Jesus Destroyed the Devil
Some people still think that the devil is just as powerful as God or almost as powerful as God. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus destroyed the devil by His death and resurrection.(Hebrews 2:14,15) However, Satan is still alive, so some would ask, "How has he been destroyed?" Let me explain.
The reality of Christmas is that God became flesh, since we are flesh and blood, so that the devil could be destroyed. He was defeated and destroyed by Jesus's death on the cross. He no longer holds the power of death, because Jesus broke the power of death when He rose again. Now, we can have release from the power of death, if we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, who died for us and defeated Satan once and for all.
Why does the NKJV of the Bible use the word destroyed if Satan is still alive? That is a good question. The truth is that we do not have to kill an enemy to destroy an enemy. If we render the enemy powerless, he is no longer an enemy. Anyone who knows Christ and is trusting Him daily does not need to be afraid of the devil. By the power of Jesus Christ we can defeat any of His advances and temptations. Therefore, he has been destroyed as an enemy. He is a pest, but we can get rid of him as easily as swatting a fly, if we act in the Spirit and we have the whole armor of God. All that means is that we use all of the power Jesus has given to us, which is available because of His death and resurrection. We do not need to fear death or be in bondage to anything. That is a wonderful reason to celebrate Christmas!
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 3-5.
The reality of Christmas is that God became flesh, since we are flesh and blood, so that the devil could be destroyed. He was defeated and destroyed by Jesus's death on the cross. He no longer holds the power of death, because Jesus broke the power of death when He rose again. Now, we can have release from the power of death, if we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, who died for us and defeated Satan once and for all.
Why does the NKJV of the Bible use the word destroyed if Satan is still alive? That is a good question. The truth is that we do not have to kill an enemy to destroy an enemy. If we render the enemy powerless, he is no longer an enemy. Anyone who knows Christ and is trusting Him daily does not need to be afraid of the devil. By the power of Jesus Christ we can defeat any of His advances and temptations. Therefore, he has been destroyed as an enemy. He is a pest, but we can get rid of him as easily as swatting a fly, if we act in the Spirit and we have the whole armor of God. All that means is that we use all of the power Jesus has given to us, which is available because of His death and resurrection. We do not need to fear death or be in bondage to anything. That is a wonderful reason to celebrate Christmas!
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 3-5.