I attended three high schools as a youngster and two of them had boxing programs. Fighting came natural to me because I liked to fight, and I immediately signed up for both teams. I remember one kid that I boxed who was much taller and heavier than me that I routinely pummeled like a punching bag. He was slow and lumbered around like a big uncoordinated ox and I would bloody his nose every time we sparred.
One night I was at our local hangout and I was drunk. My scumbag buddies and I were standing outside and this same guy came cruising through on his motorcycle and when He passed me by, I yelled, “Hey you S.O.B.”
He pulled over, got off his bike and came back over to where I was standing and said, “What did you call me?”
I was standing there weaving back and forth, trying to focus my eyes on him and arrogantly sneered, “I called you a S.O.B. ‘cause that’s what you are!”
He said, “That’s what I thought you said”, and the next thing I knew he hit me squarely between my eyes. I’ve had my nose broken seven times, but I believe that was the worst of them. He didn’t knock me down, but blood gushed out of my nose like a fire hydrant. That was all there was to the fight; I stood there leaning over trying to stop the bleeding and he casually strode back over to his motorcycle, got back on, and drove away like “Cool Hand Luke”.
The next day I had two black eyes and I winced in pain if I even touched my nose. I knew that I could have beaten this guy to a bloody pulp had I been sober, and was tempted to go do just that, but my nose was so tender and hurt so badly that I was afraid if anyone so much as thumped it again, I’d scream like a woman. I gave him a pass, chalking it up to running my mouth when I was drunk when I should have kept my big mouth shut.
I badly underestimated that guy.
I think we underestimate satan too, especially when we aren’t thinking clearly such as when we are discouraged, grieving, full of doubt, inebriated, or otherwise not 100%.
A friend of mine and I were discussing this just yesterday. According to the Bible satan was created second only to God. When he was expelled from heaven he took 1/3 of the angels with him. The Bible does not reveal the number of angels that were thrown out of heaven, and I believe that’s because they are innumerable and we can’t even comprehend a number that large.
As far as we can determine from reading the Bible, satan and his zillions did not lose their power upon being deposed. Angels are powerful creatures; whenever anyone encountered an angel face to face in the Bible they fell to their knees in awe and those terrified folks whom they did encounter even tried to worship them. Angels were created higher than us and are powerful.
Indeed when Jesus was being tempted in the desert, satan offered him the entire world and all that was in it, provided He would just bow down and worship him. That passage clearly indicates that the world in which we live is ruled by satan. For reasons known only to God satan has been given power, dominion, and authority over the entire world by God.
Don’t underestimate the power of satan over our lives.
By the same token don’t underestimate the power of God to defeat him. Remember that 2/3rds of the angels remained faithful to God and are still with Him and are used to assist us and combat those dark forces. Satan was thrown out of heaven like a falling star which clearly indicates that while he is powerful, God is far more powerful and superior in every way and satan is no match for Him.
Importantly when Jesus was tempted as no one has ever been tempted before Him or since, we should remember that He successfully resisted that temptation using Scripture to counter his every offer, until finally satan departed and angels came to minister to Him.
This passage clearly indicates that we should be especially on guard when we are at our lowest point. Satan came to Jesus when he was weak from fasting and being in the hot desert for some forty days. This is in the Bible to demonstrate that satan attacks us when we are at our lowest point and are the most vulnerable. It’s often when our faith in our God and ourselves is at its lowest ebb that he comes around. Just remember the example set by Jesus that satan can be defeated through use of the Holy Scripture and calling upon the name of God to help.
I underestimated that guy in that parking lot that night. Had I been sober I would have never called that joker an S.O.B. in the first place. Had he started a fight with me while I was sober I would have pummeled him all over that parking lot and bloodied his nose as I’d done countless times in the past.
This tells me that I need to stay “sober and vigilant” my friends, because we are engaged in all out spiritual warfare and satan goes around like a roaring lion desiring to devour anyone who carelessly underestimates him.
Put on the full armor of God; prayer, daily hearing and studying the word of God (the Holy Bible), fellowship with other believers, rock solid faith, righteous living, and most importantly making Jesus the CENTER of everything you do, and you can resist him.
Don’t underestimate satan by putting yourself in bad positions, but be willing to submit. And don’t underestimate God’s ability to help you resist him and send him packing like a scared little bunny rabbit.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.