Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer reflects a sincere desire to see the victory of Jesus Christ over every work of darkness, and that desire is right and biblical. Scripture is clear that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and at the cross that victory was secured. When Satan comes to accuse or deceive, we point him to the cross where he was defeated.
It is important to understand what the Bible teaches about that victory and about the present time. Our real battle is not physical but spiritual. There is a constant spiritual warfare going on around us between the Spirit of God and the enemy who seeks to control the minds and souls of people. Often we are not fully aware of it, yet we feel its effects in our thoughts, emotions, and temptations. The battle is largely waged in the mind, where the enemy questions what God has said and tries to make us believe that God does not see or that we can get by without Him.
The name Satan means adversary, and the word devil means slanderer or accuser. He is the prince of this world, the destroyer who has ruined many lives, but he is not the opposite of God. God is eternal, self existent and all powerful. Satan is a created being with limited power. He can only act within the boundaries that God allows. We see this in the story of Job, where Satan had to ask permission and God set clear limits on what he could do. The Bible also promises that God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.
Right now Satan still has liberties in this world, though always within God's prescribed limits. The complete and final silencing and binding of Satan is still future. Scripture teaches that when Jesus returns, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and afterwards he will be cast into the lake of fire which was prepared for him and his angels. That will be the time when every direct and indirect work and influence of his is brought to a complete and permanent end. Until then, God allows him to operate for a time, but his ultimate defeat is certain and his time is short.
For this present spiritual warfare God has provided spiritual weapons, because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We are not to fight with human effort alone. Through prayer, through faith, through the truth of Scripture and through submission to God, we can resist him. Scripture says to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Through prayer we can ask God to bind the blinding work of the enemy that keeps people in darkness and to open eyes to the truth, and what we bind on earth in prayer in accordance with God's will is bound in heaven.
So I join you in praying for the protection and victory that is yours in Christ, while also trusting God's wisdom in how and when He fully ends the enemy's work.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we thank You that Jesus has overcome the adversary at the cross and that His victory is sure. We ask You to guard this dear one from every scheme, accusation and deception of the enemy, whether direct or indirect. Set Your hedge of protection around them, give them discernment to recognize the lies that battle the mind, and strengthen them to stand in the spiritual weapons You have provided. Open eyes where the enemy has blinded, bring peace where there has been turmoil from this unseen warfare, and help them to walk in submission to You and resistance to evil. We look forward to the day when Satan will be fully bound and cast away forever, and we rest in the confidence that You are sovereign now and set limits on all that he can do. Keep this one close to Jesus, who is Lord, and let Your will be done. In Jesus name, amen.
It is important to understand what the Bible teaches about that victory and about the present time. Our real battle is not physical but spiritual. There is a constant spiritual warfare going on around us between the Spirit of God and the enemy who seeks to control the minds and souls of people. Often we are not fully aware of it, yet we feel its effects in our thoughts, emotions, and temptations. The battle is largely waged in the mind, where the enemy questions what God has said and tries to make us believe that God does not see or that we can get by without Him.
The name Satan means adversary, and the word devil means slanderer or accuser. He is the prince of this world, the destroyer who has ruined many lives, but he is not the opposite of God. God is eternal, self existent and all powerful. Satan is a created being with limited power. He can only act within the boundaries that God allows. We see this in the story of Job, where Satan had to ask permission and God set clear limits on what he could do. The Bible also promises that God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear.
Right now Satan still has liberties in this world, though always within God's prescribed limits. The complete and final silencing and binding of Satan is still future. Scripture teaches that when Jesus returns, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and afterwards he will be cast into the lake of fire which was prepared for him and his angels. That will be the time when every direct and indirect work and influence of his is brought to a complete and permanent end. Until then, God allows him to operate for a time, but his ultimate defeat is certain and his time is short.
For this present spiritual warfare God has provided spiritual weapons, because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We are not to fight with human effort alone. Through prayer, through faith, through the truth of Scripture and through submission to God, we can resist him. Scripture says to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Through prayer we can ask God to bind the blinding work of the enemy that keeps people in darkness and to open eyes to the truth, and what we bind on earth in prayer in accordance with God's will is bound in heaven.
So I join you in praying for the protection and victory that is yours in Christ, while also trusting God's wisdom in how and when He fully ends the enemy's work.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we thank You that Jesus has overcome the adversary at the cross and that His victory is sure. We ask You to guard this dear one from every scheme, accusation and deception of the enemy, whether direct or indirect. Set Your hedge of protection around them, give them discernment to recognize the lies that battle the mind, and strengthen them to stand in the spiritual weapons You have provided. Open eyes where the enemy has blinded, bring peace where there has been turmoil from this unseen warfare, and help them to walk in submission to You and resistance to evil. We look forward to the day when Satan will be fully bound and cast away forever, and we rest in the confidence that You are sovereign now and set limits on all that he can do. Keep this one close to Jesus, who is Lord, and let Your will be done. In Jesus name, amen.
