“Be alert and sober minded,. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
The Battle Against Evil
Paul warned his spiritual son, Timothy, and the Believers with him not to forget the invisible spiritual battle over their lives. As such, they must learn to discipline their minds like a soldier will discipline his life. “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
Today, the battle Paul warned the Church about is still going on. And whether you believe it or not, you are involved in this spiritual battle with the demonic forces of darkness, who do not want to see God’s plan fulfilled in our lives. It’s important not to be negligent in our spiritual walk because this war may be invisible to the natural eyes, but it’s real. Satan is real, wicked and out to devour! (1 Peter 5:8).
The enemy’s approach in this battle is subtle and sneaky but he is very strategic. The focal point of attack is to manipulate and control our lives by tempting us to doubt God – sowing seeds of doubt in our minds. The battle of life is either won or lost in the mind. The mind is where our thoughts, imaginations, emotions and will originate from. We are transformed by the renewal of our minds through the Word of God. (Romans 12:2). Satan knows that if he can gain control of a person’s thoughts he can control their lives and defeat their purpose in life. The enemy’s goal is to attack and corrupt your mind from being transformed to live the victorious life of Christ. (John 10:10).
Jesus Already Won The Victory
Yet there is good news. The enemy has been defeated! Jesus destroyed every work of the devil and overcame every demonic force through the work of the Cross and His Resurrection. But the key to experiencing and enjoying the victory won by Jesus is having a disciplined mind. This is why Peter told the Church, “Be alert and sober minded” (1 Peter 5:8-9) Peter was trying to help the believers, warning them to guard their minds. To protect their minds from Satan’s lies with the Truth (The Word of God), “Resist him firmly in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:9). God has provided the means for us to have a strong mind, to control our thoughts and emotions through His promises in the Bible.
Spiritual Weapon And Protection
In Ephesians 6:10-17, Paul used military imagery to illustrate God’s Armour, our spiritual weapon and protection. Paul describes every piece of armour we, as believers have to put on to defend ourselves from the enemy. For example, many people are living in bondage to evil voices, they are overwhelmed with bad thoughts, feelings of guilt and condemnation. To kick these thoughts out Paul tells us, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16).
God has provided us with the Shield of Faith to escape and protect our minds from the “flaming darts” of the enemy. The flaming darts of the enemy as the Bible puts it are, “seeds of doubts.” These are the lies the devil tells us that will cause us to doubt God’s word and lose hope. To protect our minds from demonic oppression we have to engage the battle by holding up “The Shield of Faith.” Meaning, we overcome the enemy by “Thinking, Speaking and Acting on God’s Word.” We overcome by the Word of Faith. Paul compares having FAITH in God to the shield a Roman Soldier carries for protection on the battle field. In a similar pattern, we are to use our Faith as a Shield against the devil’s lies.
Standing On The The Truth
Did you know that according to research eighty percent of our thoughts are negative? That reflects how skilled the devil is at manipulating our minds with wrong thoughts. In Genesis chapter three, Satan tempted Eve by twisting the instructions God gave them about the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve fell for the lies by doubting and disobeying God’s word. It resulted in the fall of the human race.
The devil is the father of lies, there is no truth in him. (John 8:44). He will try to deceive you by telling you all kinds of lies to get you worried and anxious to the point of depression. His plan is to wear you out and down in your mind and tempt you to give up trusting God like he did to Eve in the garden of Eden. Satan knows he has no power over a child of God but he can defeat you if he can deceive you into believing his lies by tempting you to doubt the Word of God. This is why we are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Choose the Word of God over every wrong thought. Believe God, hold firmly to the Truth in your mind and confession.
Persevering In Prayer
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Luke 10:19)
God wants us protected that is why we are told to put on His Armour of protection. God wants us to live as a representative of heaven, Christ Ambassadors releasing Heavens’ will on Earth. That is why we are given the Power and Authority to overcome the devil. (Mark 16:17-18). If you have received Christ into your life as your personal Saviour, Satan has no power over you. The only power the devil has is the one you give him by allowing him to control your thoughts. The victory is already won by Jesus at the Cross but you have to claim your freedom. This is your responsibility to use your will and excercise your right no body can do this for you. As Christians must learn how to fight the good fight of faith to resist the enemy and maintain our freedom. (1 Timothy 6:12).
Whenever you have negative thoughts or the devil accuses you with thoughts like, “You are not good enough for this, Your circumstances are never going to change, It’s too late, you might as well give up and quit” You have to stand up in faith and take that thought captive immediately! Consistently exercise your authority as a child of God and say out loud, “Devil you are a liar, that thought is not from God, God is a good Father and that is not His will for me. I rebuke that thought in Jesus name! The Bible says I am wonderfully made and I can do all things through Christ” (Psalm 139:14; Philippians 4:13). Rebuke the devil and replace every lie with the Truth, Scripture promises.
Stay in faith, your circumstances might be screaming the facts at you, and every reason why it is impossible but the Word of God is the Truth. Fight the good fight of faith, holding on to the promises of God. Faith is not based on how we feel or the intellect but what God has promised in the Scriptures. (Hebrews 11:1).
God is faithful and He is able to bring solution to the impossible if we are willing to persevere in prayer until we get the breakthrough. (Luke 18:1). The power of Satan is in lies but the power of a believer is in knowing and walking in the truth. (John 8:32).
Conclusion, Faith Can Move Mountains
Jesus has got authority over the earth and heaven but you have to believe it and act in faith. In Matthew, Jesus says, “…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20).
Instead of complaining about the problem you are facing to God, start telling that mountain of problem how big your God is. Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Believe and confess victory. Begin to activate your faith, start saying things like:
“I believe God’s plan for me is good and not evil ( 2 Timothy 1:7; Jeremiah 29:11). I am set apart for good (Ephesians 2:10). By Jesus stripes I was healed, I shall not die but live (Isaiah 53:5; Psalm 118:17). I can overcome any situation through the power of Christ and I can do whatever God desires for me through His power in me (Philippians 4:13). God is my provider, He is able to make a way for me where there seems to be no way (Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 43:19). I believe God is working all things together for my good (Romans 8:28).
Exercise authority by declaring the Bible promises that apply to your situation. And don’t stop there but keep feeding your faith on what God says about your need. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17). The battle is already won but to experience the victory you have to take a stand in Faith against the devil and his lies.
Do you need to raise up the Shield of Faith in any area of your life?
What Bible promises are you standing on in prayer?
osarobohenry says
Amen
Hallelujah to the glory of God
Shade Akinbiyi says
Thank you. A blessed wonderful year to you and family.