We have nothing to fear from the devil. His temptations are not too powerful for us. The barbs of doubt and fear and worry and envy and lust that he throws our way can be readily dealt with.
Temptation becomes something to be dismissed, not something to be feared. It is easy for us to see ourselves as weak in the face of it, but to live in the image of God means to live with a sense of mastery over it.
When we are tempted, we can handle it.
Once I had to deal with a girl who was apparently demonised. I began to build her up on selected Biblical passages that talk about the believer’s victory in Christ. As we did so, her faith began to rise. We didn’t pray at all, as it happened.
I did not see her again. But I learned later that as she continued to study the Word her problem disappeared. She no longer felt oppressed and tormented, and began to live a normal life.
I don’t even know if she had actually been demonised. But she had certainly been full of fear and she certainly did not believe she could exercise mastery over evil spirits. When she did start to believe the Word of God, she was free.
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.