Believers can thrive in the tension of the already and the not yet.
Consider 3 that are found in this passage:
- I will not fear the devil or evil doers. Satan is a created being, not equal to God, nor all knowing, nor all powerful, nor everywhere present. He has limits like all evildoers.
- I will believe Christ’s work disrupted business as usual in heaven and on earth. In John’s imprecise retelling of the story, Satan has lost access to God’s throne where he accused people like Job back in the Old Testament--John wants us to view him as a defeated foe! For instance, Romans 8 says stuff like: “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
- I will act like a valuable conqueror, not a helpless consumer. In addition to viewing Satan as a defeated foe, we can be more like the archangel Michael who was essentially a courtroom bailiff who executed the eviction order secured by Christ’s work. So, “How do we do that?”
