Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
INTRODUCTION:
Last week’s study titled “Only The Truth Acted Upon Sets You Free” was a challenge not to be hearers and “knowers” of the truth alone; but doers of the truth. Because knowing the truth and not acting on it does not guarantee our freedom. Today’s study will reveal to us vital truth about our reigning in life. Because of Jesus' victory over Satan at the Cross, instead of being defeated, conquered, and ruled over, now in Christ we reign as kings in this life here in this world. Because we are in Christ, Satan is under our feet. Before we served as slaves to Satan and spiritual death, but now we reign in life through Jesus Christ. This is part of the riches of our inheritance in Christ.
Romans 5:17
“For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall REIGN IN LIFE BY ONE, JESUS CHRIST.”
Having read this wonderful verse of scripture, let’s ask ourselves two questions:
1. Does this sound like a Church that is being ruled over and dominated by demons and evil spirits? The obvious answer is - No!
2. When does the Bible say we will reign over Satan and his evil schemes against us? In the sweet by and by? When we all get to Heaven? Again, although not as obvious, the answer remains, No.
Believers reign as kings in the realm of life now. We who are born again have become new creatures in Christ Jesus, and we are now the victorious ones, not the defeated ones. We are the triumphant church, not the defeated Church.
We reign as kings in life through Jesus Christ now.
This is part of the wisdom the Holy Spirit is trying to get over to the Body of Christ in these Spirit-inspired prayers in the Book of Ephesians.
In times past, we served as slaves of Satan, but now we walk in the newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Now because of our joint-seating with Christ in heavenly places, we reign as kings through the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Desire for Us
Ephesians 1:15-18 says:
“Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”
The message the Holy Ghost through Paul is endeavouring to get across to the Body of Christ is that
1. God wants the eyes of our understanding enlightened so we can understand that we reign with Christ in this life.
2. God wants us to know we have victory over Satan in every contest and circumstance, even as Jesus had victory over Satan when He was on the earth. We don't have to struggle to be victorious; we just need to stand our ground with the Word against a defeated foe according to what we already possess in Christ.
It doesn't take all day to stand against evil spirits if you know your authority in Christ. Just speak the Word to them in the Name of Jesus, and they have to go. You don't have to fight with them because they've been defeated and dethroned. By standing on the Word against them, you are standing in Jesus' victory.
Taking Responsibility
Luke 10:19 says:
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”
We should not give heed to the devil’s suggestions and even to preachers that teach people to fear the devil: You hear them say things like: "You'd better be careful! The devil might hear you." Or "You'd better be careful. The devil might try to lay sickness and disease on you."
We have authority over ourselves and our households. So if the devil ever comes knocking at your door with sickness, poverty, lack, or oppression, tell him, "Don't come to my house. You'll have to go peddle that junk somewhere else because I won't receive it!"
Ultimately every one of us will have to learn to stand against the devil for ourselves because God expects you to take authority over the devil for yourself.
It is also possible to give someone else permission, to pray for you in faith, but, really, you need to do something about taking authority over the devil for yourself. That's one way you grow in who you are in Christ. Take authority over Satan, sickness, disease, or whatever the enemy is trying to get you to receive. Stand against it for yourself in the Name of Jesus. Believers make a mistake by accepting what the devil brings to them.
The Place of Knowledge
Verse 18 says:
“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”
Knowledge is vital to exercising one’s authority because you will be defeated if you don't recognize who is in you and the authority you have in Christ. By failing to recognize that the Greater One dwells in you, you will allow the devil to take advantage of you.
It's one thing for Satan to dominate unsaved people who are in the kingdom of darkness; they're under his authority. But Satan and his cohorts are dominating too many Christians who don't know their authority or don't exercise their authority.
That's why the believer needs to come to prayer understanding that all those spiritual forces have been defeated by Jesus. When the believer prays, he needs to pray from a position of victory because he is seated with Christ in heavenly places, looking down on a defeated foe.
When you come to prayer, pray from a seated position in Christ far above principalities and powers where you have joint-seating with Christ. Jesus' victory is your victory. Because of what Jesus did, you are free from Satan's dominion.
Too often Christians just hang on and try to do the best they can, not realizing what their inheritance in Christ really entitles them to. Instead of taking their rightful place in Christ as victors, they magnify the devil, and that gives him access in their lives.
Your Thoughts and Words
Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life”
Proverbs 23:7a “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”
You can dwell on the negative side of things and you will become what you dwell on. What you are thinking about and dwelling on is what you are believing. What you are believing is what you are talking about. And eventually what you are believing and talking about is what you will become.
This applies in this area of demons and demonic activity too. If you think the devil's thoughts, you will become depressed, oppressed, and you can go into error. Or you can think on the Word, and your thinking can become enlightened, illuminated, and flooded with light.
You can go around preaching how powerful the devil is, or you can get on the positive side where the eyes of your understanding have been enlightened to see the wisdom of God. Then you will be on the scriptural side and the victory side where you belong as a believer because of your triumph in Christ.
Because I know Jesus defeated the devil, that's what I think on and talk about. And the Greater One puts me over in life and causes me to succeed because I'm giving place to God and the power of His Word, not to the devil.
Conclusion
Some Christians suffer defeat because they believe "greater is he that is in the world than He that is in them." They have it backwards in their thinking. Then they go to confessing that.
Many are defeated in life because they have a negative confession; they're always talking on the negative side of things, and that opens a door to the devil in their life.
They're always telling what they're not and what they don't have and about their weaknesses, failures, and lack. Invariably they go down to the level of their confession.
If you believe and confess that the devil's power is greater than God's power, Satan will defeat you. But if you stand your ground in your blood-bought rights in Christ and confess that, you will rise to the level of your confession and inheritance.
What a change would take place in your life if you stood your ground on the Word of God against every attack of the enemy in every test or trial! What a change would take place if you maintained a positive confession in Christ so you give no ground to the devil in your life!
Then you would rise to the level of your confession—you would take your rightful place in Christ and you would be able to possess what Christ has already wrought for you. You would take your rightful place as the triumphant Church of the Lord Jesus Christ over all the power of the devil.
