Forgetting to Acknowledge Satan

Today's Daily Success email was about Satan's presence. Today's post is mostly taken from the IBLP email:

The babies were crying, the dogs were howling, and the women were talking when missionary Otto Koning arrived to preach the Gospel to a gathering of natives in Papua New Guinea. He realized that he had forgotten to bind Satan, and told the chief to keep the group assembled while he went outside for a few minutes.

He went to the edge of the jungle and told Satan that he must leave, quoting several Bible verses that applied to the situation he was facing. As Otto exercised his kingdom authority, based on his position in Christ, he heard the noise die down.

What made the difference? Satan was disabled through kingdom authority. Many times Otto found that when he exercised kingdom authority, natives who had previously been unresponsive to the Gospel would tell him “We can hear you now” and would “take the hand of Jesus” in response to the message of salvation (1. This account is given by Otto Koning in The Snake Story video)

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" II Corinthians 4:4

If Satan is not opposed, he will be free to accomplish his deadly agenda. He will blind the spiritual eyes of unbelievers so they cannot see the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ.

"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them." John 12: 40

Satan will harden the hearts of unbelievers and believers. He will appear as an angel of light to deceive, if possible, the very elect of God "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" 2 Corinthians 11:14

He will do whatever he can to destroy believers or diminish their effectiveness and thereby hinder the work of God. We must realize that we are in mortal combat with a relentless but conquered foe, and we must learn how to resist him using kingdom authority so that he will flee from us! "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" James 4:7

On this basis, let’s counsel and support each other to seek first God’s kingdom and to walk in a manner worthy of God, Who calls us into His own kingdom and glory. "encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory" 1 Thessalonians 2: 12

Are we forgetting that Satan is real? That he is constantly working against us? What would happen if before you began your day, your bible meeting, your Sunday morning service, you prayed that God would protect you, and you commanded Satan to leave your presence through the power of Christ? Let's not forget to do this, any longer. If Satan is blinding non-believers, then we need to pick up our sword and fight!