Let me read Colossians 1:13 to you from the King James Bible:

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

You’ve Been Rescued

Here’s the thing about this verse: God didn’t just forgive us (people who are saved by the Blood of Jesus). He actually moved us from one kingdom to another. Think of it like a prisoner of war being rescued and brought home.

You’re not just visiting God’s kingdom – you’ve been translated there permanently.

Two Kingdoms, Two Powers

The “power of darkness” isn’t just a figure of speech. It’s real spiritual power ruled by Satan. Before a Christian “came to Jesus”, “surrendered to Jesus a the Lord of their life”, that was home. Born under the control and authority of that dark power, separated from God.

But through Jesus’ blood, God actually pulled us out from under that power. He didn’t leave us wandering between kingdoms. He translated us directly into His dear Son’s kingdom.

What This Means for Daily Life

This translation already happened. It’s past tense – “hath delivered” and “hath translated.” When a person accepts Jesus, they switch kingdoms that very moment.

So when darkness tries to exert power over you, you can remind yourself: “I’ve been translated. That power has no authority over me anymore.” You have a new King now – Jesus Christ. His authority over your life is absolute.

The power of darkness has no legal claim on us anymore. Zero. We have been delivered from its grip.

However, it’s absolutely vital that we know, acknowledge, and remember at all times that satan no longer has a LEGAL claim to “real” Christians. And that’s something we will talk about a little farther down this post.

Living in Your New Kingdom

Here’s what my life is about as a citizen of The Kingdom of God: if I’ve been translated into Jesus’ kingdom, I need to start living like a kingdom citizen. That means learning how my new King operates. It means discovering what authority and power I have access to as His subject.

Christians should not be waiting to enter the kingdom when they die. Were in it right now. Jesus is our King today, this moment.

That changes everything about how we face your day.

The Power Satan Has Over Non-Believers

Satan has real power over people who haven’t accepted Jesus Christ. This isn’t just words to say. This is actual spiritual authority.

Satan’s Legal Authority

Look at what Jesus called Satan in John 14:30: “the prince of this world.” Not a prince. THE prince.

He holds actual ruling authority in this world system.

Paul confirms this in 2 Corinthians 4:4: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.”

Satan is called “the god of this world.” That’s a title of power and authority.

When you’re outside of Christ, you’re under Satan’s dominion by default. You were born into it. It’s not about how good or bad you are. It’s about which kingdom you belong to.

What This Power Looks Like

Satan’s power over non-believers shows up in specific ways. He blinds their minds so they can’t see the truth of the gospel. Even when you share Jesus with someone, they literally can’t comprehend it because spiritual blindness is blocking them.

He also holds people in bondage.

Ephesians 2:2 says non-believers walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”

Satan is actively working in people who don’t know Jesus.

This doesn’t mean every non-believer is demon-possessed or evil. It means they’re living under Satan’s system of authority without even realizing it.

The Deception Factor

Satan’s greatest weapon is deception. He makes people think they’re free when they’re actually enslaved. He convinces them that his kingdom is normal, that darkness is just how life works.

2 Timothy 2:26 talks about people “taken captive by him at his will.”

That’s not free will. That’s captivity disguised as freedom.

Why This Matters to You

Understanding Satan’s power over non-believers changes how you pray for lost people.

You’re not just convincing someone to make a better choice. You’re asking God to break real spiritual power that’s holding them captive.

It also helps you understand why some people react so strongly against Jesus. They’re not just disagreeing with an idea.

There’s a spiritual power actively working to keep them in darkness.

When you share the gospel, you’re offering the only escape route from Satan’s power. Jesus is the only one who can deliver someone from that kingdom and translate them into His own.

That’s why the gospel is so urgent. It’s literally a rescue mission.

Can Satan Still Hold Power Over Believers?

This must be a vital question to every Christian because it affects how you live every single day:

Can Satan still exercise power over me as a believer?

The Legal Authority Is Broken

Here’s what I know from Colossians 1:13: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

That word “delivered” is past tense. When you accepted Jesus, God broke Satan’s legal authority over you. You’ve been translated out of his kingdom.

Satan is no longer your ruler.

He can’t own you anymore. He can’t claim you. The power he held over you as a non-believer is gone.

But Here’s Where It Gets Tricky

Just because Satan lost his legal authority over you doesn’t mean he stops trying to influence you. He’s like an evicted tenant who keeps showing up at the house pretending he still lives there.

Look at 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Peter wrote this to believers. Satan is still seeking to devour Christians.

The Difference Between Authority and Influence

There’s a huge difference between having power over someone and having influence on someone.

Satan lost his power over you, but he can still influence you if you let him.

Think of it this way: Satan can not force you to do anything anymore. But he can still tempt you, lie to you, and deceive you. He works through your flesh, your emotions, and your circumstances.

Ephesians 4:27 warns believers: “Neither give place to the devil.”

You can actually give Satan a foothold in your life through unconfessed sin, unforgiveness, or believing his lies.

That’s not him having legal power – that’s you opening a door he shouldn’t have access to.

Where Believers Get Trapped

Some believers live like they’re still under Satan’s power because they don’t know they’ve been delivered. They let him boss them around even though he has no legal right to do it.

It’s like you’ve been freed from prison, but you keep going back and sitting in your old cell because it’s familiar.

Satan will absolutely take advantage of your ignorance.

2 Corinthians 2:11 says we shouldn’t be “ignorant of his devices.”

Satan has strategies, and one of his best strategies against believers is making them forget they’ve been translated into a new kingdom.

Your Position vs. Your Experience

Your position in Christ is secure. You belong to Jesus’ kingdom. Satan’s power over you is broken.

But your daily experience can feel very different if you’re not living in that truth. If you’re constantly giving place to the devil through sin, fear, or agreeing with his lies, you’ll experience bondage even though you’re legally free.

James 4:7 gives you the solution: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

You have authority to resist him now. He has to flee when you stand your ground in Jesus’ name.

What This Means for Your Walk

I need to remember this: Satan can’t have power over me unless I give it to him. He’s a trespasser now, not a landlord.

But I have to actively enforce my freedom in Christ.

When Satan whispers lies, you remind yourself whose kingdom you’re in.

When he tries to make you feel powerless, you remember you’ve been delivered from his power.

When he suggests you’re still his, you declare you’ve been translated.

You’re in Jesus’ kingdom now. That’s your reality. Live like it.

How You Can Avoid Being Fooled By Satan

Satan is a deceiver. That’s his primary weapon against you as a believer. Since he can’t own you anymore, he’ll try to fool you instead. Here’s how to protect yourself from his lies.

Know That Deception Is His Main Strategy

2 Corinthians 11:3 warns:

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Satan beguiled Eve. He twisted God’s words just enough to make her doubt. He’s still using that same playbook on you today.

The scary part? His deception is subtle. He doesn’t show up with horns and a pitchfork announcing he’s here to destroy you.

He shows up as an angel of light, making wrong things seem right and right things seem extreme.

Stay in the Word Daily

Your first line of defense is knowing what God actually said. (That’s not what somebody said on facebook!)

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus responded every single time with “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11).

You can’t recognize a counterfeit if you don’t know what the real thing looks like.

Satan will twist Scripture, take verses out of context, and mix truth with lies. If you’re not reading your Bible daily, you’re vulnerable. (I’m not talking about reading what people are posting on facebook, I’m talking about actually reading a bible.)

Psalm 119:11 says: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

When God’s word is hidden in your heart, Satan’s lies get exposed immediately.

Test Everything Against Scripture

1 John 4:1 commands: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Don’t believe something just because it sounds spiritual or makes you feel good. Test it against Scripture. Does this align with what God’s word actually says? If it contradicts the Bible, reject it no matter how appealing it seems.

Satan loves to work through feelings and experiences. “God told me…” can be a dangerous phrase if what you think God told you contradicts His written word.

The Holy Spirit will never lead you against Scripture.

Recognize Satan’s Common Lies

Satan uses the same basic lies over and over. Here are some I need to watch for:

“Did God really say that?” – He makes you doubt God’s word (Genesis 3:1).

“You’re not really forgiven” – He accuses you even though Colossians 2:13-14) says your sins are forgiven and the record is blotted out.

“God is holding out on you” – He makes you think God’s restrictions are unfair instead of protective.

“You’re too far gone” – He convinces you that you’ve sinned beyond redemption even though 1 John 1:9) promises cleansing.

“Everyone else is doing it” – He normalizes sin by making you focus on others instead of God’s standard.

When you recognize these patterns, you can shut them down immediately.

Put on the Whole Armor of God

Ephesians 6:11 says: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Notice it says “wiles” – that means cunning schemes and deceptive tricks. Your armor includes truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is God’s word (Ephesians 6:14-17).

You put this armor on daily by declaring truth, living righteously, standing on God’s promises, and wielding Scripture against lies.

Stay Alert and Sober-Minded

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV): “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Being sober-minded means thinking clearly, not being controlled by emotions or impulses. Being vigilant means paying attention to what’s influencing your thoughts.

Ask yourself: Where is this thought coming from? Does it line up with God’s word? Is it driving me toward Jesus or away from Him?

Don’t Give Place to the Devil

Ephesians 4:27 warns: “Neither give place to the devil.”

You give Satan a foothold through unconfessed sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, and believing his lies. The longer you let these things sit in your life, the stronger his influence becomes.

James 4:7 gives the solution: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When you submit to God and actively resist Satan’s lies with truth, he has to leave.

Fellowship With Other Believers

Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Isolated believers are easy targets. When you’re in fellowship with other Christians, you have accountability, encouragement, and people who can help you spot deception you might miss on your own.

Pray for Discernment

Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment. James 1:5 promises: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

The Holy Spirit lives in you to guide you into all truth (John 16:13). Learn to recognize His voice versus the enemy’s voice versus your own thoughts.

What I’m Working On

I’m learning that avoiding Satan’s deception isn’t passive. It requires active engagement with God’s word, constant vigilance, and intentional resistance.

Satan is counting on you being lazy, distracted, or too busy to stay grounded in truth. He wants you ignorant of Scripture so his lies sound believable.

But you have everything you need to stand firm. The Holy Spirit, God’s word, prayer, fellowship, and the authority of Jesus’ name are all available to you right now.

Stay alert. Stay in the word. Test everything. And when you recognize Satan’s lies, shut them down immediately with truth.

You’ve been delivered from his power. Don’t let him fool you into living like you’re still trapped.