Examples of How the Devil Had Been Defeated by Words
The World Will Have Permanent Peace
Weapons of War
In the Old Testament, weapons of war were swords, bows and arrows, chariots, and other military equipment. However, in the New Testament, the rules of warfare have already been changed. The most powerful weapon is no longer any military equipment, but the "Word of God"!
Let us first take a look at the armor and the military weapons given to us in the New Testament:
Therefore take up the full armor of God ..... gird your loins with truth, and cover your breasts with righteousness as a breastplate. Put on your feet the gospel of peace as shoes for preparation. In addition, take faith as a shield which will extinguish all the fiery arrows of the wicked ones. Put on the helmet of salvation; and take the sword of the Holy Spirit which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given to me that I can fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. Ephesians 6:13-19
Almost all gear, including girdle belts, breastplates, shields, helmets, shoes, and so on are all for protective purposes. Only two weapons can be used to attack the enemy. One is to use the Word of God as a sword; and the other is to "Pray in the Spirit". Yes, both weapons are WORDS!
It can be clearly seen that the weapon of war has been changed from using swords to using words! That is why Paul did not pray for more helpers or physical weapons. Instead, he asked God to grant him eloquence in speech so that he could preach boldly the Word of God!
Enemies
In addition, the enemies are also different from the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, enemies often refer to armies and citizens of other tribes or nations. However, in the New Testament, the enemy is the Devil and the evil spirits which control Mankind in the spirit realm.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Why was there such a change? It is because in the Old Testament, all people have sinned and were therefore under the control of the Devil. However, after Jesus has made atonement for our sins, believers can now be set free from Satan's world.
This started a war in the spirit realm, where believers fight to break free from the control of the Devil, and to be released from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.
For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:13
Examples of How the Devil Had Been Defeated by Words
In the New Testament, there are plenty of examples on how the devil had been defeated by words.
When Jesus fasted in the wilderness, He used the Word of God three times to fight off the temptations of Satan.
Jesus and His disciples used words to cast out demons and unclean spirits.
Jesus rebuked the storm with His word to make it stop.
Jesus rebuked fever and healed Peter's mother-in-law with His word.
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, believers who had received the Holy Spirit. likewise cast out demons and healed the sick with their words
The End of the Wicked
Being unaware of these changes, countries continue to put enormous investments in developing military structures and armaments nowadays. However, the real powerful weapon is the Word!
The book of Revelation foretold the ending of the wicked. When Satan is released after having been bound for a thousand years in a bottomless pit, he gathered a big crowd to fight against God, and the number was "as many as the sand of the sea". However, without using a single man or weapon, God destroyed all of them together by simply calling down a fire!
The World will have Permanent Peace
In God's New World, there will be no more wars and no more military weapons, as it it written in the Book of Isaiah:
They will beat their knives into plowshares and their guns into scythes. One nation does not raise its sword against another nation, nor do they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4
Weapons will be turned into farming equipment! No one will learn war anymore, and the world finally will have permanent peace!