Power Over the Enemy

What is the enemy, the devil?

We must understand what the enemy is and KNOW the enemy is bound to a single state of existence.

It is very important to understand what the enemy (the devil) is and know it can only try to give us that which it is/has because it has NO additional powers beyond its identity. God made sure of that. His Word said so!

Before the devil became the enemy, the devil was a cherub named Lucifer in the realm of the Spirit. Lucifer challenged God's almighty status and supremacy and became His enemy. No, God was not surprised. As planned, because the Father's will is not reflexive, the Father bound the enemy to a single state of existence-fear and cast it out of heaven along with the others who followed Lucifer.

You may choose to read only the bold text for a faster grasp, but hold on to your seat.

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ezekial 28:13-19.

The enemy knows it will be destroyed in torment forever, and it definitely fears destruction by the wrath of God Almighty. The devil will always exist in a state of fear and nothing more! Some say the devil is synonymous with hell as part of the pit itself.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15.

When we know what the devil is, we see its limitations. We must also know the enemy is powerless over anyone born again by the Spirit of God, because we don't fear the enemy. We make ourselves vulnerable when we think or understand otherwise. The unsaved, however, are taken captive at the enemy's will by its snare.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

(A snare captures a body by holding it with a cord using a slip knot. A snare is not a net. The snare of the enemy catches us by the thorn in our flesh, i.e., our will of the flesh.)

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" is a profound statement.

Is the enemy itself the spirit of fear?

Yes. God said the devil would be nothing more than a terror (fear).

...thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Ezekial 28:19.

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines "terror" as:

Extreme fear; violent dread; fright; fear that agitates the body and mind.
That which may excite dread; the cause of extreme fear.
eath is emphatically styled the king of terrors.

We know God is not evil and He does not tempt.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. James 1:13-16.

This is so because God is the God of life and the living only.

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living:.. Mark 12:27.

Thus, God did not create the enemy to terrorize mankind or give us a spirit of fear.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7.

When the Father cast the enemy out of heaven, He said it would be a terror (fear) per se (in itself) and bound the evil angel (a spirit) in an eternal state of fear.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;...2 Peter 2:4.

The spirit of fear is also referred to as the "spirit of error," encompassing the many minions of the devil. Those minions ("serpents and scorpions") are all the ways the devil uses to meet the demand for mankind's fears that God is insufficient in some way.

The single, one and ONLY, thing the devil can do is try to get us to fear God is insufficient.

The enemy is the god of this world and the spirit of fear.

We have all been wayward at some time, but God's will is that nobody is lost. He also desires a church comprised of fearless children because He is their Father. Fearless children do not succumb to the enemy's attempts to get us to fear that God and/or His will are insufficient.

Is the spirit of fear the god of this world?

Yes, despite what some people choose to believe, God the Father in Heaven is not the “god of this world.” The enemy, the devil, is the god of this world. Beware:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (Emphasis added) 2 Corinthians 4:4.

From God's perspective as the almighty sovereign, evil is a belief that He (God or His will) is in some way insufficient for us. Think of the number of people who prefer a truth other than the Bible.

All evil is based on a sentiment that God is not sufficient, For example, rejecting Jesus or the Word of God is rejecting God the Father. Rejecting God makes you His adversary because you side with the god of this world as a friend of it.

...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.
God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. Nahum 1:2.

The target of the enemy is mankind, but the enemy has no power against God (or the born again) provided you believe His Word.

Behold, I give unto you power...over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19.

God calls the devil a thief, among other things. He uses the trappings of this world to replace the sufficiency of God and His will.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10.

The devil seeks to devour everyone.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1 Peter 5:8.

Please note: God is your loving Father if you want Him to be, or He is your adversary if you reject Him. It's up to you. Choose to become a child of the almighty one true God and Father by His Son, the Word of God named Jesus. If you are skeptical, that's okay! We all started that way, but at least give Him a chance by learning about Him. Like, getting to know a new friend, but this one will NEVER leave you or forsake you!

I give unto you power...over all the power of the enemy.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:19-20.

Does the enemy (the devil) have any power?

No, not unless we give it to him by fearing that God and His will are in some way insufficient for us. Stated another way, the enemy has no actual power over the born-again, because we do not live in fear. We know that God and His ways (will) are sufficient for us. It's our flesh that causes us problems. Our flesh may experience "dread" because sin dwells in the flesh and dreads its eventual demise, but we do not fear because we are born of the Spirit and live forever.

The enemy uses dread in our flesh to lead (tempt) us into fear and receive him because the enemy is the spirit of fear. The children of God live courageously by the Word, the Spirit of Truth, in pursuit of the will of the Father, having faith in Him.

The enemy is a tempter who tries to get people to think that God, the truth of the scriptures (His Word), His truth, or His ways (will) are inadequate or insufficient to sustain and keep us happy. Simply stated, the enemy tempts our flesh with dread and lets us take on fear whenever we choose to think God is not sufficient to protect us. It tries that with everyone. Think of it this way: those who are dreadful can become fearful. Those who are freed from fear do not dread.

What is the power over the enemy?

We know that Jesus is the begotten Son of God, the Word of God. He was born with the power over all the power of the enemy. When we are born again, we become sons of God through Jesus, the Word, and get the power He has living in Him (the Spirit). Therefore, the power to become a son of God is through the Spirit, starting with His Word, Therefore, belief in Jesus brings us in union with the Word, and believing God's Word IS the way to receive the "power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy."

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name... John 1:12.

Stated another way, Jesus gave us the power to become children of God when He gave Himself for us on the cross. The Word lives forever because He does. Believe the Word of God, and you shall become a child of God and have the power over all the power of the enemy.

The born again are the saved when our bodies die. We are members of the true Royal Family of the Father in the Spirit, the moment we receive Jesus as our savior and repent of our sins. We then come to know the Father as our father-Father, because we are a son in the Spirit. Jesus is our Brother. We have the authority of the true Royal Family to do our Father's will here on earth in Jesus's stead!

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14:12.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20.

if I am born again of the Spirit as a child of God, do I have the "power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy" that Jesus had on earth?

Yes!

The Bible says we live "in Him" and get what He has/had. When you are born again of the Spirit, you become a child of God in the Spirit. As a child of God, you are a new creation and have the power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you.

Of course, if you don't believe it, then the enemy has deceived you into thinking the ways of the Father are insufficient for you.

Fear is thinking God or His will is insufficient.

We have all been wayward at some time, but God's will is that nobody is lost.

He also desires a church comprised of fearless children because He is their Father, and He is fearless.

What does the spirit of fear (error) try to do to every person?

The enemy's spirit of fear (also called the spirit of error) manifests in man through the will of the flesh in literally any way he lets it. Whenever someone thinks God (or His will) is insufficient for them, the will of their flesh has opened the door for the enemy to come in. (This also happens when someone leaves the Word and/or abandons the truth of it.)

Fear is the only tactic of the enemy, the god of sin and death, because fear is all it is; it's only state of existence. Remember, God said the devil is nothing more than fear and bound it permanently in the state of fear; that's it. So, what else can it give you if it has nothing else to give? Thus, any suggestion that God is insufficient is the biggest lie. Recall that the devil became the devil because it thought so, and the enemy, the devil, is a liar.

Anyone who falls victim to the enemy's spirit of fear becomes blinded and is, by definition, fearful that God is in some way not powerful enough, not loving enough, not sound in mind, not good enough, not fun enough, not strong enough, not satisfying enough, etc., and not the best choice.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John 2:15-19.

No doubt, if we didn't have a bogus fear that God is inadequate, we would choose the ways of God over the enemy in an instant and triumph every time. Remember, the enemy is powerless over the born-again, the elect, who live by the Spirit! However, even the very elect may be deceived by false prophets and false Christs if they do not know the truth.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24.

Identifying THE stronghold of the enemy.

If we read how the enemy, the devil, came into being and understand God stripped it of all power and bound it to an existence of terror in itself, we find its true state. Creepy images, Follywood, etc., portray the devil as mighty. In reality, it is mighty weak and literally bound (trapped) in fear.

Why is fear the single enemy of God and His Word?

God made it so to keep it simple for us, those would be His children!

We were made in the image and likeness of God, and we have the power to become sons of God. The devil is the enemy of God and His children, starting with the Old Testament Jews and Jesus, and today all who are born again.

The devil knows the pathway to destruction is challenging God's sufficiency, starting with Jesus, the Word of God in the Spirit, because the Word of God is God. The Word gives us the power to become the sons of God. Why else would the enemy have people change the Bible and remove the reference to the Spirit of Truth!

Thus, the devil is the spirit of fear and the spirit of error because God is sufficient in every way, including His Word perfectly presented in the King James Bible. Any book purporting to be a Bible that removed the reference to the Holy Ghost is a worldly creation intended to replace the purity of the Word with confusion. A lot of people behind the pulpit depend on that confusion to keep their job.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. I John 4:4-6.

By way of reproof, the Holy Ghost (Spirit of Truth) bears witness to the Word that promises salvation for the believer according to the Father's will. The devil challenges the Word of God that promises salvation for the believer, and the enemy tempts humans to do the same. Now you know why the enemy has inspired people to change the Word of God over time. The King James Bible has remained the Word of God without change, but many publishers who make money selling books push those changes when there is no reason or need to do it other than monetary gain.

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-6.

(Those who say anyone advocating a King James Bible is best are the ones doting and creating disputes over the Word are stupid. The King James was first published in 1611, and the others changed it, not the other way around. Also, there are over 60 "versions" that changed the Word, and yet the King James remains the ONLY Bible reconcilable by the words written in it. The others fail every time.)

Most importantly, Jesus Himself used the terms Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit depending upon the context, because he knew the distinction, and yet most of the church today has abandoned the words of Jesus and killed the term Holy Ghost! That sounds like the work of the enemy to everyone who considers it that way.

Do not compromise or fall victim to those who use good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts and minds of the simple, even if they stand famously behind a pulpit.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16:17-18.

Anyone who preaches or teaches from a book they call the Bible that removed the references to the Holy Ghost (Spirit of Truth) causes divisions and offenses.

What is the enemy's only work to destroy you?

Instill a fear that God (the Spirit) and/or His will is insufficient for us. The enemy's temptations for us to sin are the enemy's tactics designed/intended to entice us into choosing a lifestyle that pleases the flesh rather than God. People sin because we want to. Stated another way, we sin because we prefer the will of our flesh and are fearful that the ways (will) of God are insufficient to please us. In truth, the ways (will) of God are all important and all-sufficient!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9.
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:7.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10.

What is the devil's temptation?

As the god of this world, the devil uses itself, the spirit of error, to suggest that the Father, His Word, and/or His Spirit of truth (the Holy Ghost) is not almighty and sovereign. The enemy tempts people to believe the same way based on the fear that a lifestyle guided by the will of God will be unfulfilling. Our flesh is the target. Our will of the flesh is the inroad.

For example, an unbeliever of the Word (God) or the sufficiency of the Father's ways (will), shall look to the world for satisfaction. In doing so, they rely on the sufficiency of their flesh to decide what is good and befriend the world to get "it". As a friend of the world, they become an enemy of God and shall be destroyed.

...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.
...Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27.

Thus, the enemy, the devil, uses anyone and/or anything in this world as the god of it to tempt our flesh to fear God's ways (His will) is not the best for us, thereby causing us to separate ourselves from complete faith in the sufficiency of God and His will, which is divine.

The devil's approach is only through the flesh (body and mind) because the Spirit gives life. We corrupt ourselves when we believe the devil's lies.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Galatians 5:17.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:8.

Anyone who is not born again of the Spirit is easily manipulated by the devil.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.
...Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27.

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THE LORD'S PORTER, LIFE IN CHRIST MATTERS, and SAVED.CHURCH are the trademarks/servicemarks of The Lord's Porter, a non-profit public benefit company operating. You may use, copy, link to, and distribute anything on this site provided you give attribution naming where you got it. You may not create derivative works from the content provided here. People did that to the King James Bible, and in doing so, they caused a lot of confusion and led people astray. Jesus said, I give you power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you!

The Father (God) said the enemy is a terror (fear) and nothing more!