Victory Over Evil

Since the fall in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve gave in to Satan's temptation, the world has been in a fallen state.  But, as Isaiah tells us, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.  Even though the world as we know it is under sin's power, Jesus came to redeem the human heart and in so doing, empowered Christian believers to take authority over the devil and walk in spiritual victory.  Now, we can appropriate God's spiritual resources and experience that in our lives.  1st Corinthians 15 (ESV) says:
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. ”
55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The power of sin, which leads to death, has been defeated!  Praise His holy name!

Yasuko Fleming is a professional dancer - she is the co-director of the All Nations Art Community in Tokyo.  In 1993, she went to London to study dance, and came away with much more than she had intended.

According to a God Reports article, her landlady wanted to see Yasuko come to Jesus - in fact, she prayed and fasted three days for that to happen.  Her landlady, in fact, was there when she gave her heart to Christ.  And, it was a dramatic experience.  The article says that 'demon spirits showed up enraged."  Yasuko is quoted as saying this:

“Buddha’s face was there. All the gods I used to pray to were right in front of me,” she said. “They told me, ‘Don’t do that.’ … They grabbed me on my shoulder and pull me back and then I I felt my neck was choked.

God Reports notes, "After an hour of prayer, praise and scripture reading from the woman who led her to Christ, Yasuko was free."  Yasuko related, "I didn’t know anyone who believed in Jesus...When she said there is only one God, I didn’t agree,” adding, “I believed in many gods. It made me feel safe. I didn’t want to get disappointed by one or two gods. I wanted to believe as many as I can so that I feel secure.”

And, then, after that intense hour of spiritual warfare, Yasuko said, "...I felt clean...I felt peace for the first time in my life.”

Now, through the art community in Japan that she and her husband lead, they are a witness for Jesus Christ.  And, Yasuko has been a strong influence to her family, as she has seen family members come to Christ in a nation that is only 1% Christian, according to the article.

If we have been born again through Jesus, we have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  Fleming's journey was, well, quite dramatic, as the spirituality of her past was defeated by the power of the Holy Spirit.  That may not be your story, but the enemy desires to either keep you from coming to Jesus or to keep you from serving Him wholeheartedly - and we encounter a daily struggle.  Satan wants to deceive us and compel us to make bad decisions, to disobey God, to fall short of what He has in store for us.

But, there are extensive resources available to the believer in Christ.  Yes, we will be tempted; yes, the enemy will try to lead us astray by planting thoughts into our minds that are opposed to the truth of Scripture.  That's why we need to be in the Word and taking those thoughts captive.  When we are tempted, the Bible promises a way of escape. Through the study of and meditation in God's Word and prayer to and fellowship with God, we can grow in the degree of power that is expressed through us.  We can walk in victory because Jesus is risen - that same power, the Bible says, that raised Him from the dead lives in us.