name that is named in this world and in the world to come. His position and power is supreme. The risen Lord enthroned at God’s right-hand rules “far above” every other force which seeks to control and govern this dark world.
Through the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus, God the Father “hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places” with our risen and enthroned Lord. Thus, raised up together and seated together in Heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:5-7), through the grace of God, every believer is elevated with Christ to the right hand of God and occupies potentially the Throne of the Lord. In the purposes of God, this elevation took place at the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
through the believer’s identification with Him.
For the Church of Christ to stand victoriously in this hour when Satanic forces are united in full and deadly array against her, every believer must understand the necessity of NOW accepting with Christ the place of spiritual authority and fearlessly bind these forces of darkness, enforcing Calvary’s Triumph over them. In order to make the necessary advances in the work of the Kingdom at this hour it is absolutely essential that believers, in humility, giving honor to God, take their seat in the heavenly places in Christ at His right hand, far above all powers of the air, and from that seat hold these evil forces in subjection, through faith in the Name and authority of the Lord Jesus.
EVERY BELIEVER’S PLACE OF PRIVILEGE AND AUTHORITY
Christ “spoiled principalities and powers” and triumphed over them. very believer shares this mighty conquest of Calvary to the full. He who has absolute command over the forces of evil confers this authority upon His disciples, for He says, “Behold, I give you authority . . . over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19).
The believer whose eyes have been opened to the comprehension of his throne rights in Christ, soon learns in the exercise of this authority that the power he possesses “in the heavenlies in Christ” is infinitely greater than that which backs his enemies. The powers of evil are compelled to obey the believer as he boldly and in faith exerts his authority in Jesus’ Name. Every demon is subject to the believer in Christ through His Name (Luke 10:17). The Angelic rulers and authorities, the Potentates of the spirit-forces of evil in the heavenlies, may not yield instant obedience, but the believer must speak the word of authority and rule and over-rule against the evil forces of Satan wherever he sees them at work.
The powers of darkness will bitterly oppose and resist their own overthrow. They will attack with malignant hatred the believer enforcing
Calvary’s victory over them. The believer’s refuge is UNDER THE BLOOD of Jesus where no force or power of the enemy can penetrate. The Cross has robbed Satan of his power. To overcome him, present the blood in the face of every attack from “thepit, “whether the attack is upon your Church, family, mind, soul, body or circumstances. Satan is overcome by the Blood (Revelation 12:11). Bind the blood upon him. It takes away all his authority and power.
The devil is a defeated foe. Christ overcame him on the Cross. On Calvary, He triumphed over the powers of darkness. We have now but to ENTER into His victory by faith. We do not need to fight Satan, but we need to hold over him the accomplished triumph of the Cross. The blood of Jesus is God’s provision for overcoming the enemy. The blood of Jesus is the token of Christ’s complete victory over Satan and his evil forces and their complete subjection to Christ as He sits on His Throne.
CHALLENGE THE ENEMY
This ruling and overruling authority of the Lord is available for us, if we are under the Blood and full of the Holy Spirit. We can never employ this power in our own spirit. If, when dealing with the enemy, we give way to our own spirit it means sure defeat. In occupying the Throne seat the enemy cannot attack. The enemy’s strategy is to entice the believer from his position of authority and get him vexed, burdened, confused, depressed or self-occupied. The seat of authority far above the enemy — in union with Christ — is the believer’s security. By faith ask God to cover every part of your conscious and sub-conscious being with the blood of Jesus. Then say aloud, “Jesus’ blood does NOW protect every part of me and does NOW destroy the power of the devil.” A definite stand in the authority of the Lord must be taken, absolutely refusing to give place to the devil in whatever form he manifests himself in the Church or the home, in body, mind or spirit.
“GIVE NO PLACE TO THE DEVIL”
“Anything that takes us from an attitude of worship, peace and joy and consciousness of God’s Presence, has a Satanic source.” Whenever the powers of darkness come anywhere near the borders of your home or Church or personal life, in the Name and authority of Jesus Christ they must be challenged. Say out loud, “This is the devil, and I now resist him in the Name and power of the Lord Who conquered him on Calvary.
Dissensions arise in Churches, in families, among friends. Behind all strife, perplexity and confusion is Satan. To break his power, use every weapon you know of by appealing to God on the grounds of Calvary and calling down God’s judgment upon the adversary (Luke 18:7-8). The devil only lets go his hold on men and affairs of Church and home when compelled to do so. God Himself resists the Proud. But to us is entrusted the power to resist the devil.
“Neither give place to the devil” is a commandment of God. Are we daily displacing the devil and his despotic and Satanic control in the affairs of this present evil world? Do we meet his attacks on mind and soul and body, upon Church and home, by counter attacks? Do we in the Name of the Lord and by His authority say, “The prince of this world is NOW cast down”? Do we live in Ephesians chapter six and obey God’s commands to “Be Strong.” “Put on God’s Armor.” “Wrestle.” “Stand.” “Withstand.” “Overcome.” “Take the Sword.” “Pray with all perseverance”?
BOLDLY CLAIM THE VICTORY OF CALVARY
God has GIVEN us power to tread down the power of the enemy (Matthew 18:18-20). God has committed to every believer the responsibility of displacing the devil. The devil is a usurper. He has no right to any place in any life or any Church. We alone are to blame if he continues in power. Christ through His death rendered the devil powerless to withstand the believer who will, by faith and obedience, TAKE the authority over the devil conferred by Christ, and USE it. The devil now has no power except what we allow Him to have.
It is our duty to oppose the devil wherever we find him at work. To leave him unchallenged is to rob Jesus of Calvary’s triumph. The Lord
says if we resist the devil he will flee from us. Those who obey the Lord and put up a bold and steadfast resistance to Satan, find it is
true-he flees as God said he would. We need to ask the Lord to teach us how to fulfill this sacred ministry of resisting the devil and giving no place to him. We need daily to pray that in humble faith in Christ’s finished work we may take our seat in the heavenly places at His right hand and exercise the authority which He has entrusted to us in fearlessly binding the powers of darkness wherever they are found.
Behind the dissension and strife, perplexity and confusion in Church and home today are the malign powers of darkness. In the authority of the Lord, these powers must be displaced.
In a certain revival center outside opposition became so strong that it seemed as if the work would suffer ruin. Finally, the pastor-evangelist gathered together a group of praying people and asked them to stand with him, under the Blood of Christ, and bind the power of the enemy. After a time of prayer and praise and song they definitely prayed aloud, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus and by His authority we bind the strong man from stirring up these people, and from attacking God’s work” ( See Matthew 12:29). No further trouble was encountered. The opposition began to quarrel among themselves and their power to oppose the Church was broken.
ENFORCING THE REDEMPTIVE RIGHTS OF THIS DISPENSATION
Instances may be multiplied to show that in every situation where, in faith, the obedient child of God claims his throne rights in Christ and boldly exerts his authority, are able to stand before him.
A mother was grieved with the lying disposition of her child. Learning of the authority of “His Name”– quietly but firmly in the Name of Jesus she rebuked the lying spirits and saw her child delivered. In personal work, difficulty is often encountered in dealing with souls. The mind of the seeker after salvation seems bound and blinded. A quiet attitude of victory over the opposing spirits often brings quick deliverance to the captive.
In another instance, a Christian worker was often conscious of a stupefying power coming over his mind and paralyzing his will. He was
frequently depressed and perplexed. He did not know of the oppression of evil spirits in the atmosphere and did not resist the attacks, but stood passive and helpless before them. One day it came to him from God to say out loud, “This is the devil. I resist him in the Name and power of the Lord who conquered him at the cross.” He felt instant relief from the oppression on his mind and body. His mind cleared. His will became strong to resist. His faith in Calvary’s victory extricated him from a mass of perplexing circumstances that had for years hindered his testimony and prayer life.
God’s Word is clear, “Your adversary the devil . . . resist steadfast in the faith” (I Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7).
A devout Christian man with a real experience was hounded through life by trouble and misfortune. He submitted to this lifelong misfortune, believing it was in the chastening Providence of God, until one day on hearing a talk which clearly unveiled the sinister working of the powers of darkness, he realized the deception. He was encouraged to take a position of authority over these powers of darkness in the Name of Christ and to challenge them. He was told to assert his rights to obtain employment and other material blessings and to forbid these powers from obstructing his prosperity and progress.
It took three days of challenging the powers of Satanic opposition to his prosperity. But in that time the stream of Satanic misfortune was
broken and by faith in Christ’s victory he wrested his life out of the hand of the adversary and soon obtained a profitable position.
RULING OUT EVIL FORCES
We cry out to God asking Him to rebuke the enemy and to alter things, but God has invested us with this power on the ground of Calvary’s victory.
A teacher was greatly distressed because one of his pupils often displayed a violent temper over trivial matters. Coming into a knowledge
of the need of refusing the working of evil spirits, he took the authority of the Lord over these demons of rage and commanded them to
depart. The child became quiet in a few moments.
The same authority is available in releasing funds for the advancement of Christian work. Satan is hindering Christian enterprise by tying up funds. Believers have the power to unite and agree that these barriers to Christian benevolence give way. Men and women of faith, courage and determination need to rise in our Churches and bind these hostile forces which are garrisoned against the financial prosperity of the worldwide advance of the Gospel.
A Christian worker whose ministry was suffering from lack of funds, finding her prayers for God’s provision unanswered, rebuked the
“poverty” demons and bound the Satanic hindrance to prayer. Every time her funds were held up she exercised this authority in union with Christ and released funds for her blessed work for the Master.
In these perilous days, the powers of darkness, conscious of their impending overthrow, are fiercely resisting on all fronts–so much so
that every prayer Godward needs resistance Satanward in order to prevail.
The way to have the authority of Christ is to make Him Lord, and only to the extent that we do make Him Lord are we able by faith to enter into a continual, experimental knowledge of this crowning victory which He has procured for us.
“We see Jesus . . .crowned” –Hebrews 2:9
(The above material was published by the Free Tract Society, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA.)
