Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– A.W. Tozer
Acknowledge He’s Real
The Devil has most of the world fooled because they don’t even believe he exists, and that makes him even more dangerous, however this shouldn’t make us feel superior to them because we “once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Eph 2:2) and at one time, “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph 2:3), so thank God that He opened our eyes to who the invisible enemy is.
See His Limits
Satan cannot take human life. There is no Bible verse anywhere to be found in the New Testament where Satan is given permission to kill believes, but he can stir up persecution. And Satan was allowed to use calamities to take all ten of Job’s children, but even that was under God’s sovereignty; and God doubled what he had and gave Job ten more children. God told Satan, who wanted to test Job, that he could only afflict him, but not take his life (Job 1:12), so Satan or his demons can do no more than God allows him to do. It’s exactly what Martin Luther said, “The Devil is God’s Devil.”
Understand He’s Defeated
Satan and his demons were ultimately defeated at the cross as Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31), but just like in times of war, there are still skirmishes from time to time against the foes (us). It’s just like the pockets of resistance the Marines encountered in taking the islands back from the Japanese. The war was over but the conflict went on.
God is Greater
The Apostle John wanted to comfort the church about our archenemy and so he wrote, “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” (1st John 4:4). That “He” that is in you is the Holy Spirit, and since the Holy Spirit is God, what threat does Satan or his demons pose for those of us with the Spirit of God? He can harass us, but he cannot take us out of the kingdom or take our lives (John 6:37, 39; 10:28-29).
Conclusion
A.W. Tozer was a powerful man of God who God used in mighty ways, and he wasn’t afraid of a foe that’s already been defeated (Satan). We know the Devil and his demons are real; we know that Satan and his demons are limited in what they can do; we know that he’s already been defanged but can still harass us; and we know that God Who is in us is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world.
