THE SAME OLD DEVIL

I wish to tell you some reliable facts about the devil, it will help us “lest satan should take an advantage over us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). The Bible says “his devices”…other versions say “his schemes”, and note that the Bible did not say “his power”. It means that the devil succeeds not by power or by might, but by “his schemes, his cunningness, his skills”…not by any power. And the word “advantage” is also interpreted as “outsmart”; meaning the devil only tries to “outsmart” his targets, and not by power but by “his craftiness and deception”.

There is no new devil but the same old devil that lost many years ago. He has only become older and not stronger…this is why he is called the old man. Literally, old men get wiser not necessarily stronger. The same way the devil does not acquire new power apart from the one he had from the beginning which was paralyzed at the cross of Calvary. If he did not win before, he cannot win now.

Many times we are told that in these present days we need more power (of course we do) because the devil has become more powerful…and I ask, ‘who gave him the new power they seem to be talking about, or where did he get it from? Certainly not from God…and of course from nowhere’! The devil has not become any more powerful than the one he had in the beginning, and he cannot become more powerful…if at all there is any new addition to him, then I think because of his age, he gets wiser. What people mistake for new powers of the devil are nothing but new strategies he has developed overtime from experience. He is the most experienced being under the heaven. He has become more sensible, and this is why we need to be more sensitive as believers.

The devil is a deflated balloon who is floating on the wings of craftiness. He is a defeated and toothless dog that barks but cannot bite…his powers went crashing at Calvary, but for us, the same Calvary was the birthplace of power and glory. The devil cannot get any stronger; there is no where he will get the new power because all powers in Heaven and on earth have been given to Jesus…and it is we who have access to this power. We are able to become stronger every day…we grow and go from strength to strength…our powers have a capacity to increase, but the devil cannot increase his power, so he devices strategies. This is why a 5-year old boy can call the name JESUS and the devil goes crashing under supernatural thunderbolt. Even when he tempted Jesus and did not succeed after exhausting all his strategies, the Bible says he decided to leave Jesus until another opportune season, but that season never came, Halleluyah!

Below are some facts about the devil;

-          He was never among the trinity

-          He was created, and was an angel. God was not created, Jesus was not created, the Holy Spirit was not created…they were with God in the beginning

-          He is not omnipresent; he only moves from one place to another. God is at all places at all times!

-          He is a copycat…he copies many things from the Kingdom of God and adulterates them. He knew that Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, so he tried to make himself LIKE a lion, but he is never a lion…he is only “LIKE a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8).

-          He can be arrogant and hopeful of victory, if not he won’t take war to Heaven (Revelation 12:7).

-          He can be sometimes “quiet” and “patient” when he is looking a way to outsmart his target. This is when he disguises as an angel of light. He patiently planted Hagar in the family of Abraham for ten (10) years until the opportunity to act came and he took it.

-          He gets very angry (Revelation 12:3, 4).

But whatever strategy he takes to, we are more powerful than the devil through Jesus our strength! God has given us authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL (not some or a few, but ALL) the power of the enemy.

WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST!!!