From “The Word For You Today” by Bruce Christian, Satan Is Defeated (5)

The power of persuasion…

SATAN IS DEFEATED (5)

     The only power Satan has over you is the power of persuasion.  “The serpent..asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you must not eat”…Of course we may’…’You won’t die…God knows that your eyes will be opened…And you will be like God’…The woman was convinced.  She saw that the tree was beautiful and it’s fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.  So she took some…The she gave some to her husband…At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame…When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.  So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.  Then the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’  He replied, ‘I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid.  I was afraid because I was naked'” (vv. 3:1-10 NLT).  Never forget that story!  And keep this in mind also: Satan is a talker, and you’ll never out talk him.  The power of persuasion is an incredible thing.  The fashion industry can persuade you to take a wardrobe you paid a small fortune for last year, and replace it with what they’re selling now.  Clothes you felt good about then, you don’t want to be even seen in now.  The trouble is, in a few years’ time the clothes you wore last year will be back in fashion; you’ll be poor, and the fashionistas will be rich.  Temptation is all about persuasion.  But if Christ has already persuaded you, Satan can’t make you do anything.

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From “The Word For You Today” by Bruce Christian, Satan Is Defeated (4)

SATAN IS DEFEATED (4)

Standing on the deck of a US aircraft carrier at the end of the Pacific war, in a historic moment never to be forgotten, General MacArthur walked over to Tojo, the Japanese leader, and publicly stripped him of all his symbols of power.  And that’s what Jesus did for you at the cross.  “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them.”  First, Tojo wanted peaceful coexistence, then compromise, then concessions.  But he got none, because he was powerless.  In a card game an opponent with an empty hand will try to bluff and bully you.  But when you know you have a winning hand you can face him down, because knowledge is power.  And your power over Satan comes from knowing that he’s a defeated foe.  He was once known as the anointed cherub, but now Christ is the Anointed One.  He was once known as an angel of light, but now Christ is known as the Light of the World.  He was once known as the morning star, but now Christ is the Bright and Morning Star.  He was once the creator of a song, but now Jesus says, “I will sing in the midst of my brethren” (See Heb 2:12).  He was once known as one of the sons of God, but now Jesus declares, “I am the Son of God.)  Satan is called the prince of this world, but Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”  Satan is called a roaring lion, but Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah who has prevailed over him (see Rev 5:5).  Rejoice, Satan is defeated.

From “The Word For You Today” by Bruce Christian, You Can Defeat Satan

     We all need to know this.

YOU CAN DEFEAT SATAN!

     Satan is a force that you’ll contend with every day.  And he’s a master at reinventing himself.  The Bible says he can morph “into an angel of light” (2Co 11:14 NKJV).  And while his approach may be appealing, his intent is always to “steal and kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10 NIV).  Destroy what?  Your peace of mind, your destiny, your relationships, ect.  How can you defeat him?  In two ways: (1) Don’t fear him.  “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil” (Ps 121:7).  Thirty-one times in the New Testament we read that as believers we are “in Christ.”  So to get at you, Satan must first go through Christ!  (2)  Don’t give him access.  “Nor give place to the devil.”  Satan has no place in your life unless you open the door and give him one.  And when Christ is enthroned in your heart, there’s no room for the Devil.  But it’s not enough to have a clean heart, you must have a spirit-filled heart.  Jesus said: “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none.  Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’  So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there.  And so that person is worse off than before” (Mt 12:43-45 NLT).  The best way to break bad habits is to replace them with good ones.  The best way to defeat Satan is to make Jesus Lord of your life.