Most kids are obsessed with superheroes. Heck, a lot of adults are obsessed with superheroes. Batman. Superman. Spiderman. Iron Man. Captain America. Hulk. Indiana Jones. Wait a minute. Indiana Jones? Yep.
About twenty years ago while visiting Florida my roommate (at the time), Dave, and I stood in a long line at Walt Disney World’s epic Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular with our boss’ three year-old boy, Sumner. We couldn’t help but smile at the thought of how Sumner was going to react when he saw his hero, Indiana Jones!
The moment we were waiting for finally came. We rushed in, grabbed our seats, and the show began. Sumner was on cloud nine to say the least. Then something special happened. Indiana Jones asked for a volunteer from the packed-out audience and to our pleasant surprise, Dave was chosen. He reacted as though his name had just been called during the First Round on NFL Draft Day. As he strutted up to Indiana Jones it was obvious Sumner was about to lose his mind. He looked at me with what I believed to be the world’s largest smile and screamed, “Chuck! Look, Dave gets to meet Indiana Jones!” I don’t remember much after that other than Sumner had the time of his three year-old life.
We went straight from Indiana Jones to ride the popular Tower of Terror. Sumner was too young to ride so I volunteered to hang with him while Dave went on the ride by himself. Sumner and I found a concrete bench and talked about what we had just experienced at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Actually, he talked and I listened as he was in full-on chatterbox mode. He talked my leg off while swinging his short legs back and forth rapidly. The more excited he got the faster he talked, and the faster he talked the faster his little legs went. He rocked back and forth so fast that he launched himself from the bench, like a cannon ball, and landed with both exposed knees on the concrete! Uh-oh.
“Do something quick, Chuck!” I thought to myself because I was convinced he was about to start screaming louder than Seahawks fans at the end of this year’s Super Bowl. I grabbed him, scooped him up, looked into his tear-filled eyes and said confidently, “Man, Sumner! You’re as tough as Indiana Jones!” He pushed back the tears, swallowed his cry in one giant gulp, stared deep into my eyes, and with clenched teeth he said, “TOUGHER.”
“…we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” —Romans 8:37
5 Reasons You’re Tougher Than The Devil
1. You’re Connected to Christ
The devil is the father of this world (John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 4:4) but greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
2. You’re Empowered by Christ
Not only has Jesus given us authority to cast out demons (Matthew 10:1, Mark 16:17) but the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside you (Romans 8:11)!
3. Jesus Already Defeated Him
The devil was defeated the day he got kicked out of heaven (Luke 10:18), but it’s the blood of JESUS that ultimately gave us power over him (Revelation 12:11). Satan thought he won when Jesus was crucified, but what he didn’t realize was the fact that he didn’t kill Christ. Rather, Jesus willingly laid down His life for us, and of course, raised Himself from the dead. Resurrection = “game over” for satan and victory for us!
4. He Knows Where He’s Going
Hell was created for the devil and his demons; not people. The devil knows this, so until the day comes when he is finally cast into the “Lake of Fire” forever, he is going to try to take as many people with him as possible because he knows his time is short (Revelation 12:7-12).
5. He Knows He Can’t Stop You
James, the brother of Jesus, declares if we resist the devil, he has to flee (James 4:7). How do we resist him? Follow the example of Jesus and speak the Word (Matthew 4:1-11).
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. —Matthew 16:18 #TougherThanHell
Why is it important to know who we are in Christ?
Awesome! Love the “Sumner Story!” [TOUGHER]