No Fear

1 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.

One of the most effective tools that the devil has against you is fear. He uses it very successfully and very often. The main reason for his use of this against you is, first of all, it is actually the only real weapon that he has. Secondly, if he can get you, or anyone for that matter, to be fearful, he can dominate you and steal your joy, your goods, your testimony, even your very life. Since this is the devil’s only real weapon against you, he has become very proficient with the use of it.

Let’s look a little more closely at the issue to see exactly what the Bible has to say about it and what the Bible teaches about how to combat this evil scheme of the devil. The Bible says in no uncertain terms, that Jesus did a complete job of defeating the devil by His life, death and resurrection. It goes on to say that He made a public spectacle of him in the spiritual world. He has total authority over the devil and all of the fallen spirit beings that we know as demons. Jesus said that in His name, or in His authority, we would have the same power over the devil that He has.

This is where the plot thickens. Jesus knows this truth and so does the devil. The only other variable is, do you know it? This is where Satan seeks to get his advantage. It is not the truth of Satan’s defeat that is at question here, it is your taking advantage of that defeat that is still up in the air. You still have to accept that defeat and appropriate it for your individual life.

If Satan can get you to doubt or disbelieve this truth, he can effectively negate your power over him by causing you to be fearful of him. That is why the Bible makes it so clear to us, that God did not give us the spirit of fear, and if God did not give it to us then we do not have to accept it. Acknowledge the fact today that Christ gives you authority and victory over the devil and that you will not live in fear of him.