Contending With the Devil

“Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” Jude 9 (NKJV).

The writer – Jude – has been dealing with the actions of apostates who are against the work of Jesus Christ, His cross, burial and bodily resurrection. Those who speak against any dignitaries, and now he even includes demons.

There are those in Christian circles who are teaching of speaking directly to the devil. God’s Word never tells us to deal directly with the devil or his legions of demons. In the name of Jesus we rebuke them. Michael the archangel, never spoke directly to the devil, but said only, “The Lord rebuke you”. We have no greater power than that.

There was a battle that raged between Michael and the devil over the body of Moses. Moses was buried by God, in a place unknown to any man. God was most likely protecting the body of Moses from becoming an object of worship, which would have been the reason for the devil’s procuring of the body, if he would have been permitted to have it. The devil has a way of using things that are material to gain a following for himself.

There is no doubt that the devil and his demons attack the people of God. The devil loves the endeavor of trying to rob us of our joy, peace, and love in Christ Jesus. He will afflict us, condemn us, attack us with various problems; and yet the child of God through faith in Jesus Christ will be held up by the power of the cross of Christ. Remember, we are to speak to the Father through the Son. We are to only rebuke the devil in the name of Jesus our Lord.

No Christian has any right using offensive words against the devil or his demons. The Lord in His intervening power will defeat them. As a matter of fact they are already defeated. We are not fighting for the victory, because the victory was won on the cross, and proven by the resurrection. We are, in fact fighting from victory, till that day we see our Savior face to face. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust in Him and never be afraid or ashamed.

We have authority to name the devil only the names which God has called him. To curse and revile him is not for us. That is our Lord’s work. The devil has a place to which he will be going for all eternity, and it won’t be heaven before the throne of God.

“But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.” Jude 10 (NKJV).

Those who would, do and will pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ have a self made knowledge. They have a knowledge of Scripture, but not according to the wisdom and knowledge of God. That is, the wisdom and knowledge which comes from God.

They claim an authority over the spiritual world which is not of man, thus they do damage to the true message of the cross and of Christ. You will find this in those who claim to speak for God with a new revelation from God, thus they add to the Word of God. Of this God warns us in the final verses of the Revelation of Jesus Christ 22:18-19. Some of the same ones that “do not know”, are taking away from the Word of God the very thing which God honors and magnifies. The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Immutability of God and His Word; the teaching of the Triune God. They claim it cannot be understood, so they deny it.

To deny any one of those things takes the “teacher” out of the realm of true Christianity, and puts them in the realm of the “Cultic kingdom”. These same one’s who deny these things often claim a power of knowledge of Scripture which they do not have. They do not have the Spirit of God in them or on them.

There are many people today who make the claim that, “It doesn’t matter what you believe; as long as you believe something”; and nothing could be further from the truth. The way you truly believe will affect the way you live. If you follow false doctrines and beliefs you will live a false life, which is hypocrisy, leading to sinfulness, immorality, etc..

As, “brute beasts”, they live however they choose. They take advantage of those who do not have. They speak of living in grandeur, mansions, fancy cars, fine clothes, living in the lap of luxury. They do it by grabbing the little that others have and taking it for themselves.

Christian brother and sister heed the message of the Word of the Lord. Do not be deceived by the liar and deceiver who wants you to know what is unknowable, or to do the undoable. Those who claim faith that is Christless, crossless, and senseless are out to take from your pocket to theirs.

Follow Jesus Christ, and not men or women.

-Tim A. Blankenship