“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
I have been naive, many times. Spiritual battle – what spiritual battle?!
But we are instructed to be on guard. To be mindful that the enemy of our souls roams. Obsessing over Satan isn’t productive – but as followers of Christ it pays to be savvy and aware, lest we be caught unawares.
Charles Baudelaire said: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.”
When we are ‘in the dark’, spiritually speaking, we are not in a stance of active resistance. But we are told to resist. We are told to stand firm in our faith, putting on the full armour of God…
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18)
We are far from alone in this battle. And Jesus has already won it, through his resurrection from the dead. Satan is but a toothless lion until Jesus returns once and for all. He can scare, but Jesus has the final authority. Resist the devil because he must flee. And don’t ever give him more credit than he deserves.
It's a God thing... 
Amen! Well stated…
Thank you! 🙂
I had a woman in a previous church tell me that she’d made a bargain with the devil: If he’d leave her alone, she’d leave him alone. I told her that the only reason he’d leave her alone is because he already had her a captive. She left my church.
Wow… that’s an interesting ‘bargain’ on her part. And I do see your point (though can understand why she might take offense too :-)). There is the theory that people really growing in God tend to experience greater spiritual resistance.
You can’t make a bargain with the father of all lies. Whatever agreement you think you’ve made with him, Satan is wholly untrustworthy and unfaithful. His only goal is to kill, to steal, and to destroy.
Great post, by the way!
Amen to that! So thankful for Jesus, who rescues us from the darkness, and any ‘agreements’ we may have made in the past.
Thanks Richard!
ORT-ORT-ORT-ORT-ORT-ORT!!! I must be geting tired…forgot how to do the “Seal of Approval”!!! 🙂 Check out my poem, COLLECTING BIBLES…What do you think?
Ha ha, thanks for the laugh 🙂 And the re-blog! Will do.
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RIGHT ON, SISTER IN CHRIST!!!!!!
Love the Charles Baudelaire quote. It is so easy to slip into complacency, but you are so right- we have to keep our guard up. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
The quote’s good isn’t it? Yes. Praying that we’d be reminded of the battle, but also know that Jesus conquers all, and goes before us. Have a great day Janna 🙂
I am strengthened by the reminder that we are not alone in our battles and struggles…
I’m glad Patty. You are certainly not alone. We all struggle, but God is mighty to save, and far, far more powerful than the enemy that likes to wage war against us. Blessings in Christ Jesus,
Ali
So true – amen!
Michael and I talked about this yesterday. There’s a neat analogy about having two dogs (the Spirit and the Flesh). The one you feed gets bigger. I told him how when I start to feel the lousiest and start behaving bad I look at who I’ve been feeding the most. Sometimes I have to take breaks from movies etc to get back on track. You’re right….it’s easy to forget it’s a battle. Often I feel like my issues are just that…my issues. I don’t always see the enemy working against me. I just think I need to get myself straight. Thanks for reminding us that it really is a battle with a real enemy. God bless!
That’s a great analogy Amber, thanks so much for encouraging me with it. I’ve been struggling this week, and I can see how ‘feeding the Flesh’ might leave a door open for the enemy. It’s just good to be aware, isn’t it, that Satan often hits our weak spots – but our God is WAY more powerful and can set us free from the bondage we often find ourselves in. Be blessed as you rest in Him and His grace this week Amber and Michael and your family.
Thank you dear sister and the same to you! 🙂
Love this reminder – thank you x
I’m glad – thank you 🙂
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