If the Devil is Defeated, Why Does He Seem to Have So Much Power?

The question came up, "Why does God allow pain and suffering?" and, "If God is all-powerful, why is there so much destruction in the world?"

Looking at the world through carnal eyes, it may seem sometimes that our enemy has been able to win a lot of victories over us. It may seem that he has some kind of power to destroy, cause pain, trouble and death.

The thing we have to remember is that there is no "time" in the spiritual realm. Therefore when we say that Jesus defeated the Devil at Calvary, it's hard to understand with this carnal mind how that could possibly be true. Defeated the Devil? Then why, why, why? Why do we suffer?

The answer is: faith. All I can say is that it truly is all by faith. We do have a risen Saviour Who has saved us from death and hell. That is by faith. Does He have total power over the Devil. Yes. Does it always appear that way to our carnal eyes and minds? No.

Why, why, why?

Let's put it this way, - - When you receive Jesus as your Saviour/God/Lord/Messiah, you make a choice. It's a very, very important decision and probably the most important decision you will ever make in your entire life. I kid you not!

So, when you choose Jesus to be Lord of your life, by simply asking Him to come into your life, everything changes. Jesus calls that being "born again". It's the end of your old way of living and thinking and perceiving and it's the beginning of a new life!

Suddenly, you feel free! One person told me they felt like they could breathe and as though they'd been under water all their life until they found Jesus. Others say the grass is greener, the sky is bluer. Life becomes real. Everything is clear. Your purpose in life is clear. You start getting answers to age-old questions.

Another bi-product of receiving Jesus is that you have love for other people. You want to help others. You feel at peace with yourself and God. You feel happy. You have unexplainable joy. You want to jump up and down and tell everyone you know about this wonderful newfound enlightenment.

But, that's not all you will experience. Within a week of enjoying all the light and love of God, there will come a time when you come under attack from the "other side". Yes, folks, once you make that all-important decision to serve God, you soon discover that there is a war going on!

We are the winners. Don't ever forget that. We have won the battle. That battle for your soul is won. You have been bought and paid for at a very high price. You never have to worry about dying. In fact, there are thousands of things that you never have to worry about again. And, yes, the sky is still bluer and you have an inexplicable joy that nobody will take away from you.

That doesn't mean there isn't a spiritual warfare going on all around you. By accepting Jesus, you have donned the uniform of a follower of Christ and identified yourself to the enemy of your soul as his enemy. He knows who you are now and he knows the power behind that uniform. He knows he cannot defeat you. But, he also knows that you don't realize yet what power you have a right to. He knows you probably don't have the first clue how to call on the power to blast his socks off. So, he's out to bluff you into believing that it is he, the Devil and all his little annoying minions who have so much power.

He'll tell you things like, "Look at this problem and that destruction and those poor, starving children and those people that are being killed . . ." and on and on he goes, filling your head with so much "truth" that you believe him.

Well, it's true, isn't it? Isn't there massive destruction, war, suffering, starvation, accidents, sickness and darkness of the devil all around us? --How could God be so mean?

The Devil has a two-pronged attack. First he wants you to believe he has all the power to destroy, then he wants you to believe that it's all God's fault that he has all this power to destroy, maim, torture and kill. So, which is it? All this confusion and doubt is an attack on your soul. Who are you going to believe?

Did Jesus Christ really die on the cross two thousand years ago and conquer death and the devil? Or not?

That, my friend, is the question that you need to ask yourself. I know the answer, but I can't prove it to you. You have to have faith to believe that He did.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

We are living in the age of faith. If there was no war going on, you wouldn't need to fight. We wouldn't need to exercise our faith. We wouldn't need to call on our Hero, the Lord Saboath to fight for us. But, we do! And, He does.

Yes, you have joined the winning side. So, get out there and win! You can't lose! Even when it looks like we're losing, we are more than conquerers through Christ! So, don't get discouraged if you have to go through a few little tests and trials of your faith. Like exercise, it will grow your faith muscles stronger.

Finally, a little tip. Quit listening to the Devil! Don't you remember what Jesus said?
"The Devil is a liar!" Don't listen to the first word or thought. Rebuke the devil and send him back to the pit from whence he came by the authority invested in you by Christ Jesus, our Mighty Warrior!