Who’s Afraid of the Devil?
When you hear some people talk, you would think the devil is more powerful than God! They are afraid of him. In their minds, he is omnipresent and omnipotent and the epitome of evil; someone they are to run from as fast as they can or else he will destroy them. But are these things true?
The only thing true is that he is the epitome of evil. Everything else is a lie he’s fabricated about himself to keep people from knowing his true condition. His only hope is that you will not discover what Jesus did to him. So let me expose him for the liar he is.
Speaking of what Jesus did to Satan’s kingdom on the cross in Col. 2:15, the Message Bible reads: “He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.” Jesus took away all his authority and power on the cross.
Recounting what happened after the disciples returned from a successful time of ministry in Luke 10:17-20, the New King James Bible reads: “Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'” Satan lost. Jesus won and then gave us power over all devils.
Speaking of our permanent position of victory over the devil in 1 John 4:4, the NKJV reads: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” The devil is no match for the Greater One who in in us. No match!
Is the devil still active and able to cause harm? Yes, but since he has been stripped of all his own authority and power, he has to depend upon the power we give him to do his dastardly deeds. Men must empower him with their words and deeds, or he is powerless.
What does this mean for you? Here is what the Bible says you should do. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) Resist the devil, and he will “flee”; that is, run away from you, terrified! It looks like the only person who should be running is the devil.
Who’s afraid of the devil? Not I, and neither should you.
A Moment of Grace 
Thank you for such great teaching, KNOWING God and submitting to His will makes the devil flee from us, but, KNOWING ABOUT God the way we want, I believe gives the devil some edge.
Thank you Bishop for this insight, Jesus Christ defeated the devil completely at Calvary and gave us complete victory over the devil now and always and in all things.
Thanks Bishop Johnson. Surely the devil is a LIAR!