How Do We Avoid Giving Place to the Devil?

Not only can Satan appear as an angel of light, but fallen angels can appear as ministers of righteousness! Paul warned that Satan's evil apprentices show up in the form of false prophets and false apostles (II Corinthians 11:13-15). They are deceivers, seducing people away from faith in Christ to the doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1-2; I John 2:18-22).

We must be on guard and stay alert, "lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices"
(II Corinthians 2:11). Our enemy especially seeks to beguile the children of God and catch them in his snare (I Timothy 3:6-7; II Timothy 2:26). We must fill our hearts with the Word of God (Psalm 119:11) and walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). We must also heed the warning to not give our enemy a foothold (territory) in our lives.

How to avoid giving place to the Devil:

• Flee from all forms of witchcraft and the occult (Leviticus 19:31), including books about witchcraft, fortune telling, sorcery, trances, hypnosis, horoscopes, seances, astrology, casting spells, etc. These open a door to give the Devil a foothold (legal right) in your life.



• Beware of your music! Music is a powerful tool either for good or for evil. Seducing spirits thrive in this arena because music "lulls to sleep" and sedates a person's spiritual sensitivity. The rock beat, in particular, is known to call up evil spirits in Satanic rituals.



• Realize that the television is a common vehicle for allowing every kind of evil spirit imaginable into your home. It is governed by the prince of the power of the air.



• Understand that knowingly practicing sin gives Satan legal right in your life (I John 5:18). He has no right to touch the child of God who is not sinning.



• Cleanse your home of any possession that displeases the Lord (certain books, magazines, statues, artwork, etc. open a door for the enemy).



• Break ancestral curses by the Holy Spirit. Evil spirits will continue their maladies down the family line until the cycle is broken by the power of God.



• Submit yourself to God! Then when you resist the Devil he will have to flee from you (James 4:7).

The Bible is very clear that "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils" (I Corinthians 10:21). Choose you this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15), because the kingdom of darkness is at war with the Kingdom of Heaven!

How Do We Fight Evil Powers?

The prophet Daniel had several revelatory visions about future events. In one particular vision, a very real spiritual battle took place, hindering a messenger sent to Daniel. This heavenly messenger (possibly Christ Himself) said, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia" (Daniel 10:13). What was Daniel doing while the principality of wickedness ("Prince of Persia") withstood the messenger from heaven? Daniel was fasting and praying (Daniel 10:3)!

The powers of darkness are very real and very mighty. But Jesus has defeated them! Through the blood of His cross and His resurrection from the dead, Jesus "spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15; also see John 16:11). We are, however, still involved in a battle that rages on in the spiritual realm, manifesting itself in the natural realm through the end of this age.

How do we fight against the powers of darkness? With the Armor of God. Our struggle is "not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). Spiritual battles cannot be fought with fleshly (carnal) weapons. There are even some demons that only come out by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).

Satan and all spiritual forces of evil were defeated at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15). These powers of wickedness were cast down to earth when Jesus was resurrected (Revelation 12). They tremble at the judgment prepared for them, and know that Jesus will be the one to carry out that judgment: "And, behold, they [the devils] cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29; also see Luke 8:28-31). The final destiny of Satan and his angels is the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10). But meanwhile, the Devil is on earth, full of wrath, knowing his time is short.

There is a purpose for these adversaries. They grow up the children of God to maturity and "full stature" in Christ. They purge and purify the Bride of Christ. And they give us the opportunity to overcome evil by the power of the Holy Spirit. "And they overcame him [the Devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

We who remain in Christ look forward to this promise: "In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear...No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 54:14-17).

Conclusion

God is the Creator of all, and in His wisdom He has created angels as part of His master plan in bringing mankind into relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.

Angels desire to look into the mysteries of salvation (I Peter 1:12). In fact, one of the purposes of the Body of Christ (the Church) is so the angels will realize the depths of God's wisdom! "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10).

Until God's work is completed in us, we can hold confidently to His promises, such as this one: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
(Romans 8:38-39)!

Credits

This biblical teaching was written by
David Holt Boshart, Jr.

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