In case you did not know it, my friend, you are in a war. We might feel like we have many enemies in the form of people with different views, morals, friends that have wronged us, and even family members who have hurt us. That is just a distraction from the one real enemy. Every act of injustice, jealousy, envy, greed, malice, pride, slander, false testimony, fear, violence, war, etc. comes from one source. Satan. He is behind every act of evil, decay, and destruction.
Jesus did not address or became angry with his friend and disciple Peter. He acknowledged Satan as the real enemy when He rebuked Satan in this conversation below.
“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Matthew 16:21-23 ESV
Paul reminds us that our struggle as Christians is not against people but against Satan and his principalities. We are in a war between light and darkness, and evil and good. As children of God, we are for God and His kingdom. We stand for hope, love, peace, truth, forgiveness, justice, restoration, holiness, humility, servant hood, and the glory of God. Therefore, we are automatically against Satan and his agenda. We are Satan’s enemies.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.”
Ephesians 6:12 AMP
Therefore, we need to have the right perspective so we can win every battle. Identify, know and fight the real enemy. Know his strategies, tactics, and agenda. Most importantly, we need to know The Lord Who is fighting by our side, what His agenda is, and how we can fight effectively with Him. There is an end goal to our fight against Satan. To share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to win souls for God, and to proclaim His glory all over the earth.
Satan always has the same agenda: to keep you away from God and draw you into actions that will destroy you and lead to death. He always lies because he is the father of lies. He will try and lie, oppress, accuse, tempt or seduce you with carnal desires of power and pride to lead you into sin, because sin separates you from God. Satan is referred to in Scripture as the enemy, tempter, or the accuser.
“…He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.”
John 8:44 AMPb
“For this reason, when I could no longer endure the suspense, I sent someone to find out about your faith [how you were holding up under pressure], for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our work [among you] would prove to be ineffective.”
1 Thessalonians 3:5 AMP
“And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].”
Ephesians 4:27 AMP
But, we have great news! God did not leave us helpless in this war or struggle. He sent Jesus Christ our Champion, Who defeated Satan and death through His death, burial, and resurrection. He finished it once and for all. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are transformed into a new creation and have everlasting life. We can never be separated from God but can boldly approach His throne in relationship. We can never die but will live with God through all of eternity.
“Then Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were his!”
Colossians 2:15 TPT
“…The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”
1 John 3:8b AMP
“Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil— and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives.”
Hebrews 2:14-15 AMP
“Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us.”
Romans 8:33-34 AMP
Jesus Christ disarmed Satan and his army. Disarm means to take away someone’s weapons. Satan thought he won when Jesus died. But, Jesus made him and his demons powerless. Death could never prevail again. Every person now has access to God the Father and eternity with Him through Jesus Christ.
This truth does not mean that the devil will cease trying to tempt, accuse, or oppose us. It just means that he cannot succeed in his original plan to separate us from God. His attempts are trivial because of the victory we have through Jesus Christ. Weapons may be formed, but we have the promise that they will not prosper or prevail.
“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:17 AMP
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18 ESV
We need to stay aware and be vigilant. We need to remain faithful in Christ and our calling of spreading the truth and Gospel. Satan will strike at those who are unfaithful, vulnerable because of isolation from fellow-believers, those that compromise and those that choose to follow their fleshly desires. These actions exposes them to attacks and makes them easy targets.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8 ESV
But if we remain focused on following Christ, we are a threat to the enemy, and he cannot harm us. Paul writes in Ephesians 6 that the enemy has schemes, strategies, and deceits. But Scripture also says that we were given authority, the armor of God, and divinely powerful weapons to effectively withstand him.
Stand strong in the Lord, my friend. Should wave upon wave of attacks come your way, remember who the real enemy is. As a Christian, you are a child of God and victorious because of Jesus Christ. Nothing the enemy tries can harm you because death is powerless and forever defeated. Should we then be afraid of death? Never. Because as Paul said it best: To live, is Christ, and to die is gain.
Stay resolute my friend.
Talita
RESOLUTE WOMAN 