“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).
“But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?'” (Acts 19:15).
Would you like to be known in hell? I would. And I will tell you why. It would mean that I am a threat to the satanic world. I would love to be a threat to the satanic world. I would far prefer to be famous in hell than being famous on earth, as I said in my book Popular in Heaven, Famous in Hell (Charisma House). I would be flattered to think that I really am a threat to the devil. That would mean that my ministry worries the devil, that I am doing so much good for God that Satan is nervous about me; that I am threatening his interests. Of course, he knows about all of us who are Christians. But that does not mean that all of us are necessarily a threat to him. I doubt that I am a threat to him, but I hope that I might be before I go to heaven.
Satan is ugly. All that he does is ugly. One of his weapons is to make you afraid. Making people afraid is what he does. Spreading terror is his goal. God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Tim.1:7), but Satan will try to engender fear in you and me if he can.
You do not need to be afraid of the devil. A healthy respect? Yes. But do not be afraid of him. That is what he wants!
Satanic fear is the worst kind of fear there is. He wants you to be afraid of death. He wants you to be afraid of people. He wants you to be afraid of the future. He wants you to worry about the past. He wants you to take normal fears, such as being afraid of an approaching hurricane, caution when crossing a street, anxiety while awaiting the results of an examination, a plane falling—or a virus—and exaggerate them. As I said, making people afraid is what he does.
One thing we should know about the devil up front: the devil is scared far, far more than you and I will ever be. He knows his end—punishment for ever and ever in the lake of fire:
“And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
When Jesus began healing people and casting out demons, the evil spirits cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29). We learn from this that the demons know who Jesus is—even if the world doesn’t! The devil not only believes there is a God (James 2:19), but that Jesus is the Son of God! We also learn from this that the devil knows his ultimate destiny—in everlasting hell. Indeed, he is angry, he is full of fear and the desire for vengeance because “he knows that his time is short” (Rev.12:12). What intensifies Satan’s fear and anger is that we overcome “by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11). This points yet again to the cross and the blood of Jesus—the constant never-out-of-sight reminder that Satan was defeated by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. {eoa}
R.T. Kendall was the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London for 25 years. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, he was educated at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv) and Oxford University (DPhil). Kendall is the author of numerous books, including Total Forgiveness, More of God, Word and Spirit, and We’ve Never Been This Way Before.
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