Briefly, let’s look at some of the facts:

Before Jesus died, He told about the devil who came to steal, kill, and to destroy. (Jn. 10:10)

Then, JESUS DIED...

He was slain for our sin (Jn. 1:29, Rev. 5:9).

He died that we could live! (Jn. 14:19)

Now we are not guilty (Rom. 5:9).

He brought us salvation (rescue, safety, deliverance, forgiveness, protection, health, prosperity, preservation, freedom, liberty, peace, righteousness, and victory -- Heb. 5:9, 1 Pet. 1:3-5, Eph. 6:17, Acts 4:10-12, etc).

He gave us His wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30) and His success (Col. 1:13-14, Eph. 1:20-21). We are brought into total companionship with God.

JESUS WON THE WAR – ALREADY (Rom 6:9-10).

He said it is FINISHED (Jn. 19:30).

He has the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18).

His death obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:11-12).

Now, there is no more death required (Heb. 10:18).

His blood was shed for the remission of our sins (Matt. 26:28, Jn. 1:29).

Through His death, we are presented holy, unblameable, and unreproveable (Col. 1:22). God gives us victory (1 Cor. 15:37). We are Christ’s (1 Cor. 3:21).

WE HAVE DIED WITH HIM yet we live (Gal. 2:20, Rom. 6:4-5). That means, we don’t have to keep on dying to self. It’s a done deal. All accusations are over because we were crucified with Christ, (Gal 2:20). All our worries, diseases, inabilities, lack, and failure are nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14). We are already buried with Him (Rom. 6:4).

WE WERE RAISED WITH HIM (Col. 2:12). We are justified with Him (Rom. 3:24, 5:1). We sit at the right hand of God with Christ (Eph. 2:6). The “New Creation” LIVES AND PRAYS FROM THIS RULING POSITION OF REST.

WE LIVE WITH HIM (2 Cor. 13:4, Gal. 2:20). We are passed from death to life (John 5:24). We are now ALIVE with Him (1 Cor. 15:22, Rom 6:11-12). Because HE lives, we also live (Jn. 14:19). His LIFE dwells in us (Jn. 3:36, 1 Jn. 5:12). WE share the same identical abundant LIFE that Jesus has (Gal. 4:6-7, Jn. 17:21-23).

We should be experiencing this vital resurrected life NOW. But, without transformation into this present truth, the Doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:1) still has preeminence. This demonic preoccupation is part of “the law of sin and death.” People—that’s a Second Day mentality. It can change only when we apprehend the greater law of “the spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2). The Third Day church says that it is God’s will that we receive the benefits of salvation -- NOW. We call this crossover understanding, “faith.” We must move out of faith into faith (Rom. 1:17). It takes new “faith” to walk in the newness of life (Rom. 6:4) and realize that God always causes us to triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14).

Jesus said that from the days of John the Baptist until NOW (the now that was then —before Jesus died) believers had to take the kingdom by force. But, now that day is over. Today, we don’t need to “TAKE” dominion by force … but, by grace we can just “HAVE” it (Gen. 1:26). We can BE who God says we are. It takes faith to understand that we are redeemed (Eph. 11:7, Col. 1:14). We are royalty (1Pet. 2:9)? We are bold… by the new and LIVING Way created for us (Heb. 10:19-20). Now, we have confidence toward God (1 Jn. 3:21).

In Christ, we obtain salvation (wholeness), righteousness, and peace (Eph. 1:7, Phil. 3:9, Rom. 5:1). He is in us and we’re in Him (Jn. 17:21-23, Jn. 14:23, 15:4-7). We are justified and have peace (Rom 5:1, 8:31-33). We have vitality (2 Cor. 4:11). We can do all things (Phil. 4:13). No one can win against us (Rom. 8:31). Nothing can separate us (Rom. 8:37-39). We are children of God by faith (Gal. 3:26). We are joint heirs and sons (Gal. 4:7). We’re part of the family of God (Eph. 2:1, Eph. 3:113-15, 2 Pet. 1:44, 1 Jn. 3:1). Now, there is no condemnation (Rom. 8:1). And there’s soooo much more than words can say.

SATAN RULES THE WORLD.

Satan has absolutely no power over the Kingdom of God nor the people of God. But, he remains the ruler of this world (Jn. 12:31, 14:31, 16:11). World = (kosmos, world systems) Yes, he has total legal authority over the un-believing world system.

1. Satan is the god of this WORLD. (Jn. 14:30, 16:11).

2. Satan “deceives” the whole WORLD (Rev. 12:9).

3. Satan promises the blessings of this WORLD to those who obey him: (Mtt. 4:8-9).

4. Believers love not the WORLD, nor the things in the WORLD (1 Jn. 2:15).

JESUS SAID HIS KINGDOM WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD (Jn. 8:23, Jn. 18:36)

Jesus is the light of the WORLD (Jn. 9:5).

Jesus overcame this WORLD (Jn. 16:33).

Jesus is greater than he that’s in the WORLD. (1 John 4:4).

His Kingdom comes on EARTH as it is in heaven (Mtt. 6:10).

We live in this WORLD but are not a part of it (2 Cor. 10:3).

Greater is He that is in you than he (speaking of the spirit of the antichrist) that is in the WORLD (1 Jn. 4:4).

The believer overcomes the WORLD through faith (1 John 5:4-5).

As He is, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD (1 Jn. 4:17, Jn. 17:18, 20:21).

Jesus said, “NOW is the judgment of this WORLD: NOW shall the prince of this WORLD be cast out” (John 2:31 KJV).

TO THE CHRISTIAN, THE DEVIL IS DEFEATED (James 2:19)

In the Old Testament, evil forces could hinder prayers from being answered. These people had to struggle against emissaries of the devil (I.E. Daniel 10:10-13). That’s because Jesus had not yet conquered the devil. Now the devil (the defeated enemy) cannot prohibit our prayers (Mat. 7:7-8) – because we KNOW that we have the petitions that we desire (1 Jn. 5:15).

1. One of Jesus’ primary purposes of coming to earth was to spoil (disarm, confiscate the weapons, and effectively neutralize—bruising Satan’s head with a death blow) principalities and powers, and make a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col 2:13-15). We must never doubt that our reality of this victory is revealed in the Person of Christ.

2. Jesus came to purposefully destroy the works of the evil one (1 Jn. 3:8). HE FINISHED HIS WORK. Satan is a conquered foe (John 12:31). Did He do it? Is it finished? Ask yourself, “Is it finished in me?”

3. Jesus rose in victory over Satan (Eph. 1:20-22, Heb. 2:14).

4. Satan has NO dominion over believers (1 Jn. 4:4, Rom. 6:14, 1 Jn. 5:18). No lie can take away our security.

5. Jesus taught the disciples to cast out devils from unbelievers (Mark 16:15-17, Luke 8:27-33, Mark 7:24-29). He said to go to the “lost sheep”…. and cast out devils (Mtt. 10:7). He said, “Go into all nations” (ethenos – heathen tribes, Mtt. 28:19)… and “Go into all the WORLD… and drive out devils” (Mk 16:17).

THE DEVIL KNEW HIS TIME WAS LIMITED:

Demons believe and they tremble (their hair bristles up – James 2:19).
“ Have you come to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29, Lk 4:34, 4:41, 8:28, Mk 1:24, Mk. 5:7).

Additionally, we all know that the devil seeks to devour who he “may” (1 Pet. 5:8). However, many will not permit him to devour them. It’s not everyone! Unfortunately, UNTRANSFORMED minds and UNINFORMED Christians are held in deception. But, in reality, the devil has no power to devour a believer unless we yield to him –The devil can only fight us with “wiles” (Jn. 8:44). Wiles (methoedeia = methodology)… lies (not truths), delusion (not reality), fraud (not facts), cunning (not substance), deceit (not certainty). He only uses schemes, fakery, empty threats, fraudulence, lying wonders, and craftiness (Eph. 6:11, 2 Cor. 11:3, 1 Cor. 3:19, Rom. 16:18, Eph. 4:14). There’s no power there. Nothing to fear.

We resist the devil (with the facts of the Word) and he flees (James 4:7). Believers give him no ground (places in our heart) because we KNOW that Christ abides in us (Jn. 15:4-7), we KNOW we have eternal life (1 Jn. 5:13), and we KNOW that we are of God (1 Jn. 5:19). Even though he falsely accuses us day and night (Rev. 12:10), we are not ignorant of his devises (ways of conduct), therefore, he can’t take advantage of us (2 Cor. 2:11).

WE ARE TOTALLY DELIVERED FROM SATAN’S POWER -- NOW

1. Christ is our life (Col. 3:4).

2. Salvation totally reconciles us to God (2 Cor. 5:18). Jesus did all that was necessary to accomplish this fact. He doesn’t have to die again!

3. Our faith quenches ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph. 6:16).

4. We are rescued from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13).

5. Jesus said that Satan is judged, condemned, and the final verdict is already passed against him (lit. translation of Jn. 16:11).

6. Through Jesus’ death, Satan is stripped of all authority over the believer (Rev. 1:18).

7. Jesus said that it was impossible for the prince of this world to have even the tiniest connection with Him (Jn. 14:30 TLB). The devil’s arena of power is outside the Body of Christ. He has no authority among the believer.

8. The wicked one cannot touch us (1 Jn. 5:18). He must flee from us (James 4:7). Satan has no power in a believer’s life unless it is conceded to him.

In the past, God has winked at our lack of knowledge (Acts 17:30). But now, it’s time to reevaluate our present mindset. Our services should be jam-packed and bursting with the wonder and amazement at the goodness of God. We should unveil His glory as it covers the earth (Col 1:13)! We should live, walk, talk, pray, and prophecy a finished work.

Surely, we see the fulfilled prediction of Isaiah 40:23-24, “He (Jesus) brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. 24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. Furthermore, ” AS” Jesus was sent, so He also sends us -- to destroy (bring to nothing) all evil works.

Truth produces inside us the ability to become who we already are in the spirit. It brings that finished work into manifestation in our individual and corporate lives (1 Jn. 4:17). Yes, we have NO enemies! This is the privilege of our sonship. Where are our enemies? Under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25-27, Eph. 1:22, Heb. 2:8, see also Ps. 91:13). And -- where do we, the NEW CREATION, WORSHIP???? We worship at His footstool (that’s the place under His feet that covers the enemy) where the victory is already accomplished (Ps. 99:5, 132:7)! And, what do we sing? As the old song goes, “It is finished, the battle is over. It is finished – there’ll be no more lies. “

At last we hear the Lord say, “Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come away with me, it’s time once again for us to return to the glorious Garden walk and commune in the cool of the day. “ (SOS 2:13, Gen. 3:8)

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