Chapter 7: The Authority to Resist the Devil

Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

James 4:7 exhorts us to resist the Devil. This does not only pertain to the Devil himself but to all of his works. We are to resist all of his agents and strategies. Since Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil, His command to us is also to resist the Devil. The name Devil is one given to the fallen angel as he acquired a legitimate authority. If the Devil possesses a legitimate authority, the authority to resist him must be legitimate also. Therefore, Christians must first understand the Devil’s authority.

Many people deny the existence of the Devil and demons. This denial is the greatest weapon of the Devil against man. People cannot overcome the Devil because they do not know him. It would not be difficult to overcome the Devil if they clearly knew his identity. For example, a thief who is hiding in the village would escape to another place if the villagers discovered that a thief is in their midst. He would be scared of getting caught. In the same way, if the identity of a demon was revealed, it would tremble and leave immediately.

Before Jesus came into the world, demons worked with legal authority. People could not liberate themselves from their tyranny. But because of the works of Jesus, the demons have lost their authority. Now, the demons can only deceive the people. So not being deceived in itself is overcoming the demons. In order to be free from deception, we must know the truth.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

This verse can be rewritten as, “and you shall know the law and this law will set you free”. If we understand that we have the right to be free from sicknesses and curses, then we would be able to liberate ourselves with that legitimate authority. Now, a demon is like a discharged policeman who still uses his badge to impersonate an active one. People who know that he is an imposter would neither respect nor fear him. We do not have to be deceived by demons anymore because we know their true identities and schemes.

The angels that fell from Heaven are currently detained in this universe. The universe is like a time bomb; it will detonate and disappear once its purpose has been served. Within this universe, the Devil has the final authority. When he fell from Heaven, he was called Satan. This name belongs to the lawless one who revolted against God. But God allowed Satan to become the Devil. When he became the Devil, his actions within the universe became legal. However, when Jesus was crucified on the cross and resurrected, the Devil was condemned and his legal authority was eradicated.

Condemnation and judgment have the same meaning. People usually relate judgment with punishment, but judgment and punishment are different. Punishment comes only after the criminal has been judged through a due process. Jesus came to this world to judge the Devil. Until that judgment, the Devil had oppressed people with his authority. This is why the Bible refers to the Devil as the tempter, murderer, prince of the power of the air, and ruler of the universe. After Jesus came, the works of the Devil became illegal because Jesus dethroned him.

The Bible refers to the advent of Jesus as the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. For example, if a commoner like me declares war on another country, no one from that country would pay attention. But if a president declares war, then a war could break out immediately. Likewise, the ruler of this universe was not just anyone that a person could challenge. Only a country can have relations with another country. History shows that when a king is captured, the war is basically over even though his army still exists. The king’s surrender is equal to the surrender of his nation. Jesus came to this world not as a commoner but as the King of Heaven. When Jesus came into the world, the Kingdom of Heaven advanced against it also. This is why John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2)

The Devil now executes illegal actions. Before the advent of Jesus, the Devil’s illegal actions were perfectly legal, and he ruled the world through them. Thus, people thought the curses that the Devil performed were a normal part of their lives. Under the administration of the Devil, being raised from the dead was unimaginable. However, resurrection is normal to Christians today. Of course, the world would consider Christians as peculiar for believing in the resurrection. Yet, the world seems strange and abnormal to us for rejecting the resurrection. Some unbelievers actually believe in reincarnation, which is coming back to life in another form such as a dog, pig, frog or fly. So they forbid the killings of animals to prevent the brutal killing of their “ancestors”. On the surface, this theory seems to revere the living, but in reality, they treat human life as equal to a transient bug. We, Christians, do not believe in reincarnation; we believe in the promise of resurrection.

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19)

Jesus was condemned because He preached the hope of resurrection. After Jesus said that He would raise the temple in three days, the Jews fabricated a pretext of temple defamation to take Jesus to court. But Jesus was not referring to the temple building but His own resurrection. No one understood the concept of resurrection until Jesus died and resurrected three days later. In a world ruled by the power of death, resurrection was impossible. However, Jesus advanced into this world with the powerful law and force called life! He came into the world that denied the power of resurrection, with the law that allowed man to live eternally like God. The first advent of Jesus was the Kingdom of Heaven marching into the land where the illegality of the Devil was legitimately acknowledged. This is why John the Baptist said that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand when referring to the first coming of Jesus.

The first advent of Jesus was not just a Jew being born in a Palestinian region. It was the marching of the Kingdom of Heaven into the world controlled by the power of death. This was not to challenge the Devil, but to judge and depose him. Thus, the Devil was most petrified of the birth of Christ. The Devil tried to prevent Jesus’ march towards Golgotha by any means possible. Therefore, Christ’s death on Golgotha was not a tragedy of a young man named Jesus, but it was an attack by the ruler of this universe against the King of Heaven to stop His advancement.

The cross was where the ruler of the universe and the King of Heaven finally collided. The Devil killed Jesus with his authority. But God raised Jesus from the dead. Death had always prevailed before, but it was different with Christ. The Devil used his supreme power, but it was useless before Jesus. When the Devil opposed Him, Christ did not defend Himself or retaliate; He just quietly accepted the death sentence. However, God raised Jesus from the dead three days later. Through His resurrection, the Devil was judged, deposed, and his power of death became ineffective. The Devil used his best weapon against Jesus, but it was absolutely ineffective against His resurrection.

The first advent of Jesus Christ is the marching of the King of Heaven against the ruler of the universe. If Jesus was just a commoner, the Devil would not have been so terrified. When Jesus was born, the Devil used Herod to kill all the babies under the age of two in Bethlehem. He also tried to discourage Christ by tempting Him after His fast for forty days. However, Jesus never gave into any social, religious, or financial temptations. The Devil was so desperate that he pretended to comfort Jesus after His fast by telling Him to make bread out of stones to satisfy his starvation. He pretended to be an encouragement to Jesus by challenging Him to jump off the top of the temple without getting hurt. The Devil appeared to be mindful for Christ’s life on earth by offering the world as the source of satisfaction. The Devil was fully aware that the first coming of Jesus was the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Besides the Kingdom of Heaven, the word Kingdom of God appears in the Bible. The Kingdom of Heaven refers to the first advent of Jesus, and the Kingdom of God signifies the start of the reign of the King of Heaven that judged the ruler of this universe. Some people still write on flyers, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”, but this is due to an erroneous understanding of the Bible. Of course the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are the same, but there is a temporal difference. More specifically, the Kingdom of Heaven refers to the first advent of Jesus Christ, and the Kingdom of God refers to the period after the advent of the Holy Spirit.

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. (Matt. 16:28)

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples. This means that among the disciples, some will see but some will not see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom before their death. And sure enough, Judas Iscariot died without seeing the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom. Then what does “the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom” mean? Jesus ascended into Heaven and sat at the right hand of God. This “right hand” is not an actual location but a place of authority. To sit at the right hand of God means possessing the royal authority of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit was not yet given before Jesus was glorified (John 7:39). The word “glorified” in this verse means to be crowned with royal authority. Consequently, Christians receiving the Holy Spirit confirms that Jesus has already assumed His position in Heaven, crowned with kingly authority.

In addition, receiving the Holy Spirit means to obtain the official authority from the King who possesses the royal authority of Heaven. Who are we that the demons miserably cry before us? What is this power in us that makes the demons subject to us? We possess the kingdom authority of Heaven! Even though a person might have held prominent positions in the past, if he commits a crime, then a police officer could arrest him. Similarly, for the church that has received the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven, eradicating demons is completely normal.

When the Devil was ruling over the universe with his authority, the first advent of Christ was called the Kingdom of Heaven. But when Jesus decimated the Devil’s authority and received the royal authority in Heaven, the Kingdom of God had come to earth. So the Kingdom of God illustrates a more advanced kingdom than the Kingdom of Heaven. We are able to cast out demons because we have received the Holy Spirit and become ministers of the Kingdom of God.

We are ministers dispatched by the King. So we have the authority of God to properly dispose of the condemned Devil.

Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. (Matt. 12:29)

Beelzebub is one of the labels for the Devil, and it basically means a home owner or a lord. In order to plunder a strong man’s house, he must be bound. Likewise, people under the tyranny of the Devil cannot be liberated unless the Devil is bound. The first advent of Jesus was to judge and depose the ruler of the world. Since then, the emancipation of the people from his clutches has not ceased.

Even though the Kingdom of God has come, the Devil is still violating the law with his deceptions. He has no right to condemn or accuse anymore. As believers, we have the full authority to stop his illegal activities. Demons are not cast out with physical strength but with authority. Resisting the Devil is not a real fight, but rather the Christians denouncing and disparaging him. Since the Devil’s authority has been obliterated, there is no need for us to fear him.

The Jews deny that the Messiah has already come; they are still waiting for the Kingdom of Heaven. Isaiah prophesied that when the two divided kingdoms (Israel and Judah) unite, Zion would be glorified. But Jesus said that the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers would worship the Father in spirit and truth, not in Samaria or in Jerusalem. But the Jews still argue about which city, Samaria or Jerusalem, because they have not seen the glory of Zion, namely Jesus Christ.

The Kingdom of God has already come, so we should no longer acknowledge the authority of the Devil. Though his existence cannot be refuted, the Devil’s authority must be denied. Strangely, people often deny the existence of demons because they are invisible, but constantly fear them. Even believers use phrases like quick like a ghost, or speak of the Devil in their slang repertoire to refer to someone or something as extraordinary. Demons are not omnipotent or omniscient. Demons are like any unbelievers, but without flesh. Encountering demons is like encountering unbelievers without their flesh. Demons do not possess more wisdom or knowledge beyond what they knew when they were alive. Demons seem strong because of their invisibility. Some people believe that demons can read their minds. People might fear demons but in reality, the demons tremble in fear before Christians.

In the past, the Devil legitimately reigned over the universe, but when the Kingdom of Heaven advanced in, his authority was obliterated. Jesus ascended into Heaven and received the royal authority, and the Holy Spirit descended with His angels into the world with that authority. So the authority that is governing this world is no longer the authority of death but the authority of the Kingdom of God. Christians are the ministers who possess this authority of God’s Kingdom. Why does God allow people to remain on this depraved earth even after being saved? Why not just take them directly into God’s Kingdom? God sent the Holy Spirit to the saints, giving them the Heavenly authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach the Gospel. In other words, saints are dispatched back into the world as ministers after they are saved. So then, would it be proper for the ministers commissioned by Heaven to fear the Devil or even desire the world?

If we do not use our rightful authority as saints, then we cannot subdue the Devil. Even patients need to acknowledge the official authority they have as saints in order to be healed from any sicknesses. God does not heal just because people beg and plea with Him. If we want freedom, then we have to know and utilize the legitimate authority given to every saint.

A person once told me, “Pastor, doesn’t the Bible say that even the dogs eat the crumbs from the master’s table? I will settle for some crumbs. Please just pray for me.”

Why do they choose a status of a dog and settle for crumbs off the table? Why do they display such a pitiful, defeated disposition when they come to me for prayer? Wouldn’t God say, “Why do My princes and princesses look so shabby and pitiful?”

When we receive the authority of the Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit, the angels come and attend to us. Just as the invisible flaming chariots and horses filled the sky to assist Elisha, innumerable angels are standing by to help us. We might feel that we are alone, but we are never alone. Even though we cannot see the angels, there is no need to doubt their help since it is guaranteed by the word of God.

Then the Devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” (Matt. 4:5-6)

To this, Jesus responded in this way: Don’t bother. Those words that you just quoted are God’s word. Do not put God to the test. Jesus did not test to see whether the angels would help Him or not, since the promises in the Scripture are true that requires no tests.

Beside the two names already mentioned, the Bible also describes Heaven as the “Father’s house”. The Father’s house is where Jesus will take us when He returns to the world. At that time, the sinners will be thrown into hell and only the children of God will enter the Father’s house. This is where the saints would enter with their resurrected bodies. This is where our hope resides.

We have in our possession the authority of the Kingdom of God. Fearing demons and their works is the same as a policeman fearing a thief. No policeman trembles before criminals even though they threaten him. An officer is not afraid to apprehend a criminal because he has been granted the legal power to do so from the government. God has granted us heavenly authority. If we know of this rightful authority, then we will definitely be able to resist the works of the Devil.

The world denies the existence of the Devil but is still afraid of his authority. Denying the existence of the Devil is the same as denying the judgment that he received, the existence of hell, and most importantly, the death of Jesus Christ. For us, we must acknowledge the existence of the Devil, but deny the validity of his authority. In the past, we thought of demons as abstract beings, but now we have clearly seen them being cast out in the name of Jesus. Through our experiences, we acknowledge the authority that has been bestowed upon us by the victory Jesus achieved on the cross.

What a blessing it is to be a Christian! If anyone is thinking, I should be involved in a religion, but I’ll try a church nearby since the Buddhist temple is too far, then his life in the church is just a religion to him. If anyone believes in Jesus because he feels anxious about his life and business, then his faith is no different from superstition. We must all re-examine the inception of our faith. If our spiritual origin is based on a religious fervor or superstitious zeal, then we are not true saints. Our spiritual life should be founded on the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross. A person has no relationship with God if he is not born again through His blood. Without a relationship with God, anyone can eventually leave the church.

People who have superstitious faith or religious faith do not have heavenly authority. Authority is given to those who are born again by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus commanded us, “Cast out demons in My name!” He never said, “Go and cast out demons with your zeal” or “Go and cast out demons with your devotions!” Demons cannot be expelled with superstitious zeal or religious piety that spring out of our hearts. Only the true faith that originates from the foundation of the work of Christ’s blood can possess and use the authority to cast out demons.

Acts 10:38 teaches that God was with the ministry of Jesus as He healed those who were oppressed by the Devil. The phrase “God was with Him” means that the ministry was an official ministry supported by God. Jesus entrusted this official ministry to His saints.

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues. (Mark 16:17)

And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. (Mark 16:20)

It is unnecessary to criticize me for casting out demons and healing the sick in the name of the Lord. This ministry is not my own, but the official ministry of God’s Kingdom.

In order for any special forces to go on a stealth mission into a country, the superior officer must give the order. Their actions are official operations and not part of personal agendas. All of their activities are ordered by the lieutenant, who receives his order from the battalion headquarters, who receive their orders from the Minister of Defense, who receives his orders from the commander-in-chief. In like manner, casting out demons is not a personal matter but an official agenda sanctioned by the Kingdom of God. When Peter healed the lame beggar at the temple gate, people were gathering around him in astonishment. Peter affirmed that raising the lame beggar was not his own act, but a part of the official ministry of Christ.

Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (Acts 3:12)

Family problems are caused by demons. Condemn and rebuke the spirits, “Demon, get away from my family!” When your children are sick, lay your hands on them and say, “Demon, get out!” If there is confusion and anxiety in your heart, then say, “Demon, get out!” You do not have to beg or entreat the demon to leave. No believer has to meditate to receive power. Just treat the demons like dung and curse them. Hallelujah!

Some people think that because they themselves are not sanctified, demons would not leave. Sanctification does not guarantee that the demons would leave. Demon expulsion is a deliverance ministry given to us by the Lord Jesus. Let us say that a farmer lived his whole life in the countryside and one day, the president appoints him as the Secretary of Agriculture. From that day, he can exercise the authority of its office. On the other hand, if an agricultural expert with multiple doctorate degrees refuses the position offered by the president, then there is not much that even the president can do for him. We are ambassadors sent to the world by the King. Demon expulsion is not a personal matter but an official administration that God has given to us. Our boldness and confidence is this: the One who has commissioned us is the King, the Maker of heaven and earth!

During revivals, I invite the sick to come forward so that I can cast out the demons to heal them. But there are opportunities other than revivals where this official authority can be used. If anxiety visits you, then just curse it and say, “Demon, leave right now!” If you had a nightmare, just curse the demon saying, “Demon, get out!” Demons can be cast out anywhere and at any time because this deliverance ministry is an official administration of God. Just as it says, “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you,” if we utilize this authority, then even the Devil himself will avoid us (James 4:7).

We have to recognize and acknowledge the official authority we have as Christians. We also have to recognize that the duty to fulfill the ministry commissioned by Jesus is also embedded within this privilege. This privilege is not given to just few persons. You do not have to be amazed and envious of others who cast out demons; instead, know and recognize that you too have the same authority and privilege. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 4:20 that the Kingdom of God is not in words but in power. Thus, if you belong to the Kingdom of God, then the power of the Kingdom of God should manifest through you.

Demons deceptively bring sicknesses to people by using the authority of the already condemned ruler of this world. They cause cancer, cirrhosis, and the desire to commit suicide. Because of health concerns, people avoid certain types of food in their diet. It is definitely strange that believers, who should be fulfilling the ministry of God’s Kingdom, recognize the authority of the condemned Devil more readily than the official authority given by God.

Sometimes I ask the demon during expulsion. “How old were you when you died?” “I was ten years old.” “Why did you go into her?” “I wanted to kill her.” A demon that was only ten years old knew exactly what it was supposed to do. As ambassadors commissioned by God, how much more should we cast out such demons in Jesus’ name?

It is not because of a special status or a calling that the power of God manifests through me. I firmly acknowledge the official authority of Christ in me and treat the demons as nothing. People might consider expelling demons to be as difficult as amputating a limb, but we must treat demons like lint on our clothes.

Christians are ambassadors sent by the Kingdom of God with His official authority. Do not just confess with your lips but use your rightful authority. Money is useless if someone were to die of starvation. As saints, you all possess the authority granted by the Lord. I exhort you to apply that authority to curse the demons in Jesus’ name!

“I will use the official authority of Christ!” “I will use the official authority of Christ!” “I will use the official authority of Christ!”

Curse the demon that is lingering in your mind right now. Curse the demon working in your family. Curse the demon in your children. Curse the demon in your spouse. Curse the works of the demons in your environment. Do not acknowledge their powers, but curse them with the official right that you possess.

The Bible tells us to resist the enemy. If you do not resist him, then you will suffer much loss. Do not rest but resist the enemy day and night. Do not rest until the day you leave this earth. Resist all temptations that come your way with this official authority. Expose and boldly rebuke the hidden demons that cause you pain and suffering. As saints, you possess this official authority! I pray in Jesus’ name that you will operate with this legal authority in the official ministry of God!