Dear Christian friends:

In a recent poll taken by the California - based Barna Research Group it was found that: 62% of adults agree that Satan "is not a living being or person but is a symbol of evil;" 52% of born-again Christians deny Satan's existence; Women (64%) are more likely than men (59%) to reject Satan's existence.

These are alarming statistics! If a nation has a mortal enemy-nation and is unaware of this enemy it is in danger of being defeated and enslaved. This is true also in spiritual warfare. If the Christians are unaware of or deny the existence of their spiritual enemy they are already in his power or will be shortly.

Both the Old Testament and the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday tell about the devil as does the whole Bible. The Bible teaches us that Satan is the Prince of this world and that all unbelievers are slaves to him. Peter in his epistle warns us Christians: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith." (1 Peter 5:89)

In our text which is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday, Mark 3:20-35, which I read before, Jesus concedes that Satan is strong, but He clearly states that He is stronger. (verse 27) All who believe in Jesus and trust in Him share in His great victory over Satan.


I. Satan's strategies.

A. Satan tries to convince people that he may still win although Jesus has soundly defeated him by His death and resurrection.

Evil sometimes does seem to triumph for a time: We think of Adolph Hitler and the Nazis before and during the Second World War. Also Joseph Stalin and his reign of terror during the same time frame and beyond. Closer to home we are aware of the great moral decline in our nation since the middle of the 20th century.

Satan and his followers seem to be winning the battle between good and evil. But people who think that just don't know the score! Jesus Christ and his followers are the winning team now and forever!

B. Satan tries to control and dominate us, as he did those possessed by demons here in our text. (verse 22) (Acts 13:6-11)

1. Satan accuses us with our sins and this is effective because his accusations are correct and we know it. He intimidates us into serving him.

He may cause you to think: "I enjoy my life style. I can't seem to stop sinning anyway. I may as well surrender and enjoy the way of the world. I doubt if God really will forgive me again anyway."

2. When God is testing your faith or chastening you by allowing illness or other adversities to happen to you Satan may cause you to ask: "Does God really love me? If He really loved me would He let me suffer like this?"

3. A minister asked a little boy, "When you do something bad does the devil tell you that you are not a Christian? - "Yes, sometimes" - "Well, what do you answer?" - "I tell him," replied the boy, "It's none of his business." The little boy was right. The devil has no business judging and condemning us. Only Jesus has that right, and he won't condemn us because he died for us!

C. Satan also attempts to discourage people from coming to Jesus by slandering Jesus' name and power. (verse 22)

1. In our text we see Satan slander Jesus through the teachers of the law. They said about Jesus: "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons He is driving out demons." (verse 22)

2. Satan tempts us to believe that Jesus' good and gracious rule is evil, and His commands are not for our own good, or at the very least unreasonable and fanatic. Here in our text we read that Jesus' family thought that He was "out of his mind." (verse 21)

3. Jesus does demand a lot from His followers. He says, "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up His cross and follow Me. If you cling to your life, you will lose it, but if you give it up for Me, you will save it." (Matthew 10:38-39) (Tell the story about your vicarage assignment in 1945) (Tell the story of Elmer Franciso's deciding to tithe)

D. Satan even tempted Jesus to give up His mission as the Savior of the world immediately after His baptism when He was tempted 40 days and nights in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-11)

These are some of Satan's clever strategies to lead Christians from Jesus and His great salvation.

II. While Satan is strong Jesus is much stronger. He has defeated Satan for us. (Old Testament Lesson, Genesis 3:15)

A. Jesus overcame Satan's temptations and went to the cross to suffer and die for the sins of the whole world. Jesus defeated sin, death and the devil once and for all. He has bought each one of us with a price - His own holy, precious blood. Even though Satan tries to convince us otherwise we are precious to Jesus. As we think about Jesus' love and forgiveness, we gain strength to overcome temptations and strength to battle against evil.

1. In our text Jesus says, "No one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house." (verse 27) Jesus, the mighty Son of God has entered Satan's house and has tied him up. He has carried us away to freedom, we who by nature were once the possession of Satan.

2. We sing with Martin Luther:

Though devils all the world should fill,
all eager to devour us,
we tremble not, we fear no ill:
they shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince may still
scowl fierce as he will,
he can harm us none.
He's judged; the deed is done;
one little word can fell him
(TLH 262, verse 3)

And that "one little word" is Jesus!

B. Today Jesus continues to rob Satan and his kingdom, the world of unbelievers.

Satan loses citizens of his kingdom whenever the Gospel is proclaimed and people are baptized into the kingdom of God. Through the means of grace, the word and the Sacraments Jesus frees precious souls from Satan's lies, oppression and bondage and brings them into the safety of His marvelous grace. There they hear Jesus say to them:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

What a great and wonderful victory is ours through faith in Christ Jesus!

III. What shall our response to so great a victory?

A. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus invites us to pray: "Thy kingdom come."

The sainted Dr. John L. Salvner, in his Catechism for the Deaf, explains this Second Petition in these beautiful simple words:

"Thy kingdom come."

This means: God let Your kingdom grow and spread. Let the devil's kingdom become smaller and smaller. Let many more people believe in Jesus and join Your Kingdom of Grace here, and at last, go into Your Kingdom of Glory." It is a prayer for missions.

Let us think about this each day as we pray the Lord's Prayer.

B. We respond to Jesus' great victory over Satan also by gratefully doing God's will. (verse 35)

In our text when Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were outside the house looking for Him He asked the crowd He was teaching: "Who are my mother and my brothers? (verse 33) Then He looked around at those seated in a circle around Him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (verses 34-35)

Because He first loved us and died for us, rescuing us from Satan's dominion, we love Him and want to do His good and gracious will in this sinful world. It is a wonderful honor and thrill to be a member of God's family rather than Satan's. What a joy and peace to know God as our dear Father in heaven and Jesus as our Brother! This should inspire us to gladly do His good and kind will!

From time to time we may be tempted to give in to our old master and his constant nagging. As sinners this is natural. From time to time we may forget the great victory that is ours in Jesus Christ. However, let us joyfully await the fulfillment of Christ's promise of eternal life. Let us enjoy the life under our new Master. We have been redeemed! We enjoy the abundant life of which Jesus spoke in John 10:10, "I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

In Christ we not only meet Satan's challenge, we are more than conquerors - we are victors!

Amen.