Resist the Devil, and He Will Flee
Resist the devil and he will flee from you, as God promises, by standing on holy ground and being armed with righteousness and faith.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the promise of God that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us, highlighting the importance of standing firm against our adversary. He draws a parallel between a citizen seeking protection from their government and believers claiming God's protection against Satan. Simpson warns against giving the enemy power through disobedience and stresses the necessity of being equipped with the breastplate of righteousness and the shield of faith to effectively resist spiritual forces. He encourages believers to boldly claim their redemption rights and experience the power of Jesus' name.
Text
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. This is God's promise and He will keep it. if we resist the adversary, God will compel him to flee and will give us the victory. just as a citizen would claim the protection of his government against an outrage or injustice by violent men, so we can at all times fearlessly defy and resist Satan our enemy. At the same time we are not to stand on the adversary's ground by any attitude or disobedience.
In so doing we give him a certain power over us which, while God will restrain in great mercy and kindness, He will not fully remove until we get fully on holy ground.
We must therefore be armed with the breastplate of righteousness as well as the shield of faith, if we would successfully resist . . . principalities, . . . powers, . . . rulers of the darkness of this world, . . . [and] spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Your full redemption rights With holy boldness claim, And to the utmost fullness prove The power of Jesus' name.
Sermon Outline
- Resist the Devil points: - God's Promise - Resist the Adversary
- Defy Satan points: - Claim Protection - Fearless Resistance
- Avoid Satan's Ground points: - No Attitude of Disobedience - Get on Holy Ground
- Be Armed for Battle points: - Breastplate of Righteousness - Shield of Faith
Key Quotes
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — A.B. Simpson
“Your full redemption rights With holy boldness claim, And to the utmost fullness prove The power of Jesus' name.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- You can resist the devil by claiming God's promise and standing on holy ground.
- You must be armed with the breastplate of righteousness and the shield of faith to successfully resist spiritual forces.
- You can claim your full redemption rights with holy boldness and prove the power of Jesus' name.