Seeking Jesus First May 1, 2025

Is there a devil trying to destroy you?

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8–9, NKJV)

Does the devil have authority or power over you?

“…He Himself (Jesus) likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” (Hebrews 2:14, NKJV)

The devil was defeated by Christ Jesus who came to reverse and to do away with the works, practices and sin that the devil brought into the world. It is the practice of the devil’s works of rebellion against God that produce death.

The devil only has the power that people give him.

“He who sins (is a slave to sin) is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin (is no longer a slave to sin but to righteousness), for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin (be enslaved to sin), because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:8–9, NKJV)

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16, NKJV)

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22–23, NKJV)

The devil has no authority or power over those who have come through faith to Christ Jesus.  “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV)

Did the devil kill Jesus? Or did Jesus lay down His life for us?

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13, NKJV) “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16, NKJV) “The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Acts 8:32, NKJV)