#38- Satan Can’t Defeat Her

52 Reasons to Love the Church

By Kathy Pollard

We know we have an adversary. The devil has been actively going after God’s people from the beginning (2 Cor. 11:3). He even “stood against Israel” (1 Chron. 21:1). He is a liar (John 8:44), a deceiver (2 Cor. 11:14), and a thief (John 10:10). He tries to keep people from “seeing the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). He uses devices against us (2 Cor. 2:11) and he’s a schemer (Eph. 6:11). So the Bible warns us to be on guard against him.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Sadly, many have been caught in the devil’s snares (2 Tim. 2:26). While our hearts break to see loved ones suffer until they “come to their senses” (as Paul puts it in the verse I just referenced), Satan takes delight in the calamity and chaos.

Yes, the devil has tricked and trapped and tripped us up, but you know what he can’t do? He can’t win. He really wants to! He is the “accuser of the brethren…accusing them day and night before God” (Rev. 12:10). We’ve seen him in action! Remember when he went after:

• Joshua the high priest- Satan was “standing at his right hand to accuse him” (Zech. 3:1).
• Job- “Then Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face'” (Job 1:9-11).
• Ananias- “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…” (Ac. 5:1-3).
• Peter- “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” (Lk. 22:31-32).
• Judas- “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot…” (Lk. 22:3-6).
• Jesus- “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1ff).

Satan has been diligent in going after God’s people, but that’s ALL he can do. He can’t force anyone to sin (James 4:7). He can’t overtake a heart. And he definitely can’t defeat Jesus and His church. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). He has been “conquered by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:10). Jesus destroyed his power through His own death on the cross (Heb. 2:14).

The devil “wages war against those who keep God’s commands” (Rev. 12:17), but the worst he can do is try to make us stumble. He has already lost the war and his destiny awaits, an “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41)!

“Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”

(Rev. 12:10)