Resist the Devil

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [James 4.7]

God is so faithful. Just this morning, as is my custom, I was reading through some scriptures that I have chosen to read every day before prayer and today, of all days, I became fixated on these two as if they suddenly became alive before my very eyes:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. [2 Corinthians 10.3-5]

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. [Ephesians 6.10-18]

The equipment for our warfare is designed for one specific enemy, Satan (the devil), who has specific methods for which our equipment is designed to resist and overcome.

2 Corinthians 10.3-5 gives us a clear indication of where our warfare takes place: the human mind. Even though so much of what Satan does appears to take place in physical forms (we know Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy), these physical manifestations are simply the outcomes of battles that take place, again, primarily in the human mind.

This first seen in the Garden of Eden.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” [Genesis 3.1]

Satan began his assault on humanity by introducing the thought that God might be wrong (or have wrong motives). By ultimately acting upon that thought, the innocence of humanity was lost.

This is precisely why the New Testament writers like James and Paul speak so adamantly about resisting the devil and his devices... Satan appealed to human reasoning. He first did it in the Garden of Eden and he has continued to do so ever since. In fact, his single effort with Eve has grown so widespread today that it is largely unrecognizable (more about this coming).

But we are here to change that!

2 Corinthians 10.3-5 makes it clear that the enemy's strategy is found in human reasoning and false arguments (all taking place in the mind).

What is human reasoning? It is simply man's way of "figuring things out" based on what he knows and/or experiences. What is missing in this definition is what God says. Consequently, the battle every believer in God faces is the constant barrage of human reasonings (inspired by Satan himself) that ultimately serve to undermine what God has said. 

With man's widespread advancements in knowledge, science, medicine, technology, etc., human reasoning has become the norm with little or no comparison to (let alone, consideration of) God's Holy Word thus making it unrecognizable to all but the most astute student of the Bible. And, even then, many who gain extensive knowledge of the Bible still fail to recognize all the human reasoning that has been injected into their understanding of the Bible - a situation which allows the impurity of human thought to dictate the meaning of God's Word. Can you see the problem with this? Can you see why James and Paul would make such a deal about resisting and fighting off the devil and his methods??

Consequently, when the obstacles of human reasoning and false arguments are entertained and embraced rather than engaged in spiritual battle,  the pure, genuine, and powerful knowledge of God suffers. If the knowledge of God suffers, there is simply no way man can hope to enjoy the power of God as demonstrated and encouraged by Jesus Christ.

It all hinges upon what we do with thoughts. Do we allow human reasoning to dictate what we believe about God's Word or or do we allow God's Word to stand as the final authority?

Father, help us to see the error of trusting in human reasoning.