RUGGED AND DOGGEDLY MADE (PART 3)
TEXT
"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." (1st John 4 verse 4, King James Version)
Everyone in Christ Jesus has overcome the devil and the evil spirits. The knowledge of this awesome truth is very important because you are likely to be deceived and oppressed by the devil if you are an ignoramus and a numskull in the faith.
The Scripture reading for today identifies you as "of God". It goes further to say in addition that you "have overcome them"! Only by beginning from verse one down to verse three of the fourth chapter of the book of 1st John, can we identify the ones that we've overcome. Here, the Spirit of the Lord is letting us know that the devil and his demons are a defeated foe! Jesus thoroughly and completely discomfited them on His Cross for us. The Bible in Colossians 2 verse 15 says of Jesus as follows:
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
The substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus is to the credit of mankind in general. But to access the benefits thereof, we must be born of God. In other words, such an one has to be born again! Stressing this point further, the Holy Spirit in 1st John 5 verses 4 to 5 declares:
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
The "world" mentioned in the verses immediately supra, refers to the world system that is currently headed by the devil (see John 14 verse 30 and 2nd Corinthians 4, verses 3 and 4).
Now, if the Lord Jesus overcame the "prince of the world" (the devil) for us, it invariably connotes that his subjects (devils, demons, unclean spirits, wicked spirits, witches, wizards, etc) are as well defeated (see Colossians 2 verse 15).
Colossians 2 verse 15 tells us that satan and his evil hosts were spoiled, disarmed, stripped of their power, exposed, shattered, emptied and defeated by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And Jesus made an open example of their complete defeat. This verse also shows us that satan's defeat is an eternal discomfiture.
Notice that today's Scripture verse did not say that you are going to overcome the devil, the evil spirits and demons. It says that you have overcome them. In other words, the victory over the devil, evil spirits, demons, and every power that is in this world has already been effected for you. The Christian doesn't have any battle to do with satan and his evil forces. Jesus already fought the battle and it has already been won for us! All we do now is to stand by faith on the accomplished work of Jesus for us (Ephesians 6 verses 10 to 13)
God didn't just stop there! Jesus, who overcame the devil came into us in the Person of the Holy Spirit to take up His residence in us. The Scripture reading for the day tells us exactly how it is that the believer has overcome the devil and his cohorts. It is because, "... greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." With Him in us we remain victors, more than conquerors and overcomers. The greater One who is in us accounts for our being rugged and doggedly made. Hallelujah!
PRAYER:
Father, thank You because I am indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. In every situation of life, I am a victor, more than conquerors and an overcomer, in Jesus name.