The American church has little grasp of the full accomplishment of the cross. We practice strange religious superstitions and notions that have little to do with the redemptive truth that Jesus paid such a great price to obtain for us (Rev. 5:9).  That TRUTH comes to us only as we identify with how Christ fully emancipated us. 

Somehow we’ve lost the truth of how the early church interpreted much of the gospel letters that were written to them. Because we miss the point, we have become paralyzed by fears and false notions that are incompatible with the revelation of the “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:19, 3:14-15, 1 Pet. 2:9).  The TRUTH is, there’s no TRUTH in the devil (Jn. 8:44, 1 Jn. 2:21). Rather, believers know the TRUTH (Jn. 8:32, 1 Tim. 2:4). TRUTH not only sets us free, it empowers us to walk in the light and to obtain God’s likeness and image.

What must be remembered is that hostile governmental opposition and civil unrest bombarded the early church. They were arrested, imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and killed. They struggled against the overwhelming power of the Roman armies. Before his conversion, even Paul hauled off those Christian prisoners and tortured and killed them (Acts 9, 22:4, 26:10, Gal. 1:13). These believers had to fight the FIGHT of Faith against this factual, tangible enemy of great force and rank.

Why is it that today we misconstrue many of these scriptures about warfare? So many of us are bound by satan-centered activities. We’ve enlarged his strength, and in doing so, have given undue credit to the devil. Strangely, we think that we can wrestle long enough and loud enough to win over this wicked one. We think we can map him and have insight into his next moves. We even pray to him in the VERY SAME breath and sentences that we pray to God (yes, we do. I just heard a preacher open a meeting saying,  “Thank you Lord for this service. And satan, we give you notice that you’re bound from this meeting. And God we open our hearts to you.”) … Then, you know what we do? We sing about the devil in our song services!!! We just really love to “kick da’ devil” --so dat’ devil, he comes to church every time the door opens!  It seems that we enjoy making this a coequal kind of battle between God and ol’ sloufoot. Let’s just dance some more about it! Sometimes I wonder if would we even come to church if it weren’t for the devil???? Oh friend, how we discredit the GREATEST VICTORY already won. 

We just don’t realize that these early Christians were mostly fighting the unbelieving armies OUTSIDE the church -- not the devil WITHIN the believer’s life and WITHIN the church.  Dare we use this TRUTH, which our Savior purchased upon the Cross, FOR THE LIBERATION OF OUR SOULS???

In my years of ministry around the world, I’ve seen the worst demonic manifestations – both with believers and nonbelievers. My theology has changed over the years of dealing with this topic. Now a more accurate approach is clear… we must apprehend the FACT that the blood of Christ severs our tie with the devil. Any remaining personal weaknesses all result from an unredeemed thought life. All these negative emotional actions stem from memories of our Adamic nature. Habits of bad behavior. They cause us to be limited in our effect (see also Gal. 5:19). These emotions aren’t fully conquered by “casting them out” …  they must be OVERCOME by embracing and incorporating the fullness of God’s Word. 

“And then he (Jesus) added, ‘It is the THOUGHT-LIFE that pollutes. For from WITHIN, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly” (Mk. 7:20-23). Beloved, self-will is not a demon (Gal. 5:19). You’re not going to get off that easy! Transformation requires that you must bring every THOUGHT into captivity. Don’t just pray and wait for this to happen – do it! You and I must change (transform) our thoughts. Believe the Word. Act on it. 

In spite of the fierce conflict of the early church, the great fight of faith was to identify with who Christ really was, and to acknowledge His triumph in spite of the circumstances. They didn’t need to struggle to conquer an enemy that Christ had already defeated. Their single task was to carry their salvation message into the unbelieving world. That uncompromised Christian witness seemed foolish to those who watched them (1 Cor. 1:18). 

Still, these valiant believers put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11) and wrestled (by faith). They engaged in actual real warfare and against actual principalities.  This ghastly Roman army was too enormous to fight with their flesh and blood… their fight was spiritual.  Their mission was to testify to the significance of the Gospel by living lives of unflinching other-centeredness -- even unto their death.  They learned to overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21).

Also during this time, much vain and deceptive teaching continued in the early church (Col. 2:8, 1 Tim. 4:1, 6:4-5, 2 Tim. 4:4, Tit. 1:10-11, 2 Pet. 2:1-3, Heb. 13:9). Now, our current Lexicons tell us the popular teaching that at the commencement of the Great Tribulation, satan's privilege of access to the believer will be terminated. That notion moves our living an overcoming life far off in the future.  That thinking allows satan to rule the present day church and to distort facts with the same old vain and deceptive teachings!  Listen, there are no new deceptions, just age-old schemes to lure us into unbelief. 

Religious tradition keeps us begging and striving. It makes us feel guilty, full of self-pity, and justified by our repetitive sanctimonious routines. We hold onto religious tradition for dear life. The truth is… our habitual behavior and repeated acts that we don’t think about actually suspend accurate discernment. Even our “church” pictures and imaginations of the devil aren’t correct … most of these representations are derived from Etruscan art (and other early gods of non-Christian civilizations.) Can you see how the church has turned the serpent into the dragon… by giving him undue credit? Isaiah says that when we finally see this enemy, we’ll laugh at how insignificant he really is.

Somehow, we’ve allowed ourselves to believe in outmoded tradition and we have surrendered our objectivity. We believe what men thought God meant, rather than finding out what God said. Somehow, we believe that God is pleased with false humility – so we subject ourselves to false domination. Our churches are fixated with devil consciousness – obsessed with the perception of sin, preoccupied with dying to self (that’s already dead). We’ve become disillusioned by internal fighting, infatuated by our own hurts, and fanatical about how the devil has done it all. 

The very bottom line is that Calvary delivered us from the power of Satan and the power of sin. Jesus entered His Passion – on His way to Calvary -- saying, “NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out” (Jn. 12:31). He understood and interpreted His cross experience as the downfall of satanic hierarchy.  The apostle Paul declared this overthrow to be accomplished (Col. 2:15, see also Heb. 2:14). 

The cross gives us the absolute answer,  “NOW (the culmination of all past) IS COME (#1) salvation, (#2) and strength, (#3) and the kingdom of our God, (#4) and the power of Christ; (why?) for our accuser (Satan) is cast down (hallelujah), who accused (past tense) us before God day and night. They overcame him (the dragon and his angels) by the blood of the Lamb (the cross) and by the word of their testimony (martyrdom)" (Rev. 12:10-12) NIV.

We are no longer deceived, influenced falsely, nor intimidated. The enemy is defeated. We OVERCOME by believing in the accomplishment of His blood sacrifice for us. Now, we OVERCOME -- forever activating the benefits of the cross.  Nothing can touch the resurrected LIFE. 

Jesus produced a NEW and better covenant…  to LIVE in a heavenly realm right here on earth. There’s no doubt about it. On earth as it is in heaven. Now. His Kingdom has come in us. Now--- we are mediators of this new covenant. We are at peace. In this realm of the New Creation, LOVE is the force that conquers all. Here, no enemy can stand … Jesus has overcome all things in us. 

Jesus said that He saw satan fall as lightning (Lk. 10:18). Now, Jesus lives in us. Can we see what He sees??? Can we see satan as already fallen?  After telling them this --- the VERY NEXT THING Jesus did was to give His authority to those who were listening.  He delegated His authority (exousia – magistrate, superhuman potentate) over all power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). WOW! That means that nothing can harm us. All wickedness is subject to us because of His Name.