Satan rules the world because he is stronger than anyone not now in Christ (PART 2)

by David Leach
(Temecula, Ca)

They will be easily offended, un-forgiving, constantly worried, prone to complaining (not knowing it is against God) with a tendency to lie, quickly angered, rarely content, without any real trust in God, self-image conscious, hard of heart, worldly, covetous of what others have, lovers of pleasure, despising authority and with little appetite for God’s living words.

These Christians, who were once born again, but are now carnal, dominated by their flesh or human nature, are living in continual disobedience to God, that is, living in sin. They do not know that they are now back under the power of Satan who will harm them.

Eph 2:2 ...Satan, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. TLB/TEV

1 Jo 5:19 ....The whole world (and most of the church) is under the rule of the evil one.

Wherever there is sin, which is disobedience to God, Satan has dominion, regardless of whether its before or after conversion to Christ. Wherever there is righteousness, the result of continual obedience to God, Christ now reigns and Satan is always defeated.

Rom 6:16 (To Christians) Don’t you know...you are that one's slaves whom you obey whether of sin (disobeying God) resulting in death (to God) or of obedience (to God) resulting in righteousness? (And continual victory over the Devil).

2 Cor 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph (when we are) in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

How does Satan deceive the whole world? Through thoughts, which we think are our own:

Rev 12:9 ...Called the Devil and Satan who deceives the whole world...and Christians

2 Cor 2:11 Lest Satan should take advantage of us (Christians) for we are not ignorant of his devices (the word translated devices is also translated as thoughts:-)

2 Cor 10:5 ...Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (in us),

Satan’s weapons are his thoughts by which he induces us to disbelieve and disobey God that’s how he rules the world and many Christians. Part of his deception is that atheists, religious people and carnal Christians, don’t know the degree to which their thoughts, especially their thoughts about God, are being manipulated by an unseen evil spirit.

Luke 9:55 (Jesus to His disciples) ...You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

To be under Satan’s thought influence doesn’t necessarily mean that he can force us to do things like, kill others or commit suicide, although he will if he can. For a combination of the fear of legal consequences, public shame and our own consciences, can limit the extremes to which he can drive us. But it does mean that our thoughts and wills are so under Satan’s influence as to prevent us form giving our lives to Christ, from being full of the Holy Spirit and from expanding God’s kingdom and thereby reducing Satan’s kingdom.

Those not currently living in Christ, led by His Spirit and walking as God’s Children in His Kingdom, are unknowingly under Satan’s influence in their thoughts, it is just a question of to what degree. Those living in Christ will of necessity be engaged in spiritual warfare with Satan and his demons, and that warfare takes place exclusively in the thought life:

Rom 8:14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the children of God.

Eph 6:12 We (Spirit led Christians) are not fighting against people...but against evil TLB rulers of the unseen world, mighty satanic beings...who rule this world;
Eccl 6:10 (But)...Man (on his own)...cannot contend with him who is mightier than he.

Satan’s thoughts are way stronger than ours, only Christ by His Word and Spirit is stronger

1 Pet 5:8 ...The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Mat 10:16 (Jesus) I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves...(no match for them)

Matt 6:13 (Jesus tells us to pray this daily) ....Deliver me from the evil one (Satan) For

John 15:5 (Jesus) ...Without Me you can do nothing (to overcome the stronger one) but

1 John 4:3 ...(If) you are of God...(you) have overcome them (wicked spirits), because He (Christ) who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (Satan).

Rev 12:10-11 ...The accuser (Satan)...they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (the Holy Spirit that leads them) and by the word (God’s word) of their testimony...

Luke 11:21-22 When Satan, strong and fully armed, guards his palace (any human TLB being) it is secure; until someone stronger and better armed (Christ, by the entrance of His words and Spirit) attacks and overcomes him and strips him of his (thought) weapons (freeing from sin anyone belonging to Satan) To stay free:

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God (be made safe from the power of sin, having Christ’s righteousness, by the truth of God’s words increasingly in your heart, have unwavering trust in those words, so the gospel of peace is spoken out of your mouth, by the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit, with whom you always communicate in prayer) so that you may be able to stand against the wiles (the thoughts) of the devil.

When we see this major gospel truth we’ll recognize our acute need for God at all times:

1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross (the gospel) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

To see that unless we live in God’s presence we cannot escape captivity by Satan, with its end that he will take us to his ultimate destination, hell – this is humility and this is a love for the truth. To refuse to see this truth is pride and means we are already a captive.

2 Thes 2:10-11 He (Satan) will completely fool those who are on their way to hell because they have said no to the Truth; they have refused to believe it and love it and let it save them, so God will allow them to believe lies with all their hearts, TLB

1 Jo 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest...
Rom 1423 ...Whatever is not of faith is sin - 1 Jo 3:8 He who sins is of the devil...