REVISITING THE BELIEVER'S POSITIONAL RICHES IN CHRIST

Part XIII: Applying The Truth That Believers Are Delivered From The Power Of Darkness

 

I.               Introduction

A.    Scripture teaches that Satan and demons are real, so we need to know how to function with regard to them.

B.    If we believers err in this realm, we do so either by trying to combat Satan's forces in our own human might only to suffer spiritual defeat or we fail to oppose Satan as we ought, experiencing defeat by default.

C.    Scripture provides invaluable guidance here, teaching that we believers are positionally delivered from Satan's power that we might enjoy experiential victory over the Evil One in God's spiritual armament.  [We cite Lewis S. Chafer's Systematic Theology, vol. III, "Soteriology," p. 247-248 for much of our lesson material.]

II.            Applying The Truth That Believers Are Delivered From The Power Of Darkness.

A.    Before one trusts in Christ as Savior from sin, he belongs to the realm of Satan and is under his dominion:

1.      Jesus taught that every person has either Satan or God as his spiritual father, John 8:42-44!

2.      Thus, all unbelievers, be they even "respectable" (Rom. 2:1-16) or "religious" (Rom. 2:17-29), live lives that perform Satan's works in Satan's enabling and influence, Ephesians 2:1-2; 1 John 5:19b!

3.      Satan thus blinds the unbeliever's mind lest he understand and believe Christ's Gospel, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

B.    However, under the Holy Spirit's convicting work (cf. John 16:7-11), when one believes in Christ, he is positionally delivered from Satan's power, Col. 1:13; Ibid., Chafer, p. 247.  The following truths thus apply:

1.      The believer is positionally removed from Satan's power to influence him to sin, cf. Ephesians 2:1-2.

2.      The believer is positionally removed from Satan's control through the world system, 1 John 5:18-19.

3.      The believer is positionally removed from Satan's power to blind him to the truth, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

4.      Satan and his demons cannot even touch the believer's new spiritual life in Christ (1 John 5:18), so the believer cannot be demon possessed!

C.    The believer is thus equipped for experiential victory over Satan's realm and power (as follows):

1.      Believers need not fear the power or work of Satan, for they have been released from Satan's control so that they can live above the fear of Satan and his demons through the power of the indwelling God the Holy Spirit Who is infinitely greater than Satan, Acts 5:3-4; Gal. 5:16-23; 1 Cor. 12:13 and Eph. 1:13-14.

2.      Believers need no longer live confused or blinded to the truth by Satanic influence, for by relying on the Holy Spirit's power, they can live above spiritual defeat in the angelic conflict (as follows):

                         a.        The indwelling God the Holy Spirit equips even immature believers to discern error, 1 John 2:18-27.

                         b.        As the believer then comes to use Scripture that identifies and defines truth from error, the Holy Spirit confirms to him that Scripture is true and exposes the error around him as being unbiblical, John 16:13a.

                         c.        The Holy Spirit thus acts as a Divine Parent, guiding and correcting the believer to discern truth from error as he relies on the Lord in his life, John 14:16-18 NIV, ESV with John 16:13; Galatians 5:16.

3.      As the believer puts on God's spiritual armor, he overcomes Satan's efforts to get him to sin (as follows):

                         a.        He stands in God's will and truth instead of fleeing or attacking in his own human might, Eph. 6:11-14a.

                         b.        He rests in God's positional righteousness for him, Ephesians 6:14b.

                         c.        He is prepared to give the Gospel that is the power of God to save, Eph. 6:15; Romans 1:16-17.

                         d.        He trusts God's Word to counter Satan's fiery darts that aim to destroy his faith, Ephesians 6:16.

                         e.        He trusts in God's salvation as opposed to relying on his own merit for it, Ephesians 6:17a.

                          f.         He relies on Scripture to counter Satan's wiles versus relying on his own wisdom, Ephesians 6:17b.

                         g.        He watches for Satanic movements and prays in countering them by God's enabling, Ephesians 6:18-20.

D.    Note: Satan can experientially take a believer captive through the worldly lusts [of the flesh, of the eyes and of the pride of this earthly life] to do Satan's will (2 Tim. 2:24-25; Matt. 16:13-19, 21-23 with Gen. 3:1-7; 1 John 2:15-16).  To overcome in this case, the believer must come to his senses by heeding written Scripture (2 Tim. 2:26 NIV; Isaiah 8:20) and confessing his sin for restored fellowship with God, 1 John 1:1:5-9.

 

Lesson: At salvation, the believer is positionally moved from Satan's dominion to enjoy spiritual victory offered for him in Jesus Christ, so he need not fear Satan, but live in victory over him by relying by faith on the Holy Spirit.

 

Application: (1) We believers must not experientially try to combat Satan in our own might, for Satan and his demons are superhuman, and countering them in our own human might will bring us certain defeat.  (2) Rather, we must rely on the supernatural, positional, spiritual provisions given us in God the Holy Spirit's enabling and in Scripture, making our focus sticking to God's assignments for us that we might experience spiritual victory.