By Paula Lube, Staff Writer
War, terrorism, disease, cultural depravity, inflation, addiction, family problems – if the chaos of this world seems to be ramping up and targeting the very foundations of your life and the lives of those you love, know that you are not alone! Satan’s organized attack on God targets God’s people, and yes, you may be in the crosshairs! It’s a battle you did not choose; however, ignoring it won’t make it go away.
With that in mind, I’ve assembled some biblical guidelines to help us understand our enemy and be confident in standing up and standing firm according to God’s guidance and power!
OUR ADVANTAGE
What an advantage it is to know that Satan has already been defeated! Warren Wiersbe reminds us of this very important truth in his book, The Strategy of Satan: “You are not fighting for victory, but from victory, for Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan!”
Colossians 2:14-15 speaks of this important victory: He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Yes! Jesus won. However, until He returns to establish His kingdom, there will still be battles to fight. Thankfully, He has outlined a winning strategy for each of us to follow in these
daily skirmishes.
OUR TRAINING
Like any soldier preparing for war, it is essential to become knowledgeable so you can act on that knowledge at any moment! Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Whether you knew it or not, every day since you became a Christian has been a training day for you. Maybe you’ve seen it that way, maybe not. Regardless, you can start training today in the gracious disciplines of God’s Word. This isn’t about “being a good Christian”, this is about continual spiritual renewal through your relationship with Jesus. The result will be an ever-deepening relationship with your Savior that will alert you to the schemes of the evil one by equipping you with the belt of truth. You’ll then be able to stand your ground with the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-17)! Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the transformation you receive through Christ is having your eyes opened to opportunities for sharing the Good News with those who might otherwise perish on the battlefields of life.
OUR FOCUS
Remember, God has never used a majority to accomplish His purposes. Instead, He asks us – the minority – to remember His promises and trust Him to provide. So, don’t fix your eyes on the problem, fix your eyes on God! Your focus will also be enhanced by building relationships within your church family. This is in stark contrast to the trend we’ve seen lately of people dropping out of church and Christian fellowship altogether. More than ever, we should be gathering together to comfort and spur one another on in faith!
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are (1 Peter 5:9).
Your brothers and sisters in Christ understand what it means to be in a spiritual battle, and as you share wisdom and encouragement with one another, you’ll experience more strength and joy, and less fear and discouragement.
OUR WAY FORWARD
Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10b)!
Just as Nehemiah convinced his people to stop mourning and start celebrating, we should follow suit! Afterall, we have the privilege of taking in God’s Word and His power to act upon it! This is where we find the joy that is our strength so we can confidently go forward, knowing our advantage, calling on our training, and focusing on God to help us persevere.
Of course, this calls for prayer!
. . . Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18
Here at Back to the Bible, we thank God for you and the many other believers who stand with us in our shared mission. Your prayers, feedback, and support have been very
instrumental in helping us develop spiritual fitness training that meets individuals where they are spiritually and guides them forward to becoming disciple-making disciples. We pray we have been as great a help to you as you have been to us.
May we walk in unity with our Savior in the lead, and may we stand up and stand firm!
PS: Be sure to check out all of the great Bible teaching content at www.backtothebible.org or, from your mobile device, click this link GOtandem from the App Store or Google Play and download our Daily Spiritual Fitness App.