The Resistance

THE RESISTANCE

INTRODUCTION

During WW2 when Germany overran France, there was a group of men and women who fought behind enemy line, setting underground information links and disrupting the German efforts as they were able, they were known as the French Resistance.

There is a tremendous need for every believer to become part of a new resistance movement.

James 4:7 Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

The Bible says that we are to resist the devil, however far too many Christians, most likely inadvertently, are assisting the devil.

Now I am not a big believer in chasing after the devil, I would rather spend my time pursuing after the things of God. That is where ‘I live and more and have my being’. However the Scripture is clear the Satan and his forces are hell-bent on destroying my life and taking what God has designed for me to have. So I must resist His efforts to do so. And so must you.

So today I would like to bring to your attention 4 areas that will enable you to be a part of the resistance movement against the devil.

1. NO OPPORTUNITY - Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. 1 Peter 5:8

Notice the words here - sneaking around to find someone to attack.

That means there are some who are more open to attack than others. The devil is looking an opportunity, the right time to attack our lives. Therefore friends, to resist the devil we must give him NO OPPORTUNITY.

Illust - I am sure we have all seen the wild life documentaries of lions sneaking, surrounding a herd of animals. The lion is seeking out an infant, a weak one or a casual or careless animal. Then at the opportune moment the lion leaps from his hiding place and snares his prey.

The scripture here tells us to ‘be on our guard and stay awake’.

In what part of life do we need to be alert and on guard? Well, answer this question. What do lions like to eat? FLESH.

When it comes to resisting the devil we need to be on guard and alert that we don’t live according to our flesh. The flesh is our old, pre-salvation lifestyle and thinking. Other terms the Bible uses are carnal minded, sinful nature.

Romans 8 says that as believers we to ‘no longer follow our sinful nature, but instead follow the Spirit.’ and we have ‘no obligation whatsoever to do what our sinful nature urges us to do.’ v 4 &12

However the truth is we all from time to time think we can life in our own strength, our own might and not by the Holy Spirit. Every time we do that we give the devil a sniff of flesh and offer him and opportunity to attack.

So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves …. immoral ways, filthy thoughts, lustful pleasure, wrongly directed worship, witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with, jealous, angry, and selfish, argue and cause trouble, envious, get drunk, wild parties etc. Gal 5:16, 19-21

We need to stay alert and on guard when we find ourselves enjoying and participating in flesh desires.

Paul insists in Eph 4 that we ‘must no longer live as the ungodly… having lost all sensitivity , they have given themselves over to sensuality… with a continual lust for more.’ v17, 19

We give the devil and opportunity to attack us when we live according to the flesh because we loose all sensitivity because we have become sensual.

Sensuality is living for pleasure and the gratification of the 4 senses.

Sensitivity is living with alertness to right and wrong and the desire to please God by doing what is right.

Society today’s motto - It does not matter if it is right, as long as it feels good. Sensitivity is overruled by sensuality.

Bible example - Samson.

In other words when we begin to live for ‘me, myself and I’ rather than Jesus we are living according the flesh and not the Spirit and we are assisting the devil rather than resisting.

Believers of the resistance movement are people empowered by the Holy Spirit.

2. NO ADVANTAGE - 2 Corinthians 2:11 ….lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The second area in resisting the devil is giving him NO ADVANTAGE.

Definition - Advantage = to gain more, to obtain a greater share. eg. to gain a share in a company on the stock exchange and make a hostile take over.