Just how do we resist the devil?

1 Peter 5 says: "8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."

See the TPT version- "9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith….”

We resist the devil by being steadfast in the faith; with strong, vigorous faith. 

For many of us, "Resist him, steadfast in the faith," has been interpreted as: “do your best to not sin and obey the law in order to be right with God so that the devil won't catch you napping in sin and thus devour you."

There's one huge problem with this interpretation: "the law is not of faith." The way to resist the devil is by being “steadfast in the faith.” Trying to obey the law in order to be godly or escape God's wrath is being faithless. See Galatians 3-

“10 All who depend on obeying the law are under a curse. It is written, “May everyone who doesn’t continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law be under God’s curse.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)

11 We know that no one who depends on the law is made right with God. This is because “the one who is right with God will live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

12 The law is not based on faith. In fact, it is just the opposite. It teaches that “the person who does these things will live by them.”

No one can do everything the law requires. The law condemns the best of those who are trying to be godly or resist the devil by obeying it: "But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”

The law is not of faith. Those who are trying to get right with God or escape punishment by obeying the law or doing its works are faithless. Remaining steadfast in "the faith" is our defense against being devoured. We resist the devil by being "steadfast in the faith." But what is "the faith"? We see this in Romans 3 where it says of God:

"26...and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

This is the crux of the gospel of Christ: Righteousness by faith. Romans 5:9 says of God:

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

The law is not of faith. We need to be steadfast in faith in order to resist the devil. Trying to obey the law in order to be righteous and escape wrath/judgment is being faithless. This is smack where Satan wants everyone to be because the law condemns all who try to obey it in order to deserve God's blessing and protection. But somehow, "Resist him, steadfast in the faith," is being interpreted as "do your best to obey the law so that you will not be devoured"!

We resist the devil by being "steadfast in the faith" - by confessing our righteousness in Christ that we believe in our heart whenever Satan the Accuser tries to accuse us with the law or attempts to make us take up the guilt and punishment for sins that Christ died to free us from.

Satan is a lawyer. "Ha Satan" is literally "prosecutor at law" in Hebrew. Satan the Accuser can't go about slapping curses, sickness and poverty on people, devouring in an ad hoc, reckless fashion. Like any prosecutor in any earthly court of law, he has no power to rule or pass judgment on anybody. He can only accuse people who don't know or who reject their birthright in Christ (God's gift of righteousness) in order to get a guilty plea from the accused and then recommend the harshest sentence: Death.

Judgment comes from the Law and the wages of sin is death, a death that Christ died for all. All earthly ills are "death begun." Remember Adam did not drop dead physically on the day his death sentence came into effect. Death is a process and a consequence of disobedience.

Satan the Accuser works as a prosecuting attorney. Using the Law of Moses which condemns everyone who is trying to obey it, he throws fiery darts of accusation at people for sins that Christ died to save us from in a bid to get a guilty plea from the accused. Here, all who are guilty will pay the wages of sin. But all have sinned. All who are under law and not under grace aka trying to obey the law in order to be righteous are already condemned.

Stand before God the Righteous Judge in your own righteousness or ability to obey the law and be condemned: "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." Romans 3:20. The wages of sin is death. As it is in any earthly court of law, those who take up the guilt of their sins are condemned to die. Such spend time on death-row before they are executed.

Many churchgoers are on "death-row," suffering symptoms of the curse of the law that Christ died to redeem us from. This is the devil devouring. This is akin to a cast sheep (fallen on its back with all fours up in the air) that has been cut off from its Shepherd. It can never right itself. Wolves and other devourers devour it alive. It’s no coincidence that Christ calls us His sheep and He is our Shepherd. And how does a believer get cut off from Christ? See Galatians 5:4—

“For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.”

No steadfast faith here so the devil can devour. The law is not of faith.

But stand before God the Righteous Judge in the blood-bought righteousness of Jesus Christ our Saviour and Advocate (Jesus is also a Lawyer) and God sees you as righteous through and through; you will never experience the wrath of God. See Romans 5:9-

“And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

Based on Christ's one sacrifice for sins that is effective forever (Hebrews 10:12), the Holy Spirit bears witness in us from the witness box of our heart in verse 17 of the same Hebrews 10:

14 "And by His one perfect sacrifice He made us perfectly holy and complete for all time! 15 The Holy Spirit confirms this to us by this Scripture, for the Lord says, 16 “Afterwards, I will give them this covenant: I will embed My laws into their hearts and fasten My Word to their thoughts.” 17 And then He says, “I will not ever again remember their sins and lawless deeds!” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”

Satan knows all of this so he and his seemingly holy agents behind corrupted pulpits are working hard at getting churchgoers to depend on their own ability to obey the law in order to get a "guilty" verdict so that the wrath of the law can fall on those who do not believe that they are righteous by faith in Christ; even to the extent of twisting the Word:

"8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."

The law is not of faith. Being steadfast in the faithor "fighting the good fight of faith" isn't obeying the law in order to be righteous or escape being devoured. It is fighting to believe that in Christ, we are righteous by faith, even when we don't have it all together concerning the issue of sins and right living. Romans 5:17 tells us how we get to live in triumph over sin and death:

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

We get to live in triumph over sin and death through Christ when we believe and receive two things from God:

- Abundance of Grace

- God's gift of righteousness to us in Christ

You can bet Satan and his agents behind many pulpits are focused on removing the focus of Christians from these two gifts. In many places of worship, the flock are being led to believe that Grace is a license to sin when what we need to reign over sin is an abundance of Grace. The flock are being taught to look to their own human effort/ability to obey the law, sow seed and pay tithe in order to get right with God, make it to heaven and escape His wrath!

It is not unusual to hear boasts like "God blessed me financially because I did my best to be good, sowed seed and paid tithe" in many places of worship. Notice Christ has been removed from this equation of salvation from lack? It all rests on what YOU must do and not what CHRIST has done. 2 Corinthians 8:9 tells us how we who believe are made rich and it has got nothing to do with human effort:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich."

In Christ, we get to give out of His abundance (not just in terms of money; there are many gifts). In Him, we get to give beyond the requirements of the law. He does it all so we can't boast.

Galatians 5:4 says "For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace."

Notice Satan has to seek out people who are not steadfast in the faith to devour- those who are trying to obey the law in order to get right with God? Such sheep are cut off from Christ the Good Shepherd and so become prey for devourers when they get cast aka fall into sin. Believers, let's not be found here. The weapon of Satan is accusations for sins committed so that the judgment/curse of the law can follow. All sheep that are without Christ as their Shepherd/righteousness to right them when they fall can be devoured.

See the "resist the devil" bible passage in its context: 1 Peter 5 (TPT)-

"7 Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.

8 Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. 9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure. 10 And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in His eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, He will set you firmly in place and build you up. 11 And He has all the power needed to do this—forever! Amen."

Peter was speaking from experience! Remember he denied Christ thrice after boasting in the flesh (human effort) that he would not? Never rely on your own ability to obey the law in order to be righteous before God.

Notice verse 10- "And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in His eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, He will set you firmly in place and build you up."

Peter went through this. He suffered remorse because of his denial of Christ. Satan hounded him with guilt for his sin but he did not try to do restitution aka defend, restore or right himself before God by human effort (law-keeping) like Judas did. Judas too was hounded with guilt and remorse but he depended on the law to right/restore himself with God and was devoured. He died.

Believer, Peter depended on God's saving grace for His righteousness and restoration. Christ restored Him. Filled with the Holy Spirit and transformed to boldness, he went on to preach a sermon where three thousand people got saved, in full glare of the religious Pharisees who were still out to get Christ's disciples! 1 Peter 5:10 above happened to him. Remember Christ told him as He predicted his denial-

"31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”"

Point to note here: Satan goes about seeking those who boast in their own human strength to obey the law and do right so he can sift them like wheat. Proverbs 16:18 counsels us- "Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure. The higher you lift up yourself in pride, the harder you’ll fall in disgrace."

Peter fell three times eventually because he boasted in his own strength, but his faith did not fail. He resisted the Accuser's accusation of guilt for his sin and the temptation to right himself with God by doing what the law commands like Judas did; as we who are in Christ also get to do by grace. This is what it means to be steadfast in the faith: believing that God still sees us as righteous by Christ's blood even when Satan comes at us with all kinds of accusations because of our sins and confessing who our mouth our Righteousness in Christ. This is how we resist the devil.

Understand that the battleground where we wrestle against “spiritual wickedness in high places” is not on some mountain top, coven or in the work place. The battleground is the mind. This is reflected in Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 10 - 

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Notice "Casting down imaginations..."and "bringing into captivity every thought..." We battle imaginations and thoughts in the mind; these are the weapons of the Accuser: accusations.

Satan the accuser goes about putting self-accusing thoughts in people's minds, even using seemingly innocent conversations and words of people who seem to mean well. The aim is to make a believer feel less than who and what Christ has made he and all who believe to become by His obedience: Godly/Righteous. And then he tries to get you to do "good" things (law-keeping) that he and his agents that call themselves "men of God" say will make you godly (be like God.) Same strategy Satan used with Eve when he told her she would be godly if she did something by human effort.

Glory be to our Lord God for grace to overcome these crazy thoughts and accusations by “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” This is the weapon of our warfare. This is how we resist the devil. But what is this "obedience of Christ"? We find the meaning in one of my favourite passages of the bible - Romans 5:19 - 

"For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."

Believer, this is how we remain steadfast in the faith: by believing and confessing that we are righteous by faith, through Christ's obedience and not by our own puny efforts at obedience. This way, no weapon or tongue (of accusation for breaking the law) formed against us can prosper. In Christ, our righteousness is from the Lord Himself. Now see the popular Isaiah 54:17 the way believers should:

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD."


Notice that this blessing is not for everyone that can attach "in Jesus' name" to the end of each prayer point. It is an inheritance (heritage) for those whose righteousness is from the Lord, not their efforts at keeping the law to be righteous or by doing things that they think will make them godly and escape being devoured by Satan's weapon.

Believer, for we who are in Christ, Satan the Accuser has been disarmed of the weapon that he uses to devour- the Law. See Colossians 2:

"13 At one time you were dead in your sins. Your desires controlled by sin were not circumcised. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. 14 He wiped out what the law said that we owed. The law stood against us. It judged us. But He has taken it away and nailed it to the cross. 15 He took away the weapons of the powers and authorities. He made a public show of them. He won the battle over them by dying on the cross."

Whenever you sin or mess things up and Satan launches his accusations of you breaking the law, by grace, confess with your mouth your righteousness in Christ that you believe in your heart. Don't go running around trying to do restitution in a bid to get right with God, promise to obey the law better or tell God how you will not do it again. This is where Satan can devour. No amount of begging for forgiveness or promises to “not do it again” could have saved the woman that was caught in adultery from the judgment of the Law that she deserved. She would have died had Christ not saved her, freely and without terms and conditions.

When Satan comes with his accusations and makes you feel that you are the only one in that kind of situation that Peter was in after he denied Jesus, by grace, resist him. How?

"9 Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure. 10 And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in His eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, He will set you firmly in place and build you up. 11 And He has all the power needed to do this—forever! Amen."

God will personally restore you!

Believe Right and you will Live Right