Defeating the Enemy

 

Yesterday was physically tiring. I woke often during the night and getting up was challenging. So was singing worship songs; I didn’t feel like praise and could mouth the words yet didn’t feel joyful or thankful, just tired. The book “Sure-Footed in the Truth: Overcoming Negative Thoughts” caught my eye. I turned to the section “When I feel like giving up” and read 23 passages addressing that negativity. None of them helped — except the very last one:

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)

Today’s devotional focuses on the one piece of spiritual armor that is not defensive but offensive. That is, rather than protection, this one is about taking action to defeat the tactics of Satan:

Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

This is not the large broadsword but a smaller dagger and a common weapon. It was uses by the soldiers who arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, by Peter when he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant , by those who killed James, the brother of John, and against other heroes of the faith described in Hebrews 11:37. It is not about the Holy Spirit but about His weapon given to defeat strongholds:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

This weapon is truth from God that convicted me of sin and saved me. This Word lives in and transforms me, supplying all I need to live a godly, victorious life. It builds me up and equips me. Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4) Other passages say the same thing:

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

This is the reason that I study it every day and allow it to do its work. Spiritual truth is my weapon when the enemy goes at me with lies and whatever else will produce negative emotions and lack of joyful faith. However, that statement by Jesus uses “rhema” for “word” which essential means a specific statement for the need of the moment. Only one of those two dozen passages from my book was “rhema” for me, the one that used the NKJV and told me to: “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14) I didn’t wait very long before He answered with this specific word that restored my courage.

MacArthur says the sword of the Spirit is most effective when it is applied to specific Biblical principles to specific situations in your life, then asks, “Do you do that?” Actually, I don’t apply it — but the Holy Spirit does. As long as I am seeking Him and His solutions by looking into His Word and asking Him to speak to me, He gives that “rhema” Word that I need for whatever the enemy is trying to do. My part is to be in the Word and knowing it, giving the Spirit His weapon.

PRAY: Jesus, the desire to know Your Word is easy when I feel helpless. For most of my life, that helplessness has been dealt with in other ways, not nearly so successful as Your way. Thank You for knowing what I need far better than I know and applying the solutions with great wisdom and grace. You always tell me what I need to hear, even when I have no idea, even when I’m fumbling for just the right attitude or action. I am so thankful for the sword of the spirit which is You speaking directly to me so that I can deal with the attacks from the enemy who wants to ruin Your grace and power in my life.

PONDER: How are 2 Timothy 1:13 and Romans 6:17 related?

 

Resources for Victory

 

Today’s devotional begins with, “In Christ you have every resource necessary for spiritual victory.” However, after yesterday, I’m thinking “in Christ, I have resources for victory over everything.”

With some amusement, I’ve been imagining a newspaper story that begins with: “Eighty-one-year old woman tumbles down circular staircase at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and gets up smiling with only a few bruises. Her son thinks she moonlights as a stunt woman.”

Even though I’d now change ‘few’ to ‘several’, I’m still smiling. Jesus is my Savior from sin — including self-pity and a focus on my own comfort. So, I hurt. Is that any different than losing my car keys or dropping a bowl of stew inside the frig? Joy is not about external comforts.

Would I feel the same way if bones were broken, an ambulance called, and I was in a hospital bed? God knows, but I believe in the power of God to overcome a ‘poor me’ attitude just as He can overcome the obvious doubt and fears that the devil always tries to produce.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10–11)

MacArthur explains that Satan opposes God and wants to prevent believers from glorifying Him by convincing them that he is either so strong we cannot defeat him, or so weak we can fight him in our own strength. However, when Jesus comes alongside instantly, He demonstrates that no matter what the enemy tries to do, He can rescue me:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

My resources alone cannot defeat a spiritual enemy or the power of the old nature to be self-centered, but Jesus can and this shouts the vital reason for being in Scripture and understanding what I have in Christ.

Ephesians 1 has an incredible list that includes: every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; chosen in him before the foundation of the world; becoming holy and blameless before him; in love predestined for adoption according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace; blessed in the Beloved; redemption through his blood; forgiveness of our trespasses; grace lavished wisdom and insight; knowing the mystery of his will and his plan to unite all things in him; faith to believe; sealed with the Holy Spirit; our inheritance guaranteed; ; all to the praise of his glory;  . . .  and the prayers of others for greater knowledge of Christ, enlightened to know our hope and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:3–18) His grace adds:

According to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:16–21)

Think of it — the people of God represent the power of God in this world — the same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at the right hand of the Father, and subjected all things under His feet . . .  

Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:21–23)

Who can stand against the sovereignty of God? He tells me to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” by putting on the armor He supplies: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the written Word, and the privilege of prayer. No matter what the enemy does, even pushing old ladies down some stairs (it felt like that), I can remain focused on Jesus instead of the results of the devil’s efforts. Jesus does not want me to live anxiously and fearing Satan’s attacks or anything else, but keep my heart focused on Him and the resources He has given me.

PRAY: Jesus, I understand that spiritual warfare is anything that threatens to take away my trust in You. It can be events and people, inner attitudes, anything that seems like You have forgotten me or are not protecting or loving me. Keep me in Your Word and trusting You with all my heart.

PONDER: Read Matthew 4:1–11 and think how I can better use Scripture when Satan’s attacks tell me lies about who I am in Christ or about all that the Lord has done for or promised me.