when jesus died on the cross it says he
SPOILED THE POWERS OF SATAN AND DARKNESS.
he triumphed over them.
jesus said that WE have been given POWER or AUTHORITY over all the power of the enemy to trample on him and that nothing should ever hurt us.
if we christians ever reach the fullness of that. then satan will be broken. we will have utter mastery over him!
does that mean that satan has no power? and that we shouldnt be not careful of him? absolutely not.
in rev 13.2 it says that satan gives the antichrist his POWER, SEAT AND AUTHORITY. satan does have power, he does have authority in this earthly realm given over to him by adam.
one of the greatest men of god in the bible was Job.
GOD BRAGGED ABOUT JOB! HOW OFTEN DOES GOD BRAG ABOUT YOU?!
haha, man, that will preach.
anyway, job was an awesome man!
but even job, as awesome as he was saw satan AS A LEVIATHAN.
and if you read the terrible description he gives of satan.
you will see that satan is not someone to take lightly.
he is not some powerless imp.
i do not believe that job was correct in everything he said about satan, but that is how job felt in the midst of his struggle and pain. satan did so much to him that he felt satan was awesome!
but nevertheless, we are more than conqueres, we can overcome him and beat him at his best if we are walking in the might of the lord.
yes we are more than conqueres, yes we do have the ability to overcome, yes we can beat the devil.
but you wait untill the devil hits you one good time, and then see how bold you feel. you may have the demon say JESUS I KNOW AND PAUL I KNOW, BUT WHO ARE YOU? AND END UP RUNNING AWAY BUTT NAKED!
somepeople are like IM GONNA GO CAST A DEMON OUT PRAISE GOD!
or REALLY?
i know that i myself look up to my mentors greatly, men whove worked for the lord, and have cast out demons, men i consider to be GREAT men of god. yet, some will tell you that they have encountered certain demons that they could not overcome.
it was a spirit of religon, that had hold over a certain regoin. mark (a pastor of myne) said he bound, rebuked, cast out, did everything he knew to do, but, he simply didnt have enough in him to overcome that demon.
i know you may not consider my story as very much, and thats ok, but i think it is a good example.