Read: 1 John 4:1-6

Today if you walk into a bookstore, the religion section may contain a number of titles related to witchcraft, sorcery, and magic. Sometimes Christian titles may be outnumbered by occult books. At times we may unknowingly think that God and Satan are opposing but equal forces with the same unlimited power. But God is God and Satan is not God. God is stronger than any force of darkness. He does what He pleases (Ps. 135:6), while Satan’s power is limited. He can only do what God allows. When Satan thought that Job would curse God when he lost everything, God told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” (Job 1:12). Satan couldn’t do anything apart from God’s rules.

The Bible clearly describes that on the cross of Jesus Christ, He “disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). Again, it says that Jesus “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Pet. 3:22). We should realise that Satan was defeated at the cross of Jesus Christ. Satan knows that ultimately he is a loser. The only thing that he can do now is deceive people. The apostle Paul feared about the possibility that the devil might deceive the Corinthian believers and make them corrupt (2 Cor. 11:3).

We should always remember that God is in charge over everything. If we are disciples of Christ, we don’t need to be crippled by the fear of Satan’s power over our lives or the lives of the believers around us. Satan will tempt us, try to influence us, try to make us fall into sin, but the Bible says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John. 4:4). The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you. Take courage in the Lord and be renewed in His strength within you.