Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Psalm 103:20 (NLT)
The totality of Jesus’ finished work is mind-blowing.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we as believers have authority over Satan and all he tries to bring in our lives. He wants to keep us praying fearful “save me from the devil” prayers, but Jesus already defeated the enemy and took the curse for our sins!
Even if we sin, the devil has no right to do anything in our lives. At the same time, it’s important to understand the difference between right and opportunity. Leaving the door to my house wide open doesn’t give someone the right to steal from me, but it sure provides them with opportunity! When we sin, we don’t give Satan the right to mess with our lives, but that sin does damage to our hearts, our reputations and our relationships, which can open the door to hurt and heartache.
Sin does not cause God to turn from us or negate our authority in Christ, and understanding this changes how we pray. We know our rights, which means we can ensure they are enforced. Just like we need to be aware of the laws in place to know when we can press charges against someone who hurts us, we need to renew our minds in God’s Word so we can stop the enemy in his tracks when he tries to attack us with his lies.
As a believer, your spirit is alive with God’s presence and power, and greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). The enemy has no right to hurt us, and when we speak God’s promises over our lives, he has to flee!