“Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail” (Job 41:26).
God’s power presides not only over nature but over the spiritual realms, over the forces of evil that strive to entangle us. Just as God directs the course and controls the strength of the Leviathan, He is sovereign over Satan and his minions of darkness. And just as we are unable to control the great creatures of the sea, so are we unable to stand against the forces of evil that tempt us; neither are we able, of our own strength, to stand against the sin in our own hearts. Without God’s grace, it controls us and enslaves us for its evil purposes.
Only Christ possesses the power and the authority to conquer the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms, and only in His power can we stand against the onslaught of Satan’s armies. Only through faith in Christ can we overcome the sin of our own hearts, the desires that lead us into sin and bring dishonor on our most holy God. If, however, we try to fight Satan and sin in our own power, we will find that we are as incompetent and incapable of succeeding as if we were to dive into the depths of the ocean and try to bridle the monstrous whale. Our pitiful attempts would forever be in vain.
The Scriptures make it clear that man is enslaved to sin, a child of wrath, obedient only to his father the devil, and without God’s grace man will continue in that state because he is powerless to free himself. Only Christ can free a man and breathe new life into his dead soul; only Christ has conquered sin and death by His sacrifice on the Cross. And unless you put your faith in Him who has put sin to death, you will not gain victory over your sin.
Christians, even though they have been delivered from the enslavement of sin, are often guilty of trying to battle their remaining sin and the temptations of Satan by their own strength. They do not rely on Christ, His means of grace, and His Spirit to put sin to death. It is vital for the Christian to remember his strength is nothing without God. Only God’s grace is sufficient, and only in the power of the Lord will you conquer the sin in your life. Any other means is futile. Without Him you are as helpless before your sin as Job before the mighty Leviathan.
Read Ephesians 6:10–20. How are you to stand against the “wiles of the devil”? How do you rely on your own strength to conquer sin rather than relying on God? Using this passage as a guide, what are some practical ways that you can start employing in your life to conquer sin and overcome temptation?
