You Have the Badge of Authority

"Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." - 1 Peter 5:9 (NKJV)

There was a woman who struggled with materialism. She'd spend way more money than she had, and her husband was trying to help her with this. She came home with a very expensive dress, and he said, "Honey, I thought we talked about this. We don't have the money for that dress." She said, "The devil made me do it." He asked, "How did that happen?" She said, "I tried the dress on, and the devil said, 'Girl, you look good in this dress.'" Her husband said, "Don't you remember what the pastor said? Tell the devil to get behind you and resist him." She said, "Well, I did. I said, 'Get thee behind me, Satan.'" "And?" he asked. She said, "He said, 'It looks good from back here too.'"

The devil knows our vulnerabilities, but here's what you need to understand - you don't have to be afraid of him. When Peter says "resist him," he's telling us something we can do. Jesus said in Luke 10:18-19, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I give unto you the authority to tread over serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Jesus saw Satan get kicked out of heaven - no competition! Satan rose up with a third of the angels and said, "I will be like the Most High." God said, "You're out of here," and like lightning, he was gone. Then Jesus says, "I give unto you disciples the authority." You don't have the physical power - you're no physical match - but you have the authority.

Think of it this way: during bad traffic, there may be large 18-wheelers, vans, trucks, SUVs on the road. Yet there may be someone who is helping to direct traffic - a police officer who's 5'10", 150-180 pounds. With a badge on their chest, they simply hold up their hand as a stop sign, and all those vehicles that could physically smash them come to a halt. That individual doesn't have the physical power to match those vehicles, but they have the authority that comes with the badge.

The badge is the Name of Jesus, but Christians can only be authorized to use His Name when they are submitted to God. James 4:7 says, "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee." First submit to God, then resist the devil. There are Christians who aren't submitted to God but want to resist the devil, and Satan just laughs at them.

But when the Christian is submitted to God, he or she can use the badge - the name of Jesus - and make Satan flee! Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4)

Martin Luther described it this way: "Whenever Satan knocks on the door of my heart, I no longer answer. I let Jesus answer for me. Satan knocks and Jesus opens the door. Satan says, 'I'm looking for Martin Luther.' Jesus replies, 'Martin Luther doesn't live here anymore. I live here now.' Satan sees the nail prints that remind him of the cross, sees the scar from the wound on His side, remembers his own defeat, and leaves." Praise the Lord!

Reflection Question: Are you trying to resist the devil in your own strength, or are you first submitting to God and letting His authority work through you?

Heavenly Father, I submit myself completely to You. I recognize that any authority I have over the enemy comes from You alone. Thank You for giving me the badge of Your authority through Jesus. Help me remember that it's not greater am I, but greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Victory Over Satan": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/95gmbjy/23-victory-over-satan-1-peter-5-8-14