1 Jn 3:8b   The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.

 

This is a powerful verse! Consider the world before Jesus came. See how Paul put it: “you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.” (Eph 2:1-3)

How had sin come into the world? Satan had enticed Adam and Eve to sin and thereafter it was part of our nature to sin. Satan carried on his work of tempting and leading astray – and then accusing and condemning! And we were under his sway. As John wrote: “We know … that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 Jn 5:19)

 

And then Jesus came and died in our place to pay the price for our sin and to take our punishment. Suddenly all our guilt is taken. The way is open to God and to receive His forgiveness that is being offered on the basis of Jesus' work on the Cross. When we receive it, God also puts His Holy Spirit within us and we are born again, made new creatures who are now children of God. Now sin is not the focus of our lives and now we have a power within to help us overcome, and now we have a role in life that keeps us away from sin, as children of God.

How does this work? Well, very simply, as an old friend used to say, I am too busy doing God's work to sin. I haven't got time to sin. Satan would like is to be involved in his activities but instead God gives us the activities of His kingdom to be involved with, and as we cease to be self-focused and instead become God-focused, there is no room left for Satan.  Satan's works have been undone and his power to pull us down removed. Hallelujah!