How to Put the Devil on the Run
If you have gone to a Spirit-filled church any time at all, you have heard John 10:10 quoted many times. “The thief comes for no other reason except to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” Jesus said it. It’s in red letters in your Bible. He goes on to say, “but I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.
”But let’s back up one verse and look at John 10:9, where Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me he will be saved.” Jesus had His own blood on Himself. We enter through Him into salvation, healing, prosperity, and all the blessings of God. In the same way that the blood was put over the doorposts and the lintel and the Hebrews entered in through it with their family and possessions, today we must enter through Jesus. When the Hebrews were on the inside, they were saved. When the death angel came to their house, he backed off and went over it because of the blood. Jesus said no man comes to the Father except by Me. You cannot get into the kingdom of God without going through the door (Jesus) of salvation. Remember Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am the door.”
Jesus' blood was shed seven ways for you!
Because of the blood Jesus sweat in the Garden of Gethsemane, because of the thorns pressed into His head, because of the internal bleeding from His bruises, because of the cut flesh on His back, because of the spear that was thrust into His side, because of nails in His hands and feet and because we enter through Him into salvation, we are passing through the Door covered with the redeeming blood of our Savior. We enter through Him--the Door--and His blood is on Himself.
What was protected when the Hebrews went inside with the blood of the lambs on the doorposts? Their lives, their livestock, and their possessions were all protected from the destroyer.
Better Promises Built on a Better Covenant
The old covenant was good with many promises built on it, but the Word says the new covenant is better with better promises built on it.
There was a flaw in the old covenant, so God brought us a better one.
For example, the old covenant in Malachi 3 is great. God said if you withhold your tithes and offerings, you are robbing Him. Then He goes on to say that if we bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that He will rebuke the devourer. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. “You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:8-11).That is a great promise. If we’ll bring all the tithes into the storehouse, God will rebuke the devourer. But that’s under the old covenant. It’s not bad, but it’s an old covenant promise. How could it be any better? Let me explain to you how much better it gets.
Under the new covenant Jesus gave us His blood, He gave us His name, and He gave us His Word. And He gave us the authority to rebuke the devil ourselves. Under the old covenant, you do what you are supposed to do, and God will rebuke the devourer. While you are waiting for Him to rebuke the devourer, you may think, Come on! Come on! It’s rebuking time. Come on, God! Under the new covenant, we are not to wait for God to rebuke the devourer. God is waiting for us to act on the authority He has given as a result of the blood. God has given you the name of Jesus and the power and authority to do it yourself.
When the devil gets in your face, you say, “Devil, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Jesus told us to say to that mountain “be removed and be cast into the sea.” Many times, in the Bible the word mountain means kingdom. Under the old covenant you did what you were supposed to do, then you waited for God to move the mountain (kingdom). Under the new covenant, Jesus said, “Say to the mountain ‘be removed and cast into the sea’ and believe in your heart that those things you say will come to pass and you will have whatever you say.
”To me it’s a great covenant and a greater promise, but with every greater promise comes greater responsibility. Under the old covenant you do what you are supposed to do and just wait for God. Under the new covenant you do what you are supposed to do, take authority yourself and stand in faith without wavering.
Malachi 3 is a good promise, and in no way am I belittling it. I thank God for it! However, the better promise is in the new covenant. Don’t allow spiritual laziness to rob you of the best promise. When the devil comes knocking at your front door ready to steal, kill, and destroy, slam the door in his face with the name of Jesus.
