The 70 disciples came back to Jesus with joy saying, "Even the demons are subject to us through Your name." Jesus replied, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." (Luke 10:17-18) Satan has fallen and is defeated.
Jesus, who declared that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him in Matthew 28, also declared that we have been given the right to represent Him through use of His name. When He sent the disciples out He called them together and "gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases." With His authority what could possibly stop us from overcoming?
In the parable of the sower it is revealed that even though the Word is an incorruptible seed, it can be choked by the weeds (other thoughts and cares) that we allow to live in our hearts. We see the same principle working in the situation (Mark 9) where the man brought the demon-possessed boy to Jesus. When he asked Jesus, "If you can do anything?, Jesus replied all things are possible to him who believes. Notice in the man's response that he did believe, but he also had unbelief. These weeds, contrary thoughts and soulish cares that produced unbelief, choked his faith and rendered him powerless.
Jesus is not impressed or moved by many words. He even taught us not to pray like the heathen who repeat many phrases or chants. He is moved by those who declare His Word with authority. "Let your eye be single" suggests that our focus is on the truth and power of the Word, refusing to look at the waves and the wind that would cause doubt. He who dies to himself, finds life. Rejecting what our soulish nature, called our flesh, dictates through the natural senses and choosing to hear the Word which is spirit and truth, produces life.
The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus. He leads us to know the truth of what Jesus has accomplished. He further pours the love of God into our hearts so we can by faith understand the absolutely awesome gift of divine nature God has allowed us to share in Christ. So much so that 1 John 4:17 states, "As He is, so are we in the world."
Jesus established His church to bind and loose things on earth with the same authority and power of heaven, assuring us that the gates of hell would not prevail. He meant for believers who receive His free gift of righteousness to rule in this life. He also gave us instruction of how to pray, including the imperative commands, "Thy kingdon, Come!" and "Thy will, Be Done!" We as the Body of Christ are to do the works that He did and greater ones.
How do we rule? Jesus is revealed in Revelation as having a two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. Likewise, Psalm 149 speaks of believers having the high praises of God in our mouths and the two-edge sword in our hands. God has entrusted to His faithful ones the authority to use the Word, so He can confirm it with power and signs following. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is teaching believers today to declare His Word over all situations, and to stand in His authority. The climax of the armor in Epesians 6 is to "stand therefore, and having done all to stand, stand." 1 Peter 5 calls us to resist steadfast in the faith until God perfects, establishes, strengthens and settles us in the victory.
Satan has fallen from heaven like lightning. Jesus made a public example of him (Colossians 2:15) by defeating him through His death on the cross, and triumphed over him through His resurrection. The battle is finished, and God is looking for those who would believe it in their hearts and declare it with their lips. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Speak the Word in faith. Fight the good fight of faith by refusing to let the weeds of unbelief detract you from standing strong in Jesus' name and authority. Faith pleases God and causes us to overcome the world (1 John 5:4).
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