My conflict with the forces of darkness is rightly called war because the forces of evil are hostile to all that God does and all that He wants for me. Satan is the opposite of every godly attribute. God is holy; Satan is evil. God is love; Satan is the embodiment of hatred. God redeems His children; Satan condemns and destroys his. I’m to be like Jesus!
Jesus reveals grace and truth: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17), but Satan “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 out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
God gives life, whereas Satan breeds death: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)
God produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Satan would rather I live in the flesh with: “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19–21) and a host of other sins that are more subtle but anti-God.
God uses trials to prove the genuineness of my faith and to increase my joy and spiritual endurance: “for I know that the testing of my faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that I may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3–4, personalized) Satan wants me to abandon my faith when trials come and try to ‘fix it’ myself, or whine, or think God does not love me.
Satan uses temptation in an attempt to destroy my faith and silence my testimony. God grants freedom from the bondage of sin, while Satan wants to enslave me to sin for all eternity. (2 Timothy 2:26)
Jesus is my “Advocate,” pleading my cause before the Father: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1) but Satan is an “accuser,” blaming me incessantly for things God has already forgiven:
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (Revelation 12:10)
Because Satan opposes everything God does, he’ll also oppose God’s children, me included. When he does, God is teaching me to not be overly concerned or think this is odd or unfair. I’m not thrilled about it, but do expect trials and am determined to be prepared, even to rejoice because they indicate I am a threat to Satan’s system and an asset to Christ’s Kingdom.
PRAY: The aches and bruises are nothing compared to knowing You, Jesus. I’m also set free from the lie of Satan that You do not want the best for me. I know that Your love is greater than I can imagine, and that You use even small acts of obedience to build Your kingdom. May I be listening and responding to You today and always — for Your glory.
PONDER: Note these characteristics of God’s kingdom and think of the ways that Satan tries to twist them:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16–17)
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