Hi there,
So here we are, waging spiritual warfare and what do we find? We find that the Devil makes no sense to God, nor can he give direction. We know he speaks from his own resources (as Jesus said) and that means that his memories are uninspired and his giving direction is too weak to be effectual. The wrath the Devil is filled with, makes this a dangerous situation - especially considering that the people snared by his evil don't know how to refuse the Devil, even given these pitfalls. People's lives will quickly become a ruin, if they attempt to run with the Devil, while he delivers them less and less from senseless and aimless sins. These sins will build up!
What does this mean, though? Some thing that is for certain, is that the Devil is mean. What the Devil does do, despite not making sense or directing, is be very very mean about who he trusts, why and what for. The Devil is able to knit people heavily together, something that puts their lives in peril, if they need to escape, but fear the Devil's wrath. Jesus said not to fear the Devil's wrath, but to be obedient to God - and that is our delivery. The point between these two things is that people will see the Devil's meanness is not to be toyed with, but rather put away. If we treat the Devil as the friend he was, the Devil's meanness will be overcome. It is possible to soften the heart, even of the Devil.
But Jesus said "offences must come (but woe to the one by whom that offence comes" (gospels, from memory), there will be meanness we can't avoid. That is not to say that it is justified, but that justification will be all the more needed. As such, we should be praying for that justification! There is power in this, given that the Word of God, with Spirit, will be able to dispel all meanness. The Devil's aggression simply won't be maintained, in the light of the Holy Spirit's intercession. If the Devil can't be mean, even when people expect him to, his kingdom will crumble. This is the hope we have in the Holy Spirit. The power of the word, will remain the power of the word - there is no meanness in that.
Ultimately, we must forgive the meanness of the Devil, if indeed he is first willing to repent. By faith, we can even do it for him, but he will object that we are crushing free will, in a manner of speaking. The point is that the forgiveness we saw on the cross, was for all, the Devil included. The more we turn to the cross, the less the Devil's meanness will have a point, any effectualness, any power. This is the overcoming, that the Lord promised us, the faithful. We have power in His Name, over the meanness of the Devil, and the evils that are to come.
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
So here we are, waging spiritual warfare and what do we find? We find that the Devil makes no sense to God, nor can he give direction. We know he speaks from his own resources (as Jesus said) and that means that his memories are uninspired and his giving direction is too weak to be effectual. The wrath the Devil is filled with, makes this a dangerous situation - especially considering that the people snared by his evil don't know how to refuse the Devil, even given these pitfalls. People's lives will quickly become a ruin, if they attempt to run with the Devil, while he delivers them less and less from senseless and aimless sins. These sins will build up!
What does this mean, though? Some thing that is for certain, is that the Devil is mean. What the Devil does do, despite not making sense or directing, is be very very mean about who he trusts, why and what for. The Devil is able to knit people heavily together, something that puts their lives in peril, if they need to escape, but fear the Devil's wrath. Jesus said not to fear the Devil's wrath, but to be obedient to God - and that is our delivery. The point between these two things is that people will see the Devil's meanness is not to be toyed with, but rather put away. If we treat the Devil as the friend he was, the Devil's meanness will be overcome. It is possible to soften the heart, even of the Devil.
But Jesus said "offences must come (but woe to the one by whom that offence comes" (gospels, from memory), there will be meanness we can't avoid. That is not to say that it is justified, but that justification will be all the more needed. As such, we should be praying for that justification! There is power in this, given that the Word of God, with Spirit, will be able to dispel all meanness. The Devil's aggression simply won't be maintained, in the light of the Holy Spirit's intercession. If the Devil can't be mean, even when people expect him to, his kingdom will crumble. This is the hope we have in the Holy Spirit. The power of the word, will remain the power of the word - there is no meanness in that.
Ultimately, we must forgive the meanness of the Devil, if indeed he is first willing to repent. By faith, we can even do it for him, but he will object that we are crushing free will, in a manner of speaking. The point is that the forgiveness we saw on the cross, was for all, the Devil included. The more we turn to the cross, the less the Devil's meanness will have a point, any effectualness, any power. This is the overcoming, that the Lord promised us, the faithful. We have power in His Name, over the meanness of the Devil, and the evils that are to come.
I hope this has been of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
