“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
I have quoted this verse quite a few times when I feel like I’m being tempted in some way. I know that the devil is always out there trying to draw me, and all of us, off the narrow path (Matthew 7:14). He’s always, “seeking who he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), so we have to be aware of his tactics.
As I was declaring this verse one morning recently, God gave me an encouraging revelation; God, the Holy Spirit is inside me and the devil is outside me or “in the world”. Now, we read in the Bible that sometimes, demons are inside people. Jesus cast out demons seven times from various people, but we don’t hear much about that today. So, I was encouraged with the reminder that all-powerful God is in me and my demonic enemies are outside, around me in the world. My enemies out there can only tempt me and try to coerce me into doing, saying, or thinking something sinful but it is my choice to listen or resist it. (James 4:7).
However, we know that, since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, sin came into the world and into us. The Bible speaks of it as, “the flesh”. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18). We have a sin nature that is in our “flesh”, but we also have the Spirit nature in us that battles against it. It is an on-going battle. Sometimes our flesh wins and sometimes our Spirit does. Being a former coach, I see this likened to our muscles. The ones we exercise and feed properly are the ones that develop and become strong. Those that are not exercised or fed deteriorate. We have to feed and exercise our Spirit by reading our Bible, praying and doing good and starve our flesh. So, when the devil comes around with his temptations that are designed for us, we can declare, “Greater is He that is in me than you are. I have submitted to God and resist you, get out of here!” Be aware!
But there’s something else to be aware of. We may have more than one thing that the devil knows he can temp us with: our weaknesses. He knows what they are and that’s what he uses against us. But have you noticed that when you have gotten a weakness under control that the devil will attack you with something else? He’ll keep trying because his desire is only to, “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). So, when these temptations come, we need to have our Spiritual armor on and our Sword ready so we can say, “IT IS WRITTEN!”. Remember, in Luke 4: 1-13, how Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness? (Notice that Luke said Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” (v. 1), He had exercised His Spirit to the full.) The devil tried one thing, that didn’t work. He tried two more things that didn’t work either because Jesus was ready with the Word. Finally, the devil gave up, “until an opportune time”, (v.13). That’s what the devil does to us. He tempts us with one thing and, if that doesn’t get us, he tries the next thing. But if we keep exercising our Spirit faith and declaring the Word, the devil will leave us for a time when, maybe, we’re weak.
So, remember that the devil is out there on the road of life and be aware of his tactics. Remember that God is in you, submit to Him, have your Word-of-God sword ready and resist the devil. Be aware. Be ready.
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