Every Christian has a common enemy. This enemy is not of the mind or the flesh. This enemy is spiritual. In fact, this enemy is a spirit. This enemy is known by many names. But he is most commonly called the Devil, also named Satan.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:9

Satan, The Enemy of Humanity

If we take a look at Revelation 12:9 more closely, we see something interesting. Satan is not just the enemy of Christians, but the whole world! I will not take time in this post to bring this out in detail. But know that the deception mentioned in the verse took place in Eden (Genesis 3:1-7) Deception is what makes the Devil everyone's enemy. But the Christian becomes a special target because of our relationship with Christ. How to deal with this is the object of this post.

A Powerful Adversary

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8

Satan is not one to be trifled with. He is a powerful foe! He is a type of angel called a Cherubim or Cherub. I actually believe this is more like a position than a type of angel. These angels are given the position of ministering to God Himself.

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Ezekiel 28:14

So what makes us think we can do battle with him? We think because we have the Holy Spirit we can thump on the Devil's chest? This is foolish thinking in the extreme!

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels;…  Hebrews 2:6-7

We are lower because we are flesh, not spirit like angels.

For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. Psalms 78:39

Yea, I know there are some who teach God made us spirit beings and that we have a body and possess a soul. That was brought into the Christianity from paganism and is not taught anywhere in scripture. I take that up in my posts “Body, Soul, and Spirit” (Part 1) and (Part 2). Scripture instructs us how to deal with Satan. And kicking him in the rump isn't one of those ways…

Fighting The Enemy

We often hear phrases like “crushing the Devil's head', ‘fighting against the Devil', “giving the Devil a black eye”, and so on. All of these statements and others make you think you can actually fight with Satan! Why would you want to? Such talk is nonsense, especially since we can't touch Satan with our hands. And let's not mention “spiritual hands' because we don't have those either. Take the time to read my posts referenced under ‘A Powerful Adversary‘.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

This is how the battle begins: Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel, Faith, Salvation, and the Word. These are our… coverings, not weapons! Armor is used as a defensive covering to protect against attack, not for attacking.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2 Corinthians 10:4

The strong holds are those things that keep us bound to the world and to sin. They exist in us, in our hearts and minds, not outside of us (Romans 1:29). We fight by resisting the Devil, not fighting with or against him!

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27

Do these two verses say anything about going head to head with Satan? Just the opposite. Resist and give Satan no opportunity to tempt or deceive you. We don't get to command, demand, declare, yell, scream, jump, stomp, or even tell the Devil anything. Just resist and he will go away!

Only God Can Defeat Satan!

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20

Are we to step on the Devil and bruise his head? No, the God of peace will. This was spoken in the Garden…

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15

This was spoken directly to Satan of Jesus bruising his head, not us!

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; Hebrews 2:14 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ezekiel 28:18-19

Satan's fate is sealed. God will destroy him in the end. God does not need our help in beating up on the Devil. Neither God or Jesus ever did that! So let us keep our place and do what works.

How To Resist the Devil

Resisting the Devil is simple really. Remember the Armor of God? Right living helps us resist. When we avoid temptation and strive to obey God over our flesh, we resist. Remember Jesus' encounter with Satan in the wilderness? It wasn't enough for Jesus to speak words to Satan. Jesus had to be a doer of the Word! Jesus lived and walked upright before the Father and man. That allow him to speak, not just words, but living words. Jesus lived what he spoke!

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

When we practice and live God's Word, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to resist! Yelling at the Devil does nothing, except maybe cause him to notice and run toward you! But resisting his attempts to draw you from the righteousness of God gives him no place in your life.

Victory in Jesus!

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

Our victory over the Devil is in our lifestyle. So many Christians struggle in different areas of their lives because of demonic attack. Doors are opened through careless living and/or challenges made to the powers of darkness via foolish speaking.

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Ephesians 5:4

We have and maintain the victory over Satan and his kingdom (sin and death) by doing what God's Word says, not what sounds good and tickle our ears.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

P.S. Did you know the word ‘Devil' does not appear at all in the Old Testament? That title (yes, title) is first mentioned in Matthew 4:1 (in the KJV a least). His name, Satan, is found in both Testaments. And Satan is his only name! For more on this, please read my post on Lucifer by clicking this link.