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Every Christian faces a three-fold enemy of the world, the flesh and the Devil. Even though Satan has been defeated by the person and work of Jesus (Luke 10:18; John 12:31; 1 John 3:8), the spiritual battle continues. And while it is impossible for someone who has been born again to be possessed by an unclean spirit, there is still a sense in which believers are oppressed by the Devil. This article examines what the Bible says we should expect in this regard.

1 Peter 5:8 tells us we should be self-controlled and alert because our enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. What’s more, we’re told that if we submit ourselves to God and resist the Devil, then he will immediately flee (James 4:7). While we are ultimately kept safe by the sovereign power of God (Jude 1, 24; Phil 1:3-6) this doesn’t mean that there are not real spiritual threats or dangers.

Setbacks and Opposition in Ministry

In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 the apostle Paul says, “We wanted to come to you — certainly I, Paul, did, again and again — but Satan stopped us.” Clearly, the Devil has a certain amount of influence in this present world. Elsewhere, in Ephesians 6, Paul famously writes that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in the heavenly realms.

While within divinely predetermined limits, the experience of Job is also illuminating. In chapters 1 and 2, we are explicitly told how the Devil was the cause of Job’s suffering. Whether it be the theft of oxen and donkeys by the Sabeans, a fire from heaven which destroyed his sheep, three lots of Chaldean raiding parties who carried off his camels, a mighty wind which caused the death of his children, or the personal suffering of physical illness. Each and every one of these things are directly attributable to Satan.

Anyone who has served Jesus for any length of time will appreciate the truth of there being an evil entity who is intensely opposed to the reign of Christ. Plans to prayerfully spread the Gospel are met with a myriad of obstacles, and we often experience persecution (Revelation 2:9). Especially, getting the family ready for church on a Sunday morning is often a battle. Why? Because we have an enemy who wants to discourage and stumble us in whatever way he can.

Unresolved Anger

One of the things which is striking about the work of Satan — particularly in the New Testament epistles — is how ‘ordinary’ it is. Take for instance Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:26-27. “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

Note the logical flow between the two verses. In verse 26 we are told not to allow our anger to be expressed in sinful ways. Being angry in and of itself is not a sin. As with Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:1-6, sometimes anger is not only justified, but a godly response. Although, being continually angry all the time doesn’t bring about righteous life which God requires (see James 1:19-20).

The key though is to not let the sun go down while we are still angry about something and we haven’t made an attempt to resolve it. Sweeping our anger under the carpet like that doesn’t solve things, but only makes it worse. Indeed, it gives the Devil a ‘foothold’ in twisting our hearts and driving a wedge between ourselves and the other person.

Unforgiveness and Division

Closely following on from the previous point, is Satan’s strategy to “divide and conquer”. The Lord Jesus says that even the Devil would not drive out a demon from someone because it would destroy what he is doing (i.e. Matthew 12:25-28). Alternatively, though, Satan seeks to divide Christians against each other (contra Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23).

One of the chief ways in which Devil does this is through division. And the mechanism through which this is achieved is unforgiveness. In 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 the apostle Paul refers to the restoration of an individual who had previously undergone some form of church discipline. While the details are sparse, the challenge to forgive is clear. And the reasons Paul gives is just as unambiguous. “In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

This is tragically confirmed through experience. How many church fellowships have been destroyed by unresolved conflict? Sadly, an unwillingness to forgive can be evident for generations. Especially in country churches, where grievances and grudges can take on almost tribal proportions.

False Teaching

One of the Devil’s most effective strategies is to destroy the church from within (Galatians 3:1; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:26; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 John 2:18; 4:1-6; Jude 3-4). Indeed, the Bible teaches that the Devil is the one responsible for blinding the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).

What makes this especially difficult though, is that false teachers often attempt to appear as genuine ones (i.e. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). In his farewell speech to the Ephesian Elders, the apostle Paul has these sobering words:

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number, men will arise and destroy the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

So be on your guard! Remember that for three years, I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:28-31)

Day and night, for three years, Paul tearfully warned the leaders of the church at Ephesus that the greatest spiritual danger they faced would come from within. There would be men who would “love to be first” (3 John 9-10) and so “draw disciples after them” (Number 16). Much like David’s son Absalom did in 2 Samuel 15:1-5, we need to watch out for those who, under the guise of ministry service, are leading others astray by promoting themselves.

The book of Jude is an extended examination of this demonic danger. Note some of the various ways in which they are described:

• “Godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 4)
• “In the very same way [as Sodom and Gomorrah], these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.” (Jude 8)
• “These men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals — these are the very things that destroy them.” (Jude 10)
• “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” (Jude 11)
• “These men are blemishes at your loves feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm — shepherds who feed only themselves.” (Jude 12)
• “These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jude 16)
• “These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.” (Jude 19)

Condemnation or a Lack of Assurance

One of the Devil’s most poisonous arrows is that of accusation. One of the most vivid examples of this is found in Zechariah 3 where Satan stands at the right side of the High Priest Joshua specifically to accuse him.

In the same way, immediately after Jesus’ baptism — at which “a voice from heaven proclaims, ‘This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’ (Matthew 3:17) — the first two temptations of the Devil begin with the question, “If you are the Son of God…” (Matthew 4:3, 6). The underlying accusation being, maybe you are not whom God says you are?

This explains why in Ephesians 6, the believer is told to put on the helmet of salvation. The whole of the Christian’s spiritual armour is, in fact, connected to the Gospel of the finished work of Christ. This is why we’re told to take up the shield of faith with which to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. It points to the very centre, though, of the Devil’s attack. And that is to make one question one’s salvation.

Temptation

On a practical level, one of the most insidious ploys of the devil occurs in the bedroom. Paul says to husbands and wives in 1 Corinthians 7:5, “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” Clearly, the Devil often tempts believers with sexual immorality and greed (i.e. 2 Peter 2:15; Luke 22:3-6).

But the Devil can tempt us in a number of different ways as well. For instance, in the Garden, it involved the accuracy and goodness of God’s command (Genesis 3:1-5). And in the wilderness, the Lord Jesus Christ experienced much the same thing. (i.e. Matthew 4:1-11). What stands out in Jesus’ response, though, is His use of the Sword of the Spirit. Each time Jesus uses the Word of God to combat Satan’s schemes, especially when the Evil One himself misquotes Scripture (Matthew 4:6).

This is a crucial insight in taking our stand spiritually. We must not only know the Scriptures, but we should also consciously use them as a weapon (Ephesians 6:16). Closely connected to this is prayer and the humble dependence which calls down all the power of heaven (Revelation 8:3-5).

A Victory Assured!

With so much talk about the nefarious work of Satan, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that our victory over the Devil is assured (Romans 16:20; Revelation 20:1-10). But this is the great confidence we have in Christ. Through His resurrection from the dead, we have been freed from the one who holds the power of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). And as such, we now have nothing to fear.

The Devil might be real and active, but he is a defeated foe (1 John 3:8; Revelation 12:9). And as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself teaches, because the Strongman has been bound, we can now rob the Devil’s house of those whom he possesses (Matthew 12:29).

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Photo by Daisa TJ.