Sunday, May 1, 2011

Bruising the Devil


May 1, 2011

"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." (Romans 16:20)

This is an intriguing promise, suggesting that believers can somehow inflict bruises on the devil, who is perpetually seeking to "devour" them (1 Peter 5:8). This promise is a clear allusion to the primeval assurance of Genesis 3:15, when God promised that the unique "seed" of "the woman" would eventually "bruise" (actually "crush") the head of the old serpent, the devil. This prophecy will finally be fulfilled in Christ's ultimate victory, when Satan first will be bound for a thousand years in the bottomless pit and then confined forever in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:2, 10).

In the meantime believers, who also in a sense are the woman's spiritual "seed" (Revelation 12:17), can repeatedly achieve local and temporary victories over Satan and his wiles by resisting him "stedfast in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9). If we resist him as Jesus did, with relevant Scripture, then God promises that he will "flee from you" (James 4:7). Such local victories can be obtained over these dangerous teachers whom Satan is using (note Romans 16:17-19, just preceding today's text) "shortly" in this manner, but we need to be continually alert against his recurrent attacks. The ultimate victory over Satan, of course, will be won only by the Lord Jesus when He returns, and we must "be sober, be vigilant" (1 Peter 5:8) until that time.

Whether we are aware of it or not, we must perpetually "wrestle . . . against the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12), who will be casting "fiery darts" (v. 16) against each believer. Finally, with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (v. 17), we can even by God's grace inflict spiritual wounds on Satan himself!  HMM

I get the Days of Praise daily, this is today's I love these little daily bible studies, and it is always KJV very important to me. Hope you enjoy this message in today's. I am praying about starting a bible study one the names of God. Perhaps Monday. Be blessed and have a great Lord's Day.

6 comments:

Kathleen said...

I think I unwisely, and all-too-often forget that spiritual enemy - as much a reality as sunrise. No wonder we're to armor up 24/7!

Great post.
Kathleen

Miss Linda said...

Thank you so much for sharing this, dear Barbara. This is very much in line with a personal study that I have conduting during my private devotions. I wish you and your family a happy and blessed week! :)

Donnie said...

That was lovely. I hope you all had a beautiful Sunday.

Beth Herring said...

i never get tired of this message about armoring up against the devil!

Phyllis Blickensderfer said...

This is why we cannot battle alone. Our awesome God is capable. And I would be interested in a study of His names. A very interesting topic, and I'm certain you would research it well.

The Good Tale said...

The woman of Revelation 12 is now here… God is very precise: A woman delivers the true word John1:1, Rev 12:5, Rev 12:13 who restores Acts 3:21 all things to the world before Christ’s return. This woman exposes the lies of Satan who has deceived the whole world Rev 12:9. This woman creates a new thing in the earth by fulfilling God's promise to Eve Gen 3:15, Jer 31:22, Isa 14:16. She is meek like unto Moses Acts 3:22, Num 12:3 and she is also like Elijah Matt 17:11 for her witness alone turns the hearts of the fathers to the children Mal 4:5-6 to prepare a people for the Lords return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord Matt 17:3, Luke 9:30. Moses and Elijah are together with the word Matt 17:3. They are all three in this one woman. Woe on those who will not hear Acts 3:23 the true word of God now delivered to the world free of charge, as a witness, at the heel of time from the wilderness Rev 12:6. This true word turns the hearts of the fathers to the children of God by giving the truth that not one child of God will be put in a hell fire no matter what their sins. It never entered the heart or mind of God to ever do such a thing Jer 7:31, Jer 19:5. God created evil Isa 45:7 to teach his children the knowledge of good and evil Rom 8:7, Gen 3:22 so that at their resurrection they become a god Matt 22:29-30, Ps 82:6. Prove all things. Be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. You cannot rightly judge this unless you read all that has been written by this woman first Pro 18:13 http://minigoodtale.blogspot.com Time is short.