Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
Ephesians 6:12
6:12 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].
A Battle Against Principalities and Powers-
Could human beings know the number of the evil angels, could they know their devices and their activity, there would be far less pride and frivolity. Satan is the prince of demons. The evil angels over whom he rules do his bidding. Through them he multiplies his agencies throughout the world. He instigates all the evil that exists in our world. {HP 253.3}
But though the principalities and powers of darkness are both many in number and unceasing in activity, yet the Christian should never feel hopeless or discouraged. He may not hope to escape temptation through any lack of satanic efficiency. He who sent a legion to torture one human being cannot be repulsed by human wisdom or power alone. {6BC 1119.6}
Speaking of Satan, the Lord declares that he abode not in the truth. Once he was beautiful, radiant in light. But God’s Word declares of him, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty.” {6BC 1119.7}
Satan instigated others to rebel, and after they were cast out of heaven he bound them together in a confederacy to do all the evil possible to man, as the only means of striking God. Excluded from heaven, he resolved to be avenged by injuring the workmanship of God. Around the standard of rebellion that he planted, evil workers of all generations have rallied. Evil angels have united with evil men in a warfare against Christ’s kingdom. {6BC 1119.8}
Satan’s aim had been to reproduce his own character in human beings. No sooner was man created than Satan resolved to efface in him the image of God, and to place his stamp where God’s should be. And he has succeeded in instilling into the heart of man the spirit of envy, of hatred, of ambition. In this world he has set up a kingdom of darkness, of which he, the leader in guilt, is prince. He desired to usurp the throne of God. Failing in this, he has worked in darkness, in crookedness, in deception, to usurp his place in the hearts of men. He has set up his throne between God and man, to appropriate the adoration that belongs to God alone (Manuscript 33, 1911). {6BC 1119.9}
Sin is what separates man from God, and Satan is the master of sin. Satan introduced sin to the angels in heaven and to humanity at the Garden of Eden. Satan would like nothing more than to have God’s children worship him instead of God. Satan has an army of his demons working for him as well as the wicked of this world. Satan employs all his agencies to lure God’s children away from Him and into his own evil and wicked camp. However, we are not alone. God has His own army of angels encamped round about us, a hedge keeping Satan and his demons and all
the people he works through away from His children. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We thank You for Your Word and truth. We thank You for giving us the victory over sin through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. Every time Satan comes around with his temptations, we claim the victory Jesus won on the cross at Calvary. We thank You for making us more than conquerors in helping us to resist the devil and send him fleeing from us. We pray that we can continue to overcome, as You also overcame, that we would sin no more. We pray that we may sit with You at Your throne, as You are set beside the Father on His throne. We love You Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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