Sermon Notes
Last Sunday Pastor Joel opened the series. This morning is a declaration of war and an eviction notice. Whatever the devil is trying to do will not prosper. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. The closer you run to God, the farther the devil has to run. All he can do is run.
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9)
1. You Will Get Hit. You Will Not Stay Down.
Your destiny is not the floor. You were meant to get up and fight. Your enemy is not your neighbor, spouse, kids, pastor, or the church. He is the devil, lowercase d, a defeated foe with a big mouth. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy destiny. Seated in heavenly places, cancer, poverty, and the devil look small. A. W. Tozer said he is not afraid of the devil because the devil cannot handle the One he is joined to. Your secret weapon is who is with you.
2. Win the War of Words
Lies are what stall destiny. You have listened to “you will always struggle with alcohol, drugs, lust.” Counterattack with Scripture in your mouth. David won before the stone left the sling. Goliath spoke. David spoke. Goliath spoke. David spoke. Then the rock hit. Spurgeon said when Christ’s hands were nailed, the door of salvation was set open and the devil cannot shut it. He cannot shut any door God has opened. Leonard Ravenhill wanted to be on the devil’s most wanted list. A triumphant church is not afraid of him.
3. Humble Yourself, Then Resist
James 4:7 has an order. Humble yourselves before God. Then resist the devil, and he will flee—not sometimes, always. Magnify God until the enemy looks little. Worship, prayer, and the Word make his lies less effective. On a 2015 missions trip in the Amazon of Colombia, a demon-possessed girl disrupted an altar call. Others prayed and the demon stayed. The speaker’s mother, a praying mom the devil already knew, walked over, knelt, took the girl by the arms, and said, “In the name of Jesus, come out.” It left instantly. The next girl left when she was told the mother was coming. Authority is knowing who you are joined to.
4. Give No Opportunity
Ephesians 4:27 is about anger, but the principle holds. What music, movies, shows, Snapchat pictures, and social media conversations are open doors? Then we blame God for the struggle with lust, lying, alcohol, or drugs. He says you opened the door—the frat house, the computer, the conversation. The predator hunts what is farthest from the herd or weakest. Stay connected to the local church. Deception mixes enough truth with a lie to make disobedience look reasonable. That is Eve. One Instagram like, one song, one movie, and he feels welcome. Tell that clown not to confuse his future with yours. Break generational patterns. The rest of 2026 is still available.
5. The Hook Is Always Destructive
Billy Graham said the devil does not make sin look dangerous. He makes it look desirable. Sour patches look good. The hook hurts. He shows what is attractive and hides the spirit behind it. Romans 16 says the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. His forehead should look like the soles of your shoes. Revelation 20:10 already has his ending: the lake of fire. You do not fear the darkness when the Light of the world walks with you. The more you worship, pray, read, and serve, the bigger God gets and the smaller the enemy becomes.
Run, devil, run.
Magnify God. Speak the Word. Shut the door.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
