Trying To Break The Devil’s Power Is Like Denying Jesus’ Death
If Jesus really gave us authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and tread on all the power of the enemy, why does it seem like that authority doesn’t work sometimes? God began to give me insight into this question with a vision I had before preaching in Toronto, Canada. I realized how we as Christians often mentally acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh, died, and resurrected, yet act and pray as if these things aren’t true. We deny foundational gospel truths by our words and actions. We fail to act and speak with authority when we fail to act from a gospel position.
How do we recognize when we’re doing that, and how to change it? We must understand the truths that Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection imply. We must understand what they mean for us. I’ve written about various aspects of that before, but the Lord recently highlighted another important aspect of it to me.
I often ask myself “Am I acting and thinking according to the truths of Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection?” When I realize that I’m not, I simply change course and change what I’m doing. Since I believe these things are facts, I choose to behave accordingly. This is so often when miracles happen. Guys, I’ve been a part of many miracles but I still need to grow. These kinds of insights are some of the things that have helped me to grow.
Jesus Broke The Devil’s Power By His Death!
Hebrews 2:14 (NIV) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil…
What does Jesus’ death mean? The devil’s power is broken. If it’s broken, I don’t need to break it! If I’m trying to break the devil’s power, I’m acting like Jesus didn’t die. If I’m acting like Jesus never died, I’m not standing in a gospel position. And what more?
Colossians 2:15 (NIV) And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Jesus disarmed the devil by his death. If I’m treating Satan as an armed enemy, I’m acting as if Jesus didn’t die.
I know such statements bring up a lot of questions. You may ask, “If Jesus disarmed the enemy, then why does Ephesians say we need the ‘shield of faith’ to extinguish his flaming darts?”
Satan’s “flaming darts” are lies and accusations, including the lie that he’s a powerful enemy whom we should fear. He attempts to get us to give him the attention that only the Lord deserves. He attempts to get us to fear him instead of being so impressed with God that he looks like a little mouse. In the words of the famous evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke:
Trying So Hard To Cast Out A Demon
I remember one of the first times I tried to kick out a demon. I was a teenager. A girl we knew was seeing demons and things were moving in her house. The evil spirits were choking her and worse.
I worked myself up and summoned all my strength to break those demons’ power. It was really tough! Several hours of attempting to gain authority over those things only left me discouraged and wondering what was wrong with me as a Christian. Other early attempts to cast out demons ended the same way!
Then in a time of desperation, I began to realize how confused my belief system had been and a life of miracles began. Healing became a normal part of my life, and I soon found out that many sicknesses and pains were caused by evil spirits attacking people’s bodies. They were so easy to cast out! And so healing soon lead to deliverance ministry. What happened? As I learned to minister healing, I started to act according to the truth that Jesus already broke Satan’s power. I started to act as if Jesus really did break the power of evil by his death. And he did!
Deliverance became a regular part of my life as well. In fact, most of the time it wasn’t a big show. Evil spirits left as I simply talked to people about scriptural truths or released God’s peace on them. People burped, felt sudden relief, felt weight lift off their shoulders, and suddenly could breathe easily again.
Yet sometimes I encountered an evil spirit or a sickness that seemed more oppressive or more powerful. Then I started trying to break the devil’s power again. And it never went well!
Stop Trying To Do What Jesus Already Did!
Guys, I’ve ministered to a lot of people. I’ve seen many wonderful miracles. I’ve also failed at times to do what I know Jesus would have done. I’ve learned from my successes and failures, and I’ve begun to pick up on some of the ways that I get out of a place of faith.
One of the things I’ve realized is that when I find I’m striving and trying too hard, it’s because I’m trying to break the power of that sickness or that oppression. Since Jesus already did that by his death, I’m acting as if Jesus never died. And since I’m not standing in a gospel position, I don’t get very far!
It’s good for me to recognize that because then I know what I need to stop! Why do we look at some things as so much more difficult than others? What we really need is to get such a vision of Jesus that we will only be impressed with him. When I fail to exercise Christ’s dominion over those things which He’s put under my feet, I need to look to Jesus and remind myself of the gospel. Then I need to stop trying so hard and just do it!
We aren’t here to break the power of Satan. Jesus already has. We’re here to spoil the Devil, trample over his power, and destroy his works.
Do you want to grow in exercising the dominion which Jesus gave you? Stop trying to break the devil’s power and take it as a fact that Jesus has already broken it!
If you liked this post, you may want to check out my Heaven Now book trilogy. It contains many similar insights into understanding simple gospel truths and exercising heaven’s dominion on earth. It’s also filled with testimonies of what happened when I put these truths into practice. I’m sure these books will encourage you and help you learn to walk as a heavenly person. Not only that, but your purchase supports our missionary work in Brazil and in every other place we go!
