Authority Over Satan?

Many people get the idea from their friends, podcasts or even people at their church that they can rebuke satan, or even cast out demons. But do we truly have that authority? Does satan or his minions truly tremble at our rebuke? What does the Bible have to say about this sensitive topic?

There are many scriptures that address this, but first, let's start off with what Matthew 10:1 says,

"And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction."

Look at the part where it says "gave them authority."

Jesus gave the 12 disciples the authority over unclean spirits, including the ability to cast out unclean spirits. It doesn't say that He gave all of humanity that authority. Context is key here. He also gave them the ability to heal diseases and every affliction. We have to ask ourselves, if this authority was meant for all believers, till Christ returns, then why aren't there many in the church healing each other, going to the hospitals healing patients in their beds and many being raised from the dead? Because it was this kind of authority, power and healing that was occurring during the time of the Apostles!

In Acts we see this demonstrated when people would try to be touched by the shadow of Peter so they would be healed! Acts 5 says:

"And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed."

We have to remind ourselves that we can't do these things on our own authority because we are not God. Now you might be thinking, "Obviously," but sometimes, this can be something we overlook as culture, and the world, constantly encourages us to look within, instead of look to God.

James 4:7 says,

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Jesus' brother doesn't say to rebuke the devil, but rather to resist the devil and he will flee. The only way that the devil can flee from us is not by our mouths, but by God's saving grace. By our repentance. By our submission to Him and our resistance to the things of this world. Our greatest weapon against the devil and demons is the good news of Jesus, so that they might repent of their sins, and trust Him as their Lord and Savior, and then the Devil will flee from them as Christ enters their hearts.

To close this devotional, we hear a lot of things, and we are influenced by a lot of well meaning people, but the question we need to ask ourselves is, what does the Bible say about it? Did God command it? Was it meant for me, or for a specific audience at a specific time? Context is key! When we go back to God's Word, it guides us in all truth and righteousness, ensuring that we are truly aligned with the perfect will of God and not our misleading emotions.

Come get your Faith in 5.