Now just for a few moments let me show you from the Word of God, _how,
in practical every day life, to get the victory over the Devil_. There
are four things to be borne in mind.
1. Read first, James 4:7, +"Be subject therefore unto God: but resist
the devil, and he will flee from you."+ This teaches us that, _we
are first of all to surrender to God and then to resist the Devil and
that, if we do resist him, for all his cunning and power, he will flee
from us_. Although the Devil is strong, it is ours in God's strength to
withstand him and overcome him.
2. Now turn to I John 2:14: +"I have written unto you, fathers,
because ye know him which is from the beginning. I have written unto
you young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in
you, and ye have overcome the evil one."+ This passage teaches us
that, _it is when we feed upon the Word of God and store the Word of
God in our hearts, thus having it abiding in us, that we shall be able
to overcome the Devil_. If we neglect the study of the Bible for a
single day, we leave an open door for the Devil to enter. I have been
a Christian for forty-three years, but I would not dare to neglect the
study of God's word for one single day. Why not? Because there is a
Devil; and, if I neglect the study of the Word of God for a single day,
I leave a window open for him to enter and leave myself too weak to
cope with him and conquer him. But if we will feed upon the Word of God
daily, and trust in God, we can resist the devil at every point. Though
the Devil is cunning and strong, God is stronger, and _God imparts His
strength to us through His written word_.
3. Turn now to Eph. 6:11: +"Put on the whole armour of God, that
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."+ Here we
are taught that, _in order_ +"to stand against the wiles of the
Devil"+ _we must_ +"Put on the whole armour of God."+ What that
armour is, is found in the verses that immediately follow. This armour,
this whole armour, this "panoply of God," is at our disposal. The fact
that there is a Devil, that he is a being of such majesty, dignity,
cunning, and power, that he is so incessantly plotting our ruin and to
undermine our faith, is no reason for fear or discouragement. By taking
"the shield of faith" we shall be "able to quench all the fiery darts
of the evil one," by taking "the helmet of salvation," and the "sword
of the Spirit which is the Word of God," and by "praying always with
all prayer and supplication in the Spirit," it is our privilege to have
victory over the Devil every day of our lives, every hour of the day,
and every minute of the hour.
4. The final step in the way to get victory over Satan is found in
Eph. 6:10: +"Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of
his might."+ _The way to get victory over Satan is to give up all
confidence in our own strength and believe in the almighty strength
of Jesus Christ and claim that strength for ourselves._ It is in the
strength of Jesus Christ's might that we shall get the victory over
"the evil one." In the strength of His might, as we have already said,
it is our privilege to have victory over the Devil every day of our
lives, every hour of the day and every minute in the hour. Hallelujah!