Free from the Darkness of the Evil One

The Psalmist, speaking of God’s power over the enemies of Israel, states that He destroyed their weapons of war. He said this in the city of Jerusalem, and in the presence of God in His tabernacle:

“There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle.” (Psalm 76:3)

Satan has no power over God’s people. If you have been born-again by the gospel of Jesus Christ, you are free from the darkness and evil of the Evil One. God’s power over the enemies of His people is summed up in the words of the Psalm we just read. God is capable of destroying the weapons of the adversaries of the born-again follower of God. The weapons of the enemies of God and His people are rendered harmless when they face the Spirit of God.

Arrows are broken, bows are unstrung, shields are rendered useless and swords fail to hold a sharp edge when we are in the power and presence of God in our lives. When Jesus said:

“It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30)

He destroyed the weapons of our adversary the devil. Speaking of the death of Jesus, the Bible reveals this truth, “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Heb 2:14)

Our Saviour not only removed the stains of sin and death that face all of humanity, He also rendered Satan’s power void by destroying Satan’s weapons and also giving us weapons of war that are powered by the Holy Spirit.

We find this list of spiritual weapons in God’s word, given to us by God:

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Eph 6:14-17)

It is important to note we are not involved in a physical battle but in a battle that is waged in the spiritual realm. God instructs us:

 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12)

Our warfare is waged against Satan and his well-organized army of “principalities… powers… rulers of the darkness.. wickedness in high places.” When we understand the power and structure of darkness of evil, we will employ the weapons God gives us against the enemies of the cross.

The first weapon in our armory is truth. Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6) and “the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

The truth about sin and darkness and the truth about the Saviour’s power to deliver us from sin and death are the first weapon we have to combat the “wiles of the devil". (Eph 6:11)

The second weapon given to us is righteousness - not our righteousness but God’s righteousness. The scripture makes this clear, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom 10:4)

The third weapon in this list is the gospel. The power to change the hearts and minds of the enemies of the cross is held in the preaching of the gospel of Jesus. Apostle Paul, the self-proclaimed “chief of all sinners”, said:

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1Ti 1:15)

The fourth weapon we possess is the shield of faith. Unlike the shields of the enemies of God that are powerless, our shield is able to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

All of the previously listed weapons are weapons designed to defend but our last two weapons are weapons we take to the spiritual battlefield. We are instructed to “take” the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. We must be battle-ready when we face the darkness of evil.

You can live in victory knowing that Satan holds no power over you. Jesus has set you free from the darkness of sin and has led you into His “marvelous light.” (1 Pe 2:9)

God has broken the weapons of Satan and given you powerful weapons to live a glorious and powerful life.