Ancient Christian Witness

Quote:
1187 How to treat the Devil:

"Satan may be overcome by contempt, but in faith, not in presumption.
However, he is certainly not to be invited; for he is a powerful enemy, seeing
and hearing everything that lies before us and that we are now talking about.
And, God permitting, he spoils everything that is good. He does not want one
little blade of grass or little leaf to grow."

The Christian often
senses and feels the devil's murderous anger. For this reason Christ gives him
reassurances as John 14:21, says Luther in his exposition of this passage.


1188 Face Satan with the Word

"Experience is required,
gathered in many kinds of bouts and temptations, to be able to meet the devil
when he comes and enters into judgment with us, wants us pious, and on the basis
of the Law, argues with us about what it means to have done right or not. Before
an untried and inexperienced Christian has learned his lesson, the devil has so
disturbed him that he must fear and tremble and does not know which way to turn.
Therefore we must learn to cling to Christ's Word and comfort alone and to
permit the devil no argument about our own works or piety."

At the
sametime Luther advises opposing the assaults and temptations of the devil by
simply telling him: I am a christian. Such a firm confession of allegiance to
Christ is often sufficient to send the old evil foe on his way, says Luther in a
sermon of September 1, 1537, on John 1:14.

1189 Confessing Christ Often
Chases the Devil away

I have read.....that a man who could have no peace
because of the devil made the sign of the cross on his chest and said: "The Word
was made flesh," or, what amounts to the same thing; I am a Christian. Then the
devil was defeated and chased away, and the man had peace. And I believe that
this is true if the man spoke these words from a believing heart. One does not
gain much ground against the devil with a lengthy disputation but with brief
words and replies, such as: I am a Christian, of the same flesh and blood as is
my Lord Christ, the Son of God. Settle your account with Him. Then the devil
does not stay long."

Quote:
Luther practiced what he preached. He often tells
us how he spoke to the prince of darkness when the latter came to disturb him.
According to the Nachschriften of Schlaginhaufen (May 20, 1532), the Reformer
once spoke as follows concerning his method of treatment.

1191 How
Luther Handled the Devil

"When the devil comes during the night to
plaque me, I give him this answer: Devil, I must sleep now; for this is God's
command: Work during the day, sleep at night.- If he does not stop vexing me but
faces me with my sins, I reply: Dear devil, I have heard the record. But I have
committed still more sins which do not even stand in your record. Put them down,
too......If he still does not stop accusing me as a sinner, I say to him in
contempt: Holy Satan, pray for me! You never have done anything evil and alone
are holy. Go to God and acquire grace for yourself. If you want to make me
righteous, I tell you: Physician, heal yourself."

These Words have a
ring characteristic of Luther. We have some to the same effect from his own pen.
the Reformer always felt that it was best to treat the proud devil with cold
contempt. In an Easter sermon on Luke 24:36-48 he says that Christ grants or
assumes the reality of beings tht are spirits (v39) This leads him to speak of
the evil ones, the devils. He himself has observed, he says. Then he relates his
reaction.


1192 Luther treats the devil with studied contempt

"The devil has often raised a racket in the house and has tried to scare
me, but I appealed to my calling and said: I know that God has placed me into
this house to be Lord here. Now if you have a call that is stronger than mine
and are Lord here, then stay where you are. But I well know that you are not
lord here and that you belong in a different place- down in hell- and so I fell
asleep again let him be angry, for I well knew that he could do nothing to me"

11 The story which tells of Luther hurling an inkwell at the devil, who
appeared to him at Wartburg, is a legend that has caught the popular fancy. See
E.G. Schwiebert, Luther and His Times, p. 519.