BABY OUT WITH BATHWATER?

What would you do with YOUR ENEMIES, those WHO CURSE YOU, HATE YOU, DESPITEFULLY USE YOU and PERSECUTE YOU? Ok. Now what would you do with the FORCES OF DARKNESS?

And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. (Luke 9:54-56)

FUNNY OR TRAGIC?
The funny story is told of a preacher who threw out of his chapel gentleman who was disrupting the sermon. He was confronted later by his presbytery, who said, Jesus would have rather cast out the devil motivating the man’s action. He replied that casting the man out still equaled removing the devil from the chapel. As awkward as this story seems that is how some disciples initially wanted Jesus to treat sinners – burn them along with their sin, or the devils in them as the case could be. The following is a look at how Jesus wants us to treat Satan and the forces of darkness, in contrast to how we must treat human beings who have fallen into their power.

NO CALLING DOWN FIRE ON YOUR ENEMIES
When the disciples wanted Jesus’ permission to call down fire upon the Samaritans who refused to accommodate Jesus on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem, he rebuked them. He indicated that their dispensation (New Covenant) should not be confused with that of Elijah (Old Covenant, see 1 Kings 1:10, 12, Heb. 8:7-8). We claim our relationship to God through Christ, so we have no business appropriating what pertained under the old. The Holy Spirit now dwells in us giving us the power to love the bad as well as good people, just like God does, and leaving punishment for the Judgment Day.

RESISTING YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL
Jesus taught that our real adversary is Satan whose chief desire has always been to keep us, like himself, under the wrath of God, through the deception of sin and threats. (Mt. 6:13 Lk 22:31-32 1 Pe 5:8-9) He threatens us by motivating physical attacks, attempting to deceive us that the natural inconveniences and ailments that affect us are from him and demonstrate his ability to afflict us at will. He also attempts to frighten by advertising his spiritual prowess over and through those under his control. We must resist his attempt to make us take the contest for souls to the physical level, and refuse to fear his spiritual prowess. We must rather watch in prayer for strength and courage to carry on with our mission as taught by the Lord (Jam 4:9; Ac. 4:29-30).

WRESTLING AGAINST FORCES OF DARKNESS
On the mission to bring others to Christ (the only reason for the Christian’s existence on earth) we encounter, as Jesus did, Satan’s spiritual opposition (principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, cf Ac 4: 25, 26, Eph. 1:20-22; 6:11 – 12). But we are well able to overcome Satan’s entire force if we are active in remembering our salvation, walking in righteousness, faith, and truth, holding fast to the Word of God and prayer, and are ever prepared to preach the good news wherever we go. We must therefore not reduce our contest for souls into a contest with flesh and blood wherein elimination of other people would mean victory. It is instructive to note that the Christian is positioned far above all the forces of darkness (Eph 1:20-22; 2:5-6). We only need to keep our armour intact on our mission to destroy the works of Satan.

BINDING THE DEVIL
Remember that devils do not die or get injured, but we render them incapable (bound, as in Mark 3:27) of resisting the power of Christ’s death to secure the soul of whoever comes to Him; the power of the Word of Christ to reach the depths of souls; the power of the Holy spirit to convict sinners and set free the deceived, the possessed and the diseased (Lk 4:18,19, Ac.4: 29-30) We are the agents of God’s power by way of our sacrificial acts of love in intercession, humble and gentle interaction and accurate interpretation of God’s Word to those bound and ruled through sin. We cannot kill, torment or destroy devils before the time God has set for them, but we can destroy their works (See Mt 8:29, Lk 10:19, 1 Joh 3:8), or even cast them out of other people in the name of Jesus Christ (Mt 16:17, Ac 16:18).

CALLING THE WEARY AND HEAVY-LADEN HOME
JESUS SAVES: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Ac. 10:38)

JESUS CALLS: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28)

OUR DUTY is to love everybody, whether or not they want to be set free by Jesus from sin and its resultant demonic oppression: “But I say unto you, Love YOUR ENEMIES, bless THEM THAT CURSE YOU, do good to THEM THAT HATE YOU, and pray for THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, and PERSECUTE YOU” Mt. 5:44