The Main Reason for the Daily Prayer of the Elect
Many Christians mistakenly believe that because Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, they no longer need to pray or fight against the devil. This is a dangerous misconception, because the spiritual battle is still ongoing.
Jesus’ Victory and the Believer’s Ongoing Battle
Jesus came to earth to defeat Satan, who has power over sin and death. On the cross, Jesus won a decisive victory over Satan’s power over sin and death. However, this initial victory was not the complete destruction or imprisonment of Satan. Satan was not yet completely destroyed or imprisoned.
Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” This means that Satan’s defeat is taking place in stages. There is a legal aspect to failure, which Jesus did on the cross when He offered Himself to redeem us. And there is a progressive failure that we, as believers, must exercise daily through the authority that Jesus Christ has given us. Jesus’ defeat of Satan on the cross did not completely remove the power of Satan and his demons. He still “prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This means that Satan is still actively seeking to attack believers, so we must use Jesus’ name to put him in his place. Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death.” This shows that there is still a part that we, as believers, need to contribute to putting Satan in his place.
The Danger of Spiritual Laziness
It is dangerous for any believer to become lazy, thinking that because Jesus has accomplished everything, Satan is finished and we can relax. Even though Satan has been defeated, he continues to fight for our souls. That is why Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) and warns us not to be blind to Satan’s schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Satan is very active and intent on destroying the lives of believers.
Jesus died on the cross to give us power and authority over Satan. But that doesn’t mean the devil will sit back and let you put him in his place. He will resist because he is extremely proud, stubborn, and unwilling to admit defeat.
Living a Holy Life to Win
Being saved doesn’t mean you can live a life of indulgence or let your guard down, or that the devil will never come near you. On the contrary, we must be vigilant and ready to resist his attacks through spiritual warfare. God has given you power over Satan, but it is your responsibility to exercise that power.
Satan is a defeated enemy, but that doesn’t mean he will leave God’s people alone. He will fight with all his might because he has nowhere else to go. He doesn’t want to see you, a sinner, humiliate him by casting him out. He is a proud man and hates being seen as weak, especially in front of his minions.
Being born again does not mean you can relax and sleep, nor does it mean you will not be attacked. It simply means that God has erased the negative records and effects of sin against you, and you now have eternal life. But in reality, you will always be in battle until you leave this world. You will have to continually put the devil in his place until Jesus comes.
An important way to overcome the enemy is to live a sinless life. You can never overcome the devil if you have the same nature as him. He only obeys the authority of those who obey God. Romans 16:20 reminds us that, as believers, we have dominion over the defeated enemy through Christ. We can destroy all the works of darkness and fulfill the call of the kingdom of heaven, but we must do our part to do so.
The victory of Jesus in our lives and in our world requires us to wield the sword of the Spirit in communion with the Holy One. We must storm the unseen realms with prayer and fasting. We must stand united against Satan’s divisive schemes and walk fearlessly knowing that the power of God ensures our final trumpet.