One of the tactics the devil used against Jesus was that of temptation. "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" Hebrews 4:15. The devil either accuses, tempts or deceives. But Jesus was spiritually prepared because He had a lifestyle of prayer and fasting and intimacy with the Father.  The devil  tempted Jesus with food and tried to appeal to the lust of the flesh just as he did to Eve in the Garden of Eden. The devil also tried to discredit God’s Word. Now Jesus was just baptized in the Jordan River and the Voice out of the heavens declared Him to be the Son of God. The devil said to Jesus, “if you are the Son of God…” He tried to make Jesus doubt that He was indeed the Son of God.

 But, Jesus commanded the devil to flee and quoted the written Word to him. The Word of God is our spiritual weapon. We will have the same results as Jesus by doing what Jesus did. We are to use the Word of God as our authority and weapon. What Jesus had available for victory, we have available.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God tells us Himself what a powerful tool the Word is.

Our words can be the most destructive force that the devil can use against us, but God’s Word is the most powerful force to deliver us from the power of the devil.

<top>

Immediately after the wilderness temptation, Jesus began to cast out demons and He taught his disciples to do the same in Mark 16:17-18.
"And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Jesus took authority over those spirits and cast them out relying upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This authority is available to every Christian.

Mark 1:23-27 And just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are-- the Holy One of God!" And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" And throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."

Mark 7:25-30 But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, immediately came and fell at His feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs." And He said to her, "Because of this answer go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter." And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having departed.

Mark 5:2-16 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. And constantly night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out and gashing himself with stones.

And seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!" For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And He was asking him, "What is your name?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he began to entreat Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there was a big herd of swine feeding there on the And the demons entreated Him, saying, "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." And He gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

 And their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the "legion"; and those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.”

<top>

There is no reason to live in defeat, bound by the enemy while God has made us more than conquerors. As the Body of Christ we are equipped to be victorious in all things.

Matt 10:7-8 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.”

Romans 8:37 “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

1John 4: 4 “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

Luke 10:19 "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.”

2 Cor 10:4-6 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

Col 2:15 “ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”

<top>