Rev. A. J. Ogden

In James 4:7-8 the Word of God says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” But when man is not filled with God’s Holy spirit, he does not have any power to resist Satan and therefore the devil makes a slave out of him.

God knew man would not be any match for Satan unless he is filled with the Holy Spirit, so that is why he commands us to be filled. When Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, he always said, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Then he would say what is written in Matthew 4:4. “…It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Jesus was filled with Holy Spirit power and Satan could not master him or lead him astray. Satan had to run to flee from his resistance and power. God’s power is available to us if we appropriate it.

The reason most Christians have little or no victory over Satan is because they do not live close enough to God. Most people have no power with God and no influence with men because they are living in known and unconfessed sin. If they were filled with God’s power, Satan would have to flee from them.