We Have an Enemy

You are not alone in the battle. The inflictions you are experiencing may not involve the same type of persecution Peter’s audience was facing, but your struggle is not an anomaly in the war against God’s children. Satan’s tactics are predictable, even if surprising. He is prowling, but you can resist him. Did you hear that? You can resist the devil. So lift that shield of faith, warrior, and push back with the mighty power your God has given you. Remember Gideon. God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control. You are not alone, soldier, you stand among fellow warriors; so, stand firm.

For those of us who are still part of the workforce, Sunday can be a reminder that the “M” day is coming and with it another busy work week. The devil once held his sway over us by dangling the fear of death and the unknown over our heads like that feeling that Sunday would soon be over and the reality of Monday would soon be knocking on our doors. We were slaves to that fear, but praise God! Jesus has broken the power of death by his death, and we are no longer slaves, but sons and daughters adopted into freedom. Death no longer looms over us like an encroaching Monday. Soon the trumpet call of God shall drown out the devil’s whispers and the dead in Christ shall rise. Retirement is on its way!

What pushes your buttons? What causes that not-so-good thing to rise up in you and spill and spew like the contents of an uncovered blender running at full speed? For some of us, anger erupts like a volcano, spreading its toxic words and heated emotions to unfortunate bystanders. We’ve all seen ourselves react in less-than-godly ways. The devil is the chief button-pusher, making the most of any opportunity we’ll give him. So what are we to do? Remove the buttons. Or, should I say, ask the Lord to sanctify those places in our soul that are still easily stirred; to remove every point of vulnerability the devil would take advantage of. May the Lord’s peace guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as you walk through that process.

What should our response be to the wicked wordsmith’s verbal attacks? Our enemy desires to steal our peace and shake our sure footing. He wants us distracted. But we are citizens of Jerusalem, the city of peace; and we must yield no ground to his accusations. This is our stance. The truth is, we are cleared of all guilt and freed from any condemnation. The word-hurler’s allegations have no place in heaven’s courtroom; don’t even engage his insinuations. From that place of peace, let your response to his taunts be as Nehemiah’s reply to his opposers, “You have no share, you have no right, you have no claim. In the name of the King, you go now.”

Keep your eyes open, there are many opportunities in your day to pray — there are many souls in many situations who could use more than a clever commentary or an elevated opinion. Words may not always be helpful, but prayer brings results. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for your family, pray for your pastor, pray for his family. Pray for yourself. Prayer is a powerful weapon that transcends the audible and seeable, expressing the heart and moving the heavens. Daniel prayed and angels were deployed. Prayer is powerful and Satan hates it. Every word of prayer you utter is worth the struggle to utter it. Don’t give up; the opposition you face would love nothing more. Like the widow who barraged the unjust judge with her requests, let your constant knocking be heard on heaven’s door and then watch it open.