LEARNING DAILY

Ephesians 6:12, We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Spiritual warfare is the reality Believers live in. It is certainly easy to blame other people who lie, deceive, divide, and destroy for everything evil and wrong in this world. Yes, those who do this will be held accountable for all of this someday. They will stand before God, who judges all things in His righteousness, in His time. Believers must never forget that Satan is their true enemy and uses people to achieve his purposes.

In The Revelation 12:9 John writes that Satan deceives the whole world. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24 deception would increase in the last days. In John 8:44 Jesus called the devil “a liar and the father of lies”. Jesus had previously said that the reason those who reject Him and His Word is because their true spiritual father is the devil, Satan. This is a clear criticism and a rebuke of those who are leading others to follow the “broad way that leads to destruction” instead of the narrow way that leads to eternal life in the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:13-14). This is not the timid, weak Jesus that is often pictured! Think of the destruction evil is causing in the world today; it will continue to grow worse.

In The Revelation 9:11, John calls the king over the demons “Abaddon” (Hebrew) and “Apollyon” (Greek) which means “Destroyer”. In John 10:10, he calls Satan a “thief who comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”. Satan uses those who reject Jesus Christ and His Word to divide, cause splits and to destroy as much as they can regarding Christianity and all who follow Jesus.  

2 Corinthians 11:14, And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” He deceives and destroys by pretending to be an apostle of Christ. Paul was writing that there were those preaching a different gospel that what he was preaching in order to distort and lead Corinthians away from following Jesus Christ. The best way to do that was for Satan to disguise himself as an angel of light. Deception is the way he uses to convince evil is good/good is evil and light is darkness/darkness is light.

Paul takes this argument further in the next verse, “So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” That takes back to false teachers, those who disguise themselves as Christian teachers who deliberately pretend to be teaching about Christ and His righteousness but instead preach/teach a false version about both.

Here is the Good News in all of this. Believers are not left alone with trying to resist the devil (James 4;7). Believers are not to give him more power than he actually has.  “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:14). “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). It is by faith that believers walk the narrow way in His strength and His power. Believers are to put on the armor of God each day and know that walking with Jesus Christ is walking in far greater power than Satan and his minions!