I believe that it is anti-Christian and unholy for any Christian to live with the object of accumulating wealth. You will say, “Are we not to strive all we can to get all the money we can?” You may do so. I cannot doubt but what, in so doing, you may do service to the cause of God. But what I said was that to live with the object of accumulating wealth is anti-Christian. - Tom Carted, ed., 2,200 Quotations from the Writings of Charles H. Spurgeon

The bible, God’s word, contains thousands of promises.  According to one person, who in my research is unnamed, there are 3573 promises.  Are any of those promises for financial or material blessings for all Christians?  Is the lack of prosperity a sign that a Christian has little or no faith, or doesn’t pray enough?   What does the bible say?

The Bible Says that God Wants Us To Prosper

We've all heard the following scriptures quoted, and may have even quoted them ourselves, in order to receive blessings of material things including money, so we think.  They are some of the favorite scriptures of those in the Christian community who practice what is called “Prosperity Theology”, “Prosperity Gospel”, or “Word of Faith”.

 Mark 11:23 (NKJV) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

3 John 2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

John 14:12-14 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

People who follow prosperity theology believe and teach that financial or material blessing is the will of God for all Christians, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to Christian ministries will increase one's material wealth. Based on non-traditional interpretations of the Bible, often with emphasis on the Book of Malachi, the doctrine views the Bible as a contract between God and humans: if humans have faith in God, he will deliver his promises of security and prosperity. Confessing these promises to be true is perceived as an act of faith, which God will honor. This is believed to be achieved through visualization and positive confession, and is often taught in mechanical and contractual terms.    The prosperity teaching later figured prominently in the Word of Faith movement and 1980s televangelism. In the 1990s and 2000s, it was adopted by influential leaders in the Charismatic Movement and promoted by Christian missionaries throughout the world, sometimes leading to the establishment of mega-churches. From Wikipedia article Prosperity theology (The article from which these quotes come names some churches and their leaders but I will not do that in this post) 

In his letter to Timothy Paul warns him about false teachers and urged him and the Christians in Ephesus to avoid men who thought these kinds of things.  He was referring to some of the sects that had infiltrated the early church. 

1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NKJV) If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

The prosperity gospel closely resembles some of the destructive sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.

1 Timothy 6:9-11 (NKJV) But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

If riches was the goal for the godly, why didn’t Jesus pursue it and teach His disciples to do likewise?   Remember the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.

The Prosperity Gospel Says That With Strong Faith You Will Become Prosperous

A favorite term in the Word of Faith movement is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, Word of Faith teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you.

“Word of Faith” teaches that your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God's ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive.

In sharp contrast to the Word of Faith emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts. - Got Questions.org 

In my post “Can We Really Call Those Things Which Be Not As Though They Were?"  I point out that the only person who can “call those things which be not as though they were”, is God. 

Romans 4:17 (NKJV) (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

But I continue to hear, on television, radio, and read on the Internet, statements and comments by well-known and prominent  pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles, and others, that we can speak things into existence, and that we can have whatever we ask for in prayer.  If we say it God is obligated to do it. 

We as God’s created creatures do not have the power through our words or otherwise to create anything or cause anything that does not now exist to exist.  The faith, that we need enough of, is faith in God Almighty not faith in the words that we speak even if those words are from the bible especially when they are taken out of the context in which there were written or spoken.  

It’s one thing to pray, believe, and trust God for miracles. It’s quite to think that what we say has the power to produce miracles. God's Word has that power, but our words are not the same as God's Word. Not by a long shot.

Bible Verses About Prosperity That We Need to Stop Misusing

Let’s take a closer look at the verses I presented at the beginning of this post.

●     Mark 11:23-24 (NKJV) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

This was Jesus’ response when Peter mentioned that the fig tree that He had cursed the previous day had withered away.  Jesus used it as an example of faith in God.   That faith was to be persistent and we are to keep on believing that God has already given us our request. 

Sound exactly like the prosperity gospel doesn’t it.  What the prosperity gospel proponents say is that if you don’t have it’s because you don’t have enough faith or haven’t prayed enough.  That sounds very spiritual and right doesn’t it, but consider this. 

James 4:3 (NKJV) You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Prayer and faith are essential in the life of a Christian but using them to try and force God into giving us our desires goes against Jesus’ prayer before his crucifixion.

Luke 22:41-42 (NKJV)  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,  saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." (Emphasis mine)

●     3 John 2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

This is simply a greeting. It’s how John begins his letter to Gaius, just like we might start a letter by saying I pray that all is well with you. It was not a promise to Gaius, and certainly not meant to be taken as a promise from God that believers will never get sick or will have material prosperity.

●     John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The verses just before this one are the parable of the sheep and their good shepherd, Jesus, who calls them by name. The sheep know the good shepherd’s voice and follow. The abundance of here has to do with knowing and being known by Jesus, not material things.

The Tyndale Commentary explains, “He does not offer them an extension of physical life nor an increase of material possessions, but the possibility, nay the certainty, of a life lived as a higher level of obedience to God’s will and reflecting his glory.”

Ed Stetzer in his article: What Does it Mean to Have an Abundant Life? Some Thoughts on Prosperity” says;
“Abundant life is not about what we have. It’s not about what we get. It’s not about what we claim. Ultimately, abundant life is about what we receive as a gift from the Lord and to live knowing we are stewards of the blessings of God.

It’s not a sin to be rich (though it might be missing the point if we die rich). Furthermore, stewardship is not measure by what we have received, but by what we have given.  At the end of the day, perhaps that is how we know we have an abundant life—when we have shared our life with others. When we have enough of the blessings of God (mercy, peace, love, grace, wisdom, etc.) to share with our others, and then actually do it; that’s when we truly have abundant life.”

●     Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

This is the same event recorded in Mark 11:23-24.  Jesus explained that such power (for even greater deeds) was available to them through believing prayer. This kind of faith, however, will only ask those things that it knows to be God's will. (Emphasis mine) - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

●     Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

This verse is a powerful fundraising tool for the prosperity gospel but this verse has nothing to do with individual riches. The Israelites were robbing God by not giving enough food to the national storehouse that was used to feed the priests of Israel. So the priests were having to leave their priestly duties and take up farming to survive.

Nehemiah 13:10-13 (NKJV) I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. So I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their place. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.

God tells the nation of Israel to test him by giving obediently. If they did, he would reward them as he did in the past. 

●     John 14:12-14 (NKJV)   "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

First of all the works could not be greater in quality than His, but greater in extent because He was going to the Father.

This is the reason for the greater works. The restrictions imposed on Jesus by incarnation would be removed. His position with the Father would be related to the greater works in two ways: answering the prayers of his own, and sending the Paraclete (Holy Spirit) as the unfailing source of wisdom and strength. The works, then, would not be done in independence of Christ. He would answer prayer; he would send the Spirit. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

When Jesus says “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do…” The prayer is thought of as addressed to the Father; but the answer here, and still more emphatically in the following verse, is thought of as coming from the Son, who is one with the Father. The width and limitation of the promise are both to be noted. It is “whatsoever ye shall ask,” and it is “ask in My name.” This means, as My representatives on earth (comp. Notes on previous verse), as persons doing My work, living in My spirit, seeking as I have sought to do the will of the Father. It follows from this that personal petitions are not contemplated here, except as far as they are for the glory of God; and that petitions asked in ignorance may be most truly answered when they are not granted. The prayer of Gethsemane—“If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done,” should teach what prayer in the name and spirit of Christ means. We commonly attach to our prayers, “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We do not always bear in mind that this implies an absolute self-sacrifice, and is a prayer that our very prayers may not be answered except in so far as they are in accordance with the divine will. - Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

The point here is that in order for those things that are asked in Jesus’ name to happen they must be according to the will of God and His will alone.  We can’t manipulate the scriptures by taking things out of context and make them God’s will.  His will is clear and unchanging.

Prosperity Is Not A Sin

Just in case you think after reading this post I believe that prosperity is a sin there is nothing further from the truth.  You will notice that I didn't say that the bible said prosperity was a sin my my question is what does the bible say about prosperity as it relates to our faith.    What does it say about wanting to be rich?

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NKJV) But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows

There are many dangers for those who want to be rich. When they want to gain wealth, their desires tempt them to do wrong things. Once they start doing those things, it is like falling into a trap. It is as if the devil has caught that person. And he will not let go. This trap consists of strong desires that seem to force that person to do more evil.  Those who want to be rich and make that their purpose in life will never be content.  The desire to be rich will ruin and destroy them.

The love of money is the strong desire to get wealth. It is greater than the desire to love and serve God. It becomes the main purpose in life. That love is like a root. It is like the root from which plants grow. From that source, there come all kinds of evil.

There are people who, because of their desire to get money, have gone away from the *faith. It is not possible to serve both God and money. One or other of them must be the more important. Those who reach out to grasp money will lose their grip on the Lord.

The wealthy are responsible to God for how they use their wealth. The more they have the greater their duty to use it to do what is good.  Rich persons have more than enough for their own needs. There is no benefit to them in owning an excess of wealth. They should be generous. And they should share what they have. They should use their wealth for the benefit of those who are in need of their help.

By doing good works the rich Christians will reduce their wealth on earth. But they will be building up *riches for the future life. These *riches will then be like a firm foundation for them. The *Lord Jesus said that we should not store up *riches on earth. But rather we should store up riches in heaven

This statement sums up, in my opinion the reason that the prosperity gospel is a dangerous for Christians.    From an article published on bible.org titled” The Bankruptcy of the Prosperity Gospel: An Exercise in Biblical and Theological Ethics”; (https://bible.org/article/bankruptcy-prosperity-gospel-exercise-biblical-and-theological-ethics) “there is perhaps one general, summary reason why the prosperity gospel is a wayward gospel: its faulty view of the relationship between God and man. Simply put, if the prosperity gospel is correct, grace becomes obsolete, God becomes irrelevant, and man is the measure of all things. Whether it is the Abrahamic covenant, the Atonement, giving, faith, or the biblical interpretation of any given verse, the prosperity teacher seeks to turn the relationship between God and man into a financial quid pro quo transaction. As scholar James R. Goff noted, God is “reduced to a kind of ‘cosmic bellhop’ attending to the needs and desires of his creation.” This is a wholly inadequate and unbiblical view of the relationship between God and man and the stewardship of wealth.

Four Proven Paths For Real Prosperity 

I recently read an article written by Brad Ferguson who is Pastor of Tega Cay Baptist Church, Tega Cay, South Carolina in which he talks about real prosperity.  He says that we should think of prosperity in terms of eternity.  He gives us four paths to achieving real prosperity.

1. Trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior: Contrary to popular opinion, man is not basically good. All mankind is a sinner and cannot save himself. Now for the good news…the One God of all creation loves you so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for your sins on the cross. There is life after the grave. Everyone has an eternity. Be sure that your eternity will be spent in heaven with the Lord Jesus.

2. Pursue a life filled with worship: Psalm 63:3, 4 proclaims, “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live.” Prosperity is fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. God created you to worship Him. Ignoring God will lead only to fear, frustration, and ultimately failure. Worship is acknowledging God’s rule in the world and in your life. God is worthy of your trust and faith.

3. Grow in your understanding of God’s will: Walking in God’s will is not always easy. Often times it means swimming against the current of the culture. Yet there is no more fulfilling pursuit than knowing how God wants you to live. He wants you to live a life of thankfulness for His provisions, service in His name, and holiness in His Son.


4. Store up treasures in heaven: Adrian Rogers once said, “A rich man is poor when he has no treasure in heaven.” Storing your treasures in this world will only produce a breeding ground for worry and anxiety. Life will become an endless quest for securing everything you’ve accumulated. The best insurance is out of this world! Treasures stored in heaven are immune from moths, rust, and thieves. These treasures are the fruit that is produced as a result of continually abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ

Someone once accurately stated that eternity is only one breath away. Prosperity is knowing beyond any doubt that your sins are forgiven through the finished work of Jesus Christ and that you will serve Him now during your earthly days and live with Him for all eternity. - Words of Faith: Four proven paths to heavenly prosperity - by Brad Ferguson  

After salvation, seeking God's will should be Your highest priority.

Finding God’s Will is not about programs or methods; it is about a person.  Asking the question, "what does God want me to do", is the starting point to finding His Will for your life.

​Matthew 6:33 (HCSB) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Christians sometimes find it difficult to determine God's will for their lives in certain situations. It can be very confusing and frustrating when you can't find clear direction. It's at those times you really want to know God's will for you. It's right in front of you in His word, the Bible. ​ The Bible contains God’s “Revealed Will” and, from His “Revealed Will” we will respect His “Determined Will” and then we can discover His “Specific Will” (see my post “How can I know God's will for me?”).  In the Bible you will find principles that will help you find God's will for you.

God's will is “good, pleasing and perfect”

Romans 12:2 (HCSB)  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

God has great plans for your life

Jeremiah 29:11 (HCSB) For I know the plans I have for you”--⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration—“plans for ⌊your⌋ welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

We were created by God, in His image, for a purpose. Just as God set apart  Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Paul from birth 

Isaiah 49:1 (HCSB) Coastlands, listen to me; distant peoples, pay attention. The LORD called me before I was born. He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.

Jeremiah 1:5 (HCSB) I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Galatians 1:15 (HCSB) But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased.  

God's will, first, is that we have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ

1 Timothy 2:3-4 (HCSB) This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

God wants us to be Christ's disciples

Luke 9:23 (HCSB) Then He said to ⌊them⌋ all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Christians must be committed to following God's will daily, whatever the cost.

The Bible will help us to know God's will

Psalm 119:105 (HCSB) Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

God promises to give us wisdom if we just ask Him in prayer, believing that He will give it

James 1:5 (HCSB) Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.

Sometimes we need to just ask God to give us wisdom to discern His will.

Philippians 4:6 (HCSB) Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

God tells us that we can pray about everything.

God has given us the Holy Spirit for guidance

John 16:13 (HCSB) When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

We should listen to the advice of godly men and women that God has placed in our lives

Proverbs 12:15 (HCSB) A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

Proverbs 15:22 (HCSB) Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Many times the advice of a parent, pastor, or a spiritually mature person is just what we need to hear to help us decide what God wants us to do.

The Bible says that there is a peace that comes when we are pleasing God with our lives

Isaiah 32:17 (HCSB) The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.

When deciding between two alternatives that you have been praying about, sometimes one of the options will give you a greater peace. That option is probably God's will.

We should trust God in faith that He will accomplish His will in our lives

Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Philippians 1:6 (HCSB)  I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God has given each of us gifts and abilities to use in His service

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (HCSB)  Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person.  A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial: 

God always equips us to do what he calls us to do. If you aren't gifted in a certain area, God is probably not calling you to minister in that area.

We may get a feeling of direction from God from different sources 

 1. Prayer. In order for God to speak to us, we need to be in his presence listening for his voice. As we spend time in prayer, we may sense God's leading in our lives.

2. His word. God speaks to us through his written word as we study and meditate upon his holy scripture.

3. Circumstances. Many times God will cause doors to open, or others to close. If we are walking in obedience to him, we have to assume that events in our life are ordered by God. They don't just happen by chance. Maybe the reason why a door has opened up to us is that God wants us to go through it!

4. Our heart. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will minister to our spirit and reveal God's plan for us. We will have an assurance deep in our heart. We will feel God's voice guiding us.

5. Others. God can use other believers to bring us his direction. Sometimes we will be singing a song in church, or we will be reading a Christian book, or hear the Pastor's message, or one of our friends will say something that will show us God's will. God can reveal his direction to us through any of these five ways. But even when he does, it's sometimes difficult to discern that what we sense or feel is truly God's plan for our lives. 

God will confirm His direction the same way He revealed it to us

Initially, you get the direction from one of the five ways I mentioned above, God will confirm His plan to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  The principle is these two scriptures:

Matthew 18:16 (HCSB)  But if he won’t listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. (emphasis mine)

Deuteronomy 19:15 (HCSB)  “One witness cannot establish any wrongdoing or sin against a person, whatever that person has done. A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. (emphasis mine)

In other words: one or two more things will confirm God's direction for you. When you see this confirmation, then you will know it's time to step out in faith. 

He confirms his direction for us the same way he revealed it to us in the first place — through one of these five ways:

1. Prayer. We need to seek God in prayer. 

Luke 11:9-10 (HCSB) 9  “So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
10  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

2. His word. Sometimes while we're struggling for God's guidance, a scripture that we are reading will seem to pop out at us confirming which way God wants us to go.  I mentioned this scripture earlier in this post. 

Psalm 119:105 (HCSB)  Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

3. Circumstances. Events will sometimes indicate God's direction for us. Paul wrote about such a circumstance in his life in his letter to the church in Corinth. 

 2 Corinthians 2:12 (HCSB) When I came to Troas ⌊to preach⌋ the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. 

4. Our heart. God will sometimes speak to our heart. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would help guide us.

John 16:13 (HCSB) When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

5. Others. God will many times use others to confirm his will. Sometimes its in a song or a sermon. Sometimes a friend will speak to us and, not knowing that we are struggling with a decision and seeking God's will, will say something which will help confirm our decision for the Lord. God uses His church body to minister to one another. 

Colossians 3:16 (HCSB) Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.

As I said in my post "God Is Not Hiding His Will From You", God wants us know His will and plan for our lives. As we earnestly seek Him, we find truth in Ephesians 1:9 (HCSB) He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him 

Ask yourself these questions 

•  Are you faithfully seeking Him on a daily basis through Bible study and prayer?
  
• Are you sharing your faith? 
  
•  Are you doing your best to live apart from sin? 
  
• Are you seeking satisfaction in Christ instead of the world?
  
• Are you honestly living for him, seeking him, and doing your best to obey his commandments?
  

If you can honestly answer these questions Yes, then guess what, pinch yourself, you’re in God’s will.

In my last post, “God Is Not Hiding His Will From You”.  I wrote that if you are looking for God to help you decide should I marry this person or that person, should I buy a Honda or Tesla, should I wear the red tie or the black tie today, will I be blessed if I take this street to work today; then you are not going to get an answer.  

If you want to know God’s will for you it's right in front of you in His word, the Bible.  The Bible contains God’s “Revealed Will” and, from His “Revealed Will” we will respect His “Determined Will” and then we can discover His “Specific Will” (see my post “How can I know God's will for me?”.  In the Bible you will find principles and wisdom and clear guidance on some things that will help you make decisions that please God.  

How Do I Make Decisions that Please God

In a blog post, with the same title as this one, written in 2011 Tim Challies  gives us three questions that we should ask ourselves when making a decision that will please God.  That decision may be on accepting a new job of position, it may be deciding if and where to relocate, it may even be who to marry.   Here's some of what Tim said in that post.

QUESTION #1 - What does the Bible say about it?

That’s a rather obvious question, but it’s one we sometimes miss. What does the Bible say about it? Is there a passage in the Bible that speaks directly to this issue or is there a principle that applies to it?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (HCSB) 16  All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17  so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 (HCSB) 12  You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Notice the emphasis on seeking with all your heart. As long as you can live without knowing God’s will for your life, you will. But when you seek with all your heart, you will find it. 

Matthew 7:7 (HCSB)   “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

What you are especially looking for here is one of two things: a clear command that you must do something, or a clear command that you must not do something.

Not every question immediately yields that yes or no.  And for that reason we’ve got 2 more questions.

QUESTION #2 - What is the wisest choice? 

Or what is the choice that will be most spiritually profitable? Which one seems to offer the greatest opportunities?

Of course after thinking through the wisdom of a decision you may find that you still have questions. Maybe you look to the Bible and you pray and you talk to friends and you look for counsel from your pastors and at the end of it all it doesn’t seem like either decision would be unwise. That brings you to the final question.

QUESTION #3 - What do you want to do?

Isn’t it amazing that we get to ask this question? What do you want to do? What desires has God given you? What makes you happy? What brings you joy? What excites you? Find that thing and go do it. 

Six Secrets to Discerning God’s Guidance

The following are six secrets to discovering God’s guidance.   All of them are from Acts 11:1-18, the account of Peter’s defense of his Gentile mission.  He was called on the carpet by the elders of the church in Jerusalem for going to Caesarea and actually siting and eating with uncircumcised (Gentile) men.  The first three verses are the charges against Peter and the remaining verses are Peter’s explanation and the church’s agreement with what he did.  

Secret #1: Spend time in communion with God

Acts 11:5 (HCSB)   “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. (Emphasis mine)

Peter was taking time for prayer and meditation when God spoke to him. If we want to be in a position to hear God’s voice and receive His direction, we must spend time in prayer and meditation.   

Secret #2: Receive a personal vision from God

 Acts 11:5 (HCSB) “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me. (Emphasis mine)

I am not talking about a miraculous experience that Peter had, but the desire that God implanted in Peter’s heart. 

Psalm 37:4 (HCSB)  Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Proverbs 29:18 (HCSB)   Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instruction will be happy.

Through secrets one and two, God can give you a vision for what He wants you to do. If you use the next four secrets, you can then figure out how and when.

Secret #3: Look for opportunities given by God

Acts 11:11 (HCSB) At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were.

Secret #4: Listen to the voice of the Spirit of God

Acts 11:12 (HCSB)  Then the Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house.

I saw something on the Internet that said “When God speaks, He doesn't stutter!”

Secret #5: Seek advice from men & women of God

 Acts 11:12 (HCSB) Then the Spirit told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house. (Emphasis mine)

Proverbs 11:14 (HCSB) Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.

Proverbs 15:22 (NLT)  Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

Secret #6: Consider the testimony of the Word of God

Acts 11:16 (HCSB)   Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

These six secrets are as applicable for us today as they were for Peter.  The way God speaks is still the same.  He speaks through His Son who is in us by His Spirit.  God speaks through His Spirit through His word, the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and people.  

There is one more post in this series God’s Will.  The final post will be principles from God's Word that will help you discover God’s “Specific Will” for you.

• God has a personal word for each of us
• When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking
• When God speaks we can know what God is saying
• When God speaks that is an encounter with God
  


As we travel our journey of faith, our expectation at the end of it is that we will hear our Father say "Well done good and faithful servant".   In order to hear that we must know God's will for us and live our lives accordingly.

The Holy Spirit gives clear directives today. God is personal. He wants to be intimately involved in your life. He will give you clear guidance for living. 

However if you are looking for God to help you decide should I marry this person or that person, should I buy a Honda or Tesla, should I wear the red tie or the black tie today, will I be blessed if I take this street to work today; then you are not going to get an answer.  People who always feel the need to hear from God on every decision often live their lives in captivity to doubt and to circumstances.

Where do you start?

The place to start is to realize that the Lord has a specific and unique plan for you. He had this plan in mind before you were even born.

Psalm 139:15-16 (HCSB) 15  My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. 16  Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all ⌊my⌋ days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.

God had all of your days written out before you were born. You aren’t a mistake going somewhere to happen. You haven’t been placed on this earth by chance. Where and when you were born, the parents God gave you, your personality, and everything else about you was orchestrated by God for a specific purpose. However, since we have free will, you can’t assume that God’s will is automatically going to come to pass in your life.   

I know that sounds sacrilegious, God’s will doesn't always come to pass.    

2 Peter 3:9 (HCSB) The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

God wants everyone to come to repentance and be saved, but not everybody does or will. God also wants everyone to be healthy, but people, even Christians are still sick. God wants everyone to find and walk in the purpose He has for them, but everybody won’t.   That’s not God’s fault.

You are responsible for discovering God’s will for you

Once you realize that you are the one responsible for discovering God’s will, the next step is to start seeking it. God’s not hiding His will from you. But you’re going to have to do some seeking to find it.

Then

God spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden as he walked and talked with them.

Genesis 2:16-17 (HCSB)16  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17  but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

Genesis 3:9 (HCSB) So the LORD God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

God spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

Exodus 3:4-5 (HCSB) 4  When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered. 5  “Do not come closer,” He said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

God spoke to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream.

Daniel 4:19 (HCSB) 19  Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!

In each case God told them what he wanted and they were able to accept and do or to reject it. Adam and Eve defied God, Nebuchadnezzar ignored God, even though they knew the consequences

Jonah heard from the Lord and ran away.

Jonah 1:1-3 (HCSB) 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2  “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because their wickedness has confronted Me.” 3  However, Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the LORD’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, from the LORD’s presence.

Abraham heard from the Lord and obeyed.

Genesis 12:1-5 (HCSB) 1  The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 4  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. 5  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

Now

Today God speaks to us by His Son, through His Spirit in the Bible

Hebrews 1:1-2 (HCSB) 1  Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2  In these last days, He has spoken to us by ⌊His⌋ Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.

God does not promise that he will speak in any other way. He doesn’t promise to speak in the ways he has spoken before, or in new ways. The Bible tell us to put out a fleece, today, like Gideon.

Judges 6:36-38 (HCSB) 36  Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You said, 37  I will put a fleece of wool here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that You will deliver Israel by my strength, as You said.” 38  And that is what happened. When he got up early in the morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung dew out of it, filling a bowl with water.

The Bible doesn’t tell us to expect an audible voice, today, from the heavens; it doesn’t tell us to listen for a still, small voice today. It says that” in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son”.  God’s will for you is that you would live like a person whose life has been transformed by his power. God’s will for you is that you would be conformed to the image of His Son.

Romans 8:28-29 (HCSB) 28  We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29  For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

The Bible contains God’s “Revealed Will” and, from His “Revealed Will” we will respect His “Determined Will” and then we can discover His “Specific Will” for you. (see “How Can I Know God’s Will for Me?”) 

You will find principles and wisdom and clear guidance on how you can honor God in the Bible. He guides you and he guides us all in the same way and with the same words.  There are some things that you can do however to help you make decisions that please God and some principles that will help you discover God’s “Specific Will” for you.  I’ll give you those and some secrets to discerning God’s guidance in my next post.  Stay tuned.

 

So why do we say that Satan did this or that?  

I believe that it's because we don't want to take responsibility for our actions.  

I repeat the devil cannot make  us do anything and the Christian can't be possessed by demons! 

Demon possession  is a condition in which a demon or demons have complete control over a person. Demon possession involves demons actually inhabiting a person and controlling his or her actions. Christians cannot be demon possessed. The indwelling Holy Spirit will not allow it! 

Romans 8:9 (NKJV) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV)  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

So, the devil and his demons cannot control a believer. They cannot make us do anything involuntarily. So, rather than blame the devil, all the time, we need to look at ourselves.

People are inclined to blame the devil in order to remove their guilt, justify their actions, and ignore their responsibility and the things God wants to teach them through their suffering.  This has been true from the beginning.  

Eve blamed the serpent for her disobedience. 

Genesis 3:13 (NKJV)  And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Adam actually blamed God for giving Eve to be with him.

Genesis 3:12 (NKJV)  Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

Yes Satan instigated the temptation but Eve responded with unbelief and disobedience, and Adam failed to take his responsibility as the leader of his family.  

Let's look at what happened during the exodus when Aaron didn't take responsibility as the one Moses left in charge when he went on the mountain to receive instructions from God for the people.

These are excerpts from a sermon that I delivered nearly two years ago.  While this post has lots of information for non-Christians, I am mainly publishing it so that my Christian brothers and sisters will realize that we can't blame every unpleasant thing that happens to us on Satan or the devil.  We must start to take some responsibility for some, if not, most of those things.  You have the power to resist the devil and the bible says if you do he will flee.

James 4:7 (NKJV) 7  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The Devil made me do it


Remember Flip Wilson using that whenever he did something silly or stupid.  It was always good for a laugh.  Well many, maybe most, of us Christians have used that very statement or something like it to try and rationalize something that we did or didn’t do.  Satan  has lots of power and millions of demons but  neither he or they have the power to make you to do anything.  

The Christian is on a journey of faith and we should be living by faith not fear! 

Satan Must Have Permission to Attack You

Satan and his demons can influence you through deceit,  the world system and through unbelievers but they can't make you do anything and they can't do anything to you without God's permission unless you foolishly do those things that you know that God is commanded you not to do in His word, the bible.  

Remember Job? 

Exodus 32:22-24 (NKJV) 22  So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23  For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'24  And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out." 

Here's the point.  Regardless of the various external sources of temptation, the responsibility is ours.   Our own sinful nature or the lusts of self-centered desires of our own hearts.

James 1:14-15 (NKJV) 14  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.15  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 

It doesn't have to be this way because we already have the victory

But Glory to God We have the victory in Jesus.  He has provided everything we need to defeat sin and Satan.  

​The word of God confirms that we are victors through Christ Jesus and that we have authority over Satan and his demonic forces..

1 John 4:1-4 (NKJV) 1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4  You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 5:4-5 (NKJV) 4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 

It is true that it is through the world system and the demonic hosts which Satan controls that we are constantly faced with the power and activity of Satan in more ways than we can possibly imagine. As Paul warns, our battle is not with the flesh and blood, but with supernatural powers

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

But we have protection and a weapon.

Ephesians 6:13-17 (NKJV) 13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

I want you to pay particular attention to verse 16, " above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." 

Thats all; not some-not most-not a few-not almost all-but all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  If those darts are sickness as in the case of Job then the shield of faith will quench it; if those darts are hate or unforgiveness then the shield of faith will quench them, if those darts are temptations to lie or cheat, then the shield of faith will quench them.  The shield of faith will quench them all but it’s up to us to put up that shield and get behind it. That’s our responsibility.

Resist the devil

James 4:7 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

I don’t think that James would have said that under the direction of the Holy Spirit if it wasn't true so when we resist the devil, and I mean really resist then he will flee.  An example is when I was a child and my brother and I would get into an argument and I didn't want to be bothered with him I would go to our room and try to keep him out.  He would push on one side of the door and I would hold the door or resist his efforts to get in.  If I did it with all my strength he would give up and leave but if I didn't he would push his way in.  So we have to resist with all of our might knowing that our strength comes from the Lord so we are more than able to resist. Remember greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world?

Much of our suffering is the direct result of our own self-induced misery, sometimes  as a product of our ignorance, or unbelief, or indifference, or a combination of  them. So Scripture tells us to resist the devil and he will flee from us, to put  on the whole armor of God, to be controlled by means of the Spirit, to have Word-filled lives, to walk circumspectly and in wisdom, and to be on alert because of the activity of Satan who is constantly on the prowl.

There are a couple things we should not assume

(1) That everything evil that happens to us is the result of direct Satanic attack.
Though he is indirectly involved, some of what happens is simply the result of life in a fallen world. For instance, take cancer and other degenerative diseases; probably more than anything else these are the result of Satan’s involvement through a world merchandising system that has promoted an unhealthy diet (highly-processed foods, foods that have lost much of their food value due to depleted soils, pesticides, preservatives, chemicals, high fat and sugar diets, etc.).

(2) But at the same time We should not assume that all our suffering is the product of our own sin or indifference to the Lord. There are many reasons for suffering. 
Job was a righteous man who walked with God, yet for His own purposes and for Job’s spiritual growth (all testing is ultimately designed for our growth), God allowed Satan to attack him.

Paul too was a godly, spirit-filled man, yet he experienced a thorn in the flesh which he defined as a messenger of Satan. It was an affliction God used as a tool in Paul’s life to teach him some important spiritual lesson. 

2 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

The Lord healed all kinds of illness, but a careful study of the NT shows us that only a small portion of these illnesses were actually attributed to Satan or demonic causes. 

John 9:1-3 (NKJV) 1  Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

Don't give Satan any undeserved power

While we need to acknowledge Satan’s constant activity, his ways, and we need to be on alert, our primary focus should be, not on Satan, but on the Lord and our responsibility to grow in Christ. It is often a cop out, for us to blame the devil when what's needed is an honest personal examination and confession. 

As Christians, whenever we blame Satan for our sins, we’re empowering him while ignoring Christ. When we do this we buy into the lie that Satan can bypass and overcome God’s redemptive grace in our lives and the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection.

We need to realize that God has delivered us and accept the freedom He’s given us through Jesus' death on the cross. By admitting that Jesus’ sacrifice has real consequences relating to our current lives, our entire perspective changes, and we become fearless instead of fearful, hopeful instead of hopeless, and bold instead of timid.

I like the way that Charles Spurgeon put it in one of his devotions.

Satan may plot to enslave us, but if the Lord be on our side, whom shall we fear? The world, with its temptations, may seek to ensnare us, but mightier is He who is for us than all they who be against us. The machinations of our own deceitful hearts may harass and annoy us, but He who hath begun the good work in us will carry it on and perfect it to the end. The foes of God and the enemies of man may gather their hosts together, and come with concentrated fury against us, but if God acquitteth, who is he that condemneth?

Editor's Note:  On March 4th 2015 I wrote and published this blog post, and I’ve re-posted  the link to it several times , over the past two years, on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  When I last posted the link, on September 1, 2017, I got comments from the Google+ and LinkedIn postings  disagreeing, often quire forcefully, with my assertion  that believers don’t have the power or authority to rebuke Satan. After reading and re-reading these comments the Holy Spirit prompted me to take another look at what I wrote when I first published this post. 

The first thing that I did was to look at the definition of rebuke which is; to express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions. Given that definition, yes believers do have the authority and the power to rebuke Satan.  We rebuke Satan just as Jesus did using the word of God, and once we do that he flees, but just for a while.  

Matthew 4:10-11 (NKJV)10  Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "11  Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. 

Satan did flee from Jesus at the Word of God, but just as with us, he didn’t go away forever.  

Luke 4:13 (ASV)  And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season.  

He came back at Jesus through Peter;

Matthew 16:23 (NKJV)  But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 

I was wrong in the original post when I indicated that the believer couldn’t rebuke Satan or evil spirits.   We can rebuke and resist with the sword of the Spirit the Word of God.  

Ephesians 6:17 (NKJV)  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 

I ask that God and you forgive me for this egregious error, and any confusion that it caused.   All believers do have the power,  and authority to rebuke Satan using the Word of God and, when  Satan is rebuked with the Word he does flee.  

This post was modified September 11, 2017 to correct my misinterpretation of Scripture. 

​“Satan I bind you." “Satan I rebuke you.” “Satan I cast you into the pit of hell.”   These are all things we hear believers say, sometimes in prayer, other times in response to things happening to them or to others.  I’ve said these things many times myself. 

But do we as believers really have the power to bind and rebuke Satan?  I know we say scripture backs us up but does it?  I’ve often wondered about this because I know that Satan is a created being and can only be in one place at a time so it doesn’t make sense that he is attacking thousands maybe millions of believers at the same time.  Yes, he does have thousand maybe millions of demons at his command but he can only be in one place.  If we are calling his demons Satan then binding and rebuking him, or so we think, makes sense.  But again the question do we have that power and authority?

Disclaimer

Like my post on healing I need to make a disclaimer.  I know that Satan exists and that he wants to steal, kill, and destroy and that Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

I do believe that Jesus has already defeated Satan but has not bound him yet.  The Scripture tells us that he will not be bound until the end of the age.  

Revelation 20:1-3 , 7-10(NKJV) 1  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.2  He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;3  and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.  7  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison8  and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.9  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.10  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 

​He is still able to roam and wreck havoc especially with the unbeliever.  However the believer can resist, defend and rebuke themselves with the Word of God.   

I do believe that Jesus has given us authority to rebuke, withstand or resist Satan, but ony when we use the Word of God.   We don't have the authority or power to rebuke Satan or evil forces on our in our own power or authority.   So please don’t think that I don’t believe that Satan exists or that he has great power and please don’t think that I don’t know that Jesus has given us great authority.  I’m just not sure that we can use scripture to do anything to Satan but rebuke and resist him.

James 4:7 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The question remains, “Can we bind and rebuke Satan”?

How Do We Rebuke Satan?

We rebuke Satan the same way that Jesus did with the Word of God.   We can rebuke him by using the words that appear in Scripture "The Lord rebuke you".   When we do this it is actually the Lord and His Word that is rebuking Satan.

Zechariah 3:2 (NKJV) And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"

The angel Michael, who in the book of Daniel is presented as a very powerful angel (Daniel 10:13, 21 12:1) he, when resisting evil forces did not say I rebuke you he says "The Lord rebuke you!" 

Jude 1:9 (NKJV) Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

It is not necessary for a Christian to rebuke Satan because God has given us His full armor to stand against evil
 
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NKJV) 10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

The most effective weapons we have against the devil are our faith, wisdom, and knowledge about God and His Word. Christ, when tempted by Satan, answered him with Scripture.

 Matthew 4:1-4 (NKJV) 1  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2  And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3  Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "

To gain victory in spiritual matters, we must maintain a clear conscience and have control over our thoughts. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"

 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV) 3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/authority-rebuke-devil.html#ixzz3TT6OR3s1

When we believers are attacked by Satan or his demons we should focus on Jesus, not on defeating the devil because Jesus has already done that. 

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV) 14  Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,15  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We Can Rebuke Satan But We Can't Bind Him

Jesus with all His power and authority certainly can bind Satan but He has not done that yet.  Scripture says that he will not be stopped, or bound, until he's thrown into the lake of fire and that won't happen until the end of the age.  God has chosen, in His patience, to not end this age.  He hasn't because He doesn't want any to perish.

2 Peter 3:8-10 (NKJV) 8  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  

Believers do not have that power or authority.  If we did have then there would be no more demonic strongholds remaining for so many people.  We can pull down strongholds but not destroy them.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NKJV) 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6  and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 

There are only a couple of places in the bible that reference Satan being bound.  The first is the account in Matthew and Mark where Jesus in response to the Pharisees who said that He casts out demons by Beelzebub prince of devils.  He responds by saying that He has bound Beelzebub.  Here He is obviously referring to Himself, not His followers.

Matthew 12:25-29 (NKJV) 25  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29  Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

The other reference to binding is in the book of Revelation where an angel binds Satan (the dragon).

Revelation 20:1-3 (NKJV) 1  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2  He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3  and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

After this Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and will no longer be able to harass the children of God. 

Revelation 20:7-10 (NKJV) 7  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison8  and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.9  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.10  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.