God is Almighty and has no equal. Satan isn’t on the same level with God because he’s in no way analogous to God. Satan is not on a level with Christ or with the Holy Spirit either. Satan is a ruler who controls an evil force with a hierarchical structure, but Satan is even lower in authority than one of God’s Archangels, Michael. Jude, the brother of James wrote:
“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” (Jude 9)
Jude was writing about fighting for the faith. He spoke about earthly defilers who despise dominion and speak evil of dignitaries, and made a comparison with the Archangel who was quite humble in his rebuke of Satan. Jude noted that Michael had an actual verbal struggle with Satan about Moses’ body.
In this scripture, ‘contending’ refers to separating oneself and opposing, striving and disputing with another in a hostile way. ‘Disputed’ denotes arguing or wrangling about something. Satan’s approach toward Michael was hostile but does not appear to be ‘physical’.
The Archangel Michael had to oppose Satan hostilely and use his supremacy in Christ Jesus to restrict him. Michael did not ‘fight’ Satan or use injurious or reproachful speech in a damning, judgmental or condemning way. He simply said this to him:
“The Lord rebuke thee.”
Michael used the title ‘The Lord’ meaning the one in supreme authority. This is a title given to God our Messiah who is Christ Jesus himself.
He continued with the word rebuke, which, in the Greek context means admonish, censure severely, curb any ferocity or violence, judge and give just rewards. This four-word English statement was translated from the Greek text and essentially means:
“God the Messiah, the one in supreme authority, my Master who is also your Master, reprimand, denounce and restrain you and your violent ferocity from me, as well as judge you and give you what you truly deserve.”
This is a proper example of how we should resist Satan. We should not exalt self or lord over him as some people do. We should be composed and humble and simply rebuke him. Be guided by the Archangel Michael’s example of the use of authority and be mindful that our mental and spiritual attitude must agree with the reality of our aptitude in Christ.
We must be convinced in mind beyond all doubt and must live out our conviction by aligning our speech and actions with what we know to be true. Know what God says we are and be just that. We are not a defeated people.
“…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
We are assured of complete victory. Our reality is we are more than conquerors, meaning we can gain decisive victory over things, as well as overrun and vanquish beyond them, through Christ and through God.
I encourage all born-again believers to memorise the literal rebuke used by the Archangel Michael, allow the force of it to inhabit your inner-being, and use it as needed.
SM
Epignosis (e-pē'-gnō-sēs) Ministries 