1) The document discusses a passage from Luke 10 where Jesus sends 72 disciples out to spread the gospel. When they return, they report that "even the demons submit to us in your name." 2) It explains that while Satan continues to threaten believers, God is sovereign and Christians have authority over evil through their relationship with Christ. 3) The cross was Jesus' fatal blow to Satan, though Satan still tries to distance people from God. Christians are called to preach the gospel and further God's kingdom by exercising authority over demons, as the 72 disciples did.

1. Victory over Satan - 6th
February 2016
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your
name.” (Luke 10: 17).
We can learn in Luke 10 where Jesus sent 72 of his followers to go to different townships
before Him during His earthly ministry.. We can learn this in Luke 10: 1,”After this the Lord
appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and
place where he was about to go”. When they returned they reported back to Him of what took
place which we can read in the same chapter: “The seventy-two returned with joy and said,
“Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” (Luke 10: 17). This one instance where
among many other instances it shows Jesus' power over the forces of evil.
Our adversary the Devil may operate within the limits God has set, but that does not mean his
threat to us is not real, nor does it mean there is no true battle going on between the forces of
light and darkness. Nevertheless, because the Almighty God is sovereign even over Satan, we
can be assured that our enemy will not win in the end and that we have nothing to fear if we
have an ongoing close relationship with Him. In the same chapter we can learn of the great
power that Jesus has over Satan in Luke 10: 18 – 19, “He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning
from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to
overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”. Therefore Satan has no spiritual
power to harm us as long as we remain steadfast in faith that He is our saviour and that He will
protect us from the powers of darkness! We can learn in the book of Acts: “…to open their eyes
and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may
receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me"(Acts
26:18).
The New Testament presents this truth in a number of ways, primarily when it tells us that
Jesus delivered the fatal blow to the Devil on the cross “For he has rescued us from the
dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”. (Colossians 1:13–16). But we must know that though
Satan has been mortally wounded, he is still prowling about trying to distance us from God so
as to tear down the church. We can read the warning to us given by the apostle Peter in 1 Peter
5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
for someone to devour”. The Devil will assault us incessantly, finding a way to draw us to evil,
until that final day when Jesus will return.
As such, Christians and the church is tasked to preach the gospel and ensure to the best of our
ability that God’s kingdom bears visibly on all aspects of life. This is a truth found in the report
of the seventy-two followers of Jesus appointed to go before Him during His earthly ministry.
Just as the finger of God has been displayed in Christ’s ministry of healing and exorcisms, the
disciples also saw the power of God at work in making even the demons submit to the people
of God. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in
your name.” (Luke 10: 17). The kingdom of God has been on the march, and when it moves, the

2. forces of hell are shaken to the core. Demonic thrones are overturned, through the Light of
Jesus Christ. It dispels the darkness of sin and evil, and forces Satan and his minions to lose the
authority to hold the Christians in bondage of sin and sinfulness.
The very gates of hell continue to crumble as the gospel goes forth today, proving Matthew
Henry’s comment that “Christ foresaw that the preaching of the gospel would wherever it went
pull down Satan’s kingdom.” As the church we have been given the authority to “tread on
serpents”—and to participate in Jesus’ crushing of the Devil. It is not simply referring to
serpents but evil that is far worse than that...who may be even around us. Therefore we must
know that no matter what the Enemy throws at us, we the Lord’s people will triumph in the
end.
Have you ever considered: “Are you afraid of the Devil? Yes he is a mighty foe, but we have
been given the mighty sword of the Word of God that has “divine power to destroy
strongholds” We can read this in 2 Corinthians 10:4,” The weapons we fight with are not the
weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds”. We
can wage war against Satan in many ways. As a simple example, when we pray for our enemies
instead of allowing anger and evil thoughts to take control, we win and it is a victory for God.
The same applies when we are able to say no to sin and sinful thoughts…we are victorious. But
we are told in Luke 10:17–20, “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but
rejoice that your names are written in heaven”(Luke 10:17–20).
Therefore as Christians we must always remember the authority we have in Christ by His Spirit
and be comforted that Satan’s best attempts are no match for our Father’s power and His deep
love for us!.

3. “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
(Luke 10: 17).