Book Review on Tim Keller’s The Great Enemy

Book Review: “Satan is No Match for Jesus” by David P. Craig

In this sixth essay on significant encounters with Jesus from the New Testament Tim Keller addresses Jesus’ baptism and subsequent temptation by Satan in the desert as depicted by the Gospel of Matthew in chapters 3 and 4.

Keller goes on to dispel the notion that if we do things God’s way that we will protect us from the evil one. The reality is that no one was more obedient to God the Father than was Jesus, and yet His life was one of constant battling with the evil one. As Jesus had to battle the enemy, so must we.

Tim answers three crucial questions in relationship to our own warfare with Satan: (1) Who is Satan? (2) Where  and how does the enemy fight us? and (3) What is our best defense against the wiles of Satan? He then goes on to demonstrate the erroneous views of Satan in our day namely: monism and dualism. We either have a tendency to underestimate or overestimate the power of Satan over us.

Ultimately our best defense against the enemy is in our knowledge and application of the truth. Jesus knew and used the Word mightily in His battle with the enemy and so must we if we expect to stand in the day of temptation. The most important reality we have in the battle with the enemy isn’t just the Word on paper, but the Word Incarnate.

Keller writes, “We don’t simply have a Book, as perfect as it is–we have Jesus himself, who has been through fiery trials so intense that we can’t imagine them. And he has done it all for us. Now, strengthened with his deep empathy and tender power, we can come through it all at his side.

In this short essay Keller provides encouragement and steps for victory in the battle with Satan as we seek to live our lives in, through, and for the Lord Jesus Christ. We can have no fear of the enemy because Jesus has already won the battle, and will lead us on to victory in the end.