Nothing Missing

"We must keep the devil where he is, in the condition Jesus left him in, and stop raising him back onto an Old Covenant podium."

I AM the temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives in me. I am bought with a price, the blood of Jesus, which He willingly shed for me. I glorify God with my body, with my actions and reactions, and with my mind, in all my decisions and choices.

This has been my confession for quite some time, and I’ve seen the change it has given in me. But not in the way that you think. I’m not overly conscientious now. If anything, I don’t worry about my behavior at all. Contrary to popular belief, God is not nitpicking at every jot and tittle (Matthew 5:18). He’s given us His Spirit. He’s at rest in what He’s done in us. And this gives me confidence to be myself. He loves me just as I am, with all my quirks, hobbies, and eccentricities.

“And you must not fall in with the manners of this world; there must be an inward change, a remaking of your minds, so that you can satisfy yourselves what is God’s will, the good thing, the desireable thing, the perfect thing.” (Rm 12:2 Knox)

He’s not overly conscientious of the devil now either. While we’re on continual high alert, swords swinging wildly, God knows where that loser is and rests in His triumph over him. This is key to our joyful, peaceful everyday life. We must keep the devil where he is, in the condition Jesus left him in, and stop raising him back onto an Old Covenant podium. The work of the cross and the Resurrection is complete. Nothing is missing from it, and all of it has been revealed to us.

Number one, that the devil is de-feeted. Let’s be clear on this. He is not a prince. He does not rule a kingdom. He does not have an organized system of soldiers. Hell is a place of punishment and not his throne. Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (Luke 10:18).” Satan is a created being and the first to sin. This is the meaning of the Greek word translated “prince” in the King James Version. Where it says, “prince of this world” and “prince of the power of the air,” it is not signifying royalty or authority, but that he is the first sinner. It was sinning that caused God to cast him out of heaven.

Next, we must know that the Bible NEVER says the “kingdom of the devil” nor even “kingdom of darkness.” The devil is in darkness because he is not in God’s Light. Darkness is the absence of Light. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1;5).” In the darkness there is no peace, no wisdom, and no love.

God is not afraid of the darkness. Psalm 139 tells us that darkness is as bright as the day to Him. “The darkness and the light are both alike to thee (Psalm 139:12).” This psalm also tells us we cannot flee from God, even in hell. Our God is omnipresent, meaning He is in all locations at the same time. The devil is not. Yet, we continually talk like he is, making statements such as “That was the devil in my ear,” or “That was the devil talking to me.” But the devil has no shape, no authority, and no being. Hell is not his throne or a throne. It is a place of punishment. He is not talking to you at all.

Ephesians 6:12 says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Satan, which means adversary, does not have soldiers. There is no organized system under his control. Minister Happy Caldwell described principalities and powers as things like abortion, pornography, gambling, drugs, and gangs. They are areas of thought. What is of importance is knowing that Jesus’ name is greater than any other name. Greater than principalities and powers. Greater than rulers of the darkness of this world. Greater than spiritual wickedness in high places.

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;” (Philippians 2:10)

The devil has no kingdom, but he is in a kingdom, he was cast into darkness, outside of God’s Light, where devils and unclean spirits are consumed by fear, strife, and violence. They are controlled by the power of sin that drives them, and we know that sin is what fights against God (Romans 8:7).

Romans 1 in the Remedy Translation is such a powerful look at those consumed by sin. Verse 28 says those controlled by sin have “abandoned and rejected the truth about God —the only solution capable of healing their minds” and fallen prey to extreme deception, to lies about God. It goes on to say, “They have become filled with every kind of selfishness, wickedness, evil, greed, and lustful perversion. They think only about themselves and are jealous of others, they destroy anyone who gets in their way, they lie and cheat and exploit, they spread rumors and gossip, they destroy reputations and hate God and everything for which he stands.”

Jesus called it a kingdom divided (Luke 11:18). Don’t let the word “kingdom” throw you though, because today, the devil holds no power. Jesus, in His death and Resurrection, destroyed all the works of the devil.

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)

Which brings me to Daniel. Daniel’s fast to hear from God is continually preached as New Covenant, but Daniel was an Old Covenant prophet. There was still a conflict in the heavens. Jesus hadn’t come, born of Mary. He hadn’t died to fulfill the Old Covenant nor had He risen from the dead. All the work accomplished by His death and Resurrection, that we read of in the epistles was yet to come. Putting it simply, JESUS CHANGED EVERYTHING. We stand and keep standing because the wiles of the devil have been revealed to us and are destroyed (Ephesians 6:10-11,16).

The devil is the thief who steals, kills, and destroys. But Jesus came to bring life abundantly (John 10:10).

In Daniel’s story it took twenty-one days for the angel of the Lord to get through devilish hosts, and a war was fought by the angel Michael. Today, the devil and all his kind are under Jesus’ feet (Ephesians 1:22). He’s given us all we need to keep standing in peace and joy. Notice, we are NOT standing in conflict, feeling uneasy, impatient, and full of doubts. Our standing against the devil is done IN REST, sure of Jesus’ victory. He is our confidence. Rest in Him is now our constant state. It is the condition of our heart. Patience and longsuffering are fruit of God growing in us. Our loving Father knows what timing is perfect for our victory.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” (Matthew 11:28 AMPC)

We are no longer in a war with the devil. Jesus fought the war and won it completely. And a lopsided war it was anyway. There was no chance that God who knows all things and holds all power would lose in what He had foreordained to happen before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Our only battles today are to renew our minds and think like God, who has made us His temple. He abides in us now. Though sometimes what we come up against seems hard, and we cannot see where it ends, we know the ending of all things in God is peace (Philippians 4:7). He is for us, always on our side, overflowing with kindness, goodness, and love, to lift us up and make us stronger people. Not at the whim of the flesh or the defects of sin, but as children of God, who talk like God, and sound like Him.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com