Destroying The Devil's Plans

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8  But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.  15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Isaiah 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

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In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and when he finished his work he took a look at everything that existed and he said that it was good. I have created a few things that I decided right away that I didn't do a good job, unlike us, God was very happy with everything that he made. It was all created for him and it all worked together perfectly. (Genesis 1:31, Psalm 104:31, 1 Timothy 4:4)

I don't completely understand what it means when the Bible tells us that he made the spiritual world with unseen powers and kingdoms but I know he made them and he said that everything that he made was good so that must include everything.

Can you believe that when God said that everything he created was good that it included Satan? Ezekiel 28:12-15 tells us that he was a very beautiful part of creation and it seems that he may have been the highest rank of all of the angels. Satan wanted more, the beauty and power that he had was not enough, he decided that he wanted to be God. We don't know how long Satan was in good standing with God; all we know is that he rebelled sometime between Genesis chapter one and chapter three.

Colossians 1:16  For through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see; such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him.

God didn't tolerate Satan's rebellion and it made him very angry, it seems that Satan made a plan to get back at God, he decided to go after the part of creation that was the most dear to God. The man and woman that God enjoyed being with each day in the garden. Satan went after Adam and Eve and tempted them to make the same choice that he made. (Genesis 3:1-5).

It is no wonder that Satan went after mankind, the part of creation that was made just below the angels, the part of creation that was crowned with glory and honor, the part of creation that God allowed to rule the other parts of his creation. Satan wanted to be a ruler and it probably upset him that God put mankind in charge of his creation. (Psalm 8:5-6, Ephesians 2:10)

Colossians 2:13-15 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Satan must have thought that he could make man detestable and undesirable to God. He may have thought that we would be destroyed and that God would give us the same punishment that he received. How could a holy God overlook these rebellious people since he didn't overlook Satan and the angels that followed him?

God's Love In Action

Romans 8:37-39 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus came to earth to destroy the devil's plans, his idea to get us to rebel so that God would have to destroy us backfired, Satan didn't realize how much God loves us and how far he would go to keep from destroying us. God's love and mercy extended unearned favor to us so that the devils plan could be defeated.

The vast majority of people have a negative view of Satan but they don't realize that they are doomed to share his fate unless they turn to Christ. Our rebellion is just as big as his rebellion is and we deserve the same fate.
Oh, if men could but see the slime of the serpent upon their pleasurable sins; the venom of asps upon their dainty lusts and the smoke of Hell upon their proud and boastful thoughts, surely they would loathe that which they now delight in!

-Spurgeon

We don't mind saying that we have sinned but don't accuse us of working for the devil. It sounds a lot more unpleasant but it is the honest truth. (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:2) We need to see sin for what it really is. We should find it detestable to rebel against God.

Thank you Lord for destroying the devils plans, he wanted you to destroy us but you had something else in mind, your love for us is truly amazing!

RELATED ARTICLES

The Fall Of Satan And The Victory Of Christ (desiringgod.org)

Satan And The Origin Of Evil (answersingenesis.org)

Stop Playing With Sin (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)