The Devil and God's Authority

"But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" -Matthew 4:4

Something I recently learned from a sermon by James Ford Jr. (pastor and author) is that when Jesus was tempted He did not rebuke Satan and turn him away by His own authority, but rather by using the written word of God. Why? Jesus is the living Word, who, in the Sermon on the Mount, repeatedly said "you have heard...but I say...", essentially saying "I am the authority!" But when tempted His approach was not to command with the authority that was His as God, but to appeal rather to what had already been written. Again, why? Certainly for our own sakes, as Jesus modeled for us the appropriate response to temptation and to demonic activity.

If you are faced with temptation or with oppression, I will even go so far as to say with direct demonic activity or possession, do not approach or answer the Devil in your own authority, because you don't have any. If I were to say to the devil "Leave me alone!" what good is that? I am not the Devil's master, and the one who seeks my destruction surely cares very little that I tell him to stop when he strikes me. And do not think that by mere invocation of the name of Jesus you can speak to him as you will, as though the Lord's name were some magic charm. Acts 19:13-17 tells of some unfortunate men who discovered the folly of such an idea. Consider that not everything you say, although you speak His name, is therefore His will.

No, when faced with temptation or any act of the Devil, do not approach it with your words and your will, but approach it instead with the written Word of God, for God's Word stands forever, is unchanging, unalterable, and it carries the weight and authority of the One who spoke it. If you find yourself face to face with Satan himself, speak not a word of your own, for what is your word? Instead, speak only the Word of God, for it is the authority to which the Devil is compelled and bound to submit, whether he like it or no. It carries the full authority of the One who shaped the heavens and called the earth, the stars, even Lucifer himself into being. It is the authority upon which the believer must stand, the authority which the believer is granted to wield as a sharp, two-edged sword.  It is our light in the darkness, our shield against the flaming darts of the Devil and our sword to compel his retreat. Whatever authority you think you possess, lay it down and take up instead the authority of God which is yours to know, to ponder, to study and to speak.