Don't Give the Devil a Foothold
Some of you may remember the game Risk, published by Hasbro. You may still play it today, as it remains available for purchase. The concept was put forth by French filmmaker, Albert Lamorisse, in 1957, and it rapidly became one of the most popular board games ever published, paving the way for newer games like Axis & Allies, and Settlers of Catan.
The Risk board is a map of the world divided into 42 territories on six continents. Through strategic decisions and rolls of the dice, players attempt to seize territories from opposing players, eventually eliminating them, leaving themselves the last player standing, having occupied the entire map.
Territories
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
– Ephesians 4:26-27, NIV-1978
In the verse above, my interest is in the word “foothold.” We are not to allow the devil to get a foothold. It brings to mind those among us who are skilled enough to engage dangerous rock climbs. They attentively scan the surface for select handholds and footholds as they scale the rock face. That’s cool, but it’s not what this verse is talking about.
The word translated as foothold, or opportunity, is τόπος (topos). It is more literally translated “a place.” It is an area set aside for dwelling or habitation, “any portion of space marked off, as it were, from surrounding space.”1
Topos is a term used to describe marking off the borders of a city, or a village. They live in their topos, and we live in ours. When we refuse to yield to the Spirit, giving way to greed, uncleanness, lies, and hard hearts, we are setting up a topos, a place of residence within ourselves, and we are allowing the devil to live in that space. That is his topos, and with strategic rolls of the dice, he gains increasingly greater territory within us.
Don’t give the devil that territory, that topos.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
– 1 Peter 2:9, ESV
Flip the Script
What if we flip the script? What if, instead of giving the devil a topos within us, we claim territory in his realm? We have been called out of darkness into light. With that light, and as lights, we are taking territory from the evil one.
While we are not to grant Satan a territory within us, we exist, for now, in his domain.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
– 1 John 5:19, ESV
Yes, the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,2 but it is also true that darkness moves over the surface of the earth, pushed and spread by the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience3 as they stumble step by step in thick darkness.
While we see that darkness, and we find it distasteful and an affront to God, we do not fear the darkness. Rather we bring light to that darkness. Light always overcomes darkness, every time. We can cram as much darkness as possible into a given space. But let even the faintest light enter that space, and the darkness cannot quench it. Darkness is effective only when the light departs.
A New Essence
…for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
– Ephesians 5:8, NASB
It is one thing to say, “I was in darkness,” and quite another to say, “I was darkness.” But that’s what Paul said when writing to the church at Ephesus. There’s just something icky and dirty about saying I was darkness. How beautiful and freeing, then, to say, “Now I am light in the Lord.” I am light. Christ-follower, light is your new essence. Darkness has no power over light … over you. Why wouldn’t everyone want to be light then? Why is the gate narrow and the way hard that leads to life?4 Why do few find it?4
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
– John 3:19, ESV
The Battlefield
It is critical that disciples of Christ understand the conflict between light and darkness is not happening in the space we physically inhabit. It is so easy to believe the enemy is the person standing in front of us, but that is simply not the case.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
– Ephesians 6:12, ESV
I don’t mean to downplay our struggles in this body, but rather to encourage you to understand that our battles here are completely overshadowed by the conflict happening in the heavenly realm. Yes, we struggle, and yes, there is pain, but the victory is truly already ours. We dwell here now, but through King Jesus, God has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has drawn us into the kingdom of his Son.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
– Colossians 1:13-14, ESV
1. Thayer, H. T. (1979). The New Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon. (p. 628). Lafayette IN: The Book Factory.
2. 1 Corinthians 10:26
3. Ephesians 2:2
4. Matthew 7:14
