O Wise Master, You have given me warnings to use in defending myself against the enemies of my soul. In Ephesians, You give me counsel through Paul who stated, “For your struggles are not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.” The reference to “not flesh and blood” means demonic forces over which Satan has control. They are not imaginary but very real beings. What You are trying to warn me about is the fact that I face a powerful foe who wants to defeat me because I have turned my life over to You. Because I believe in You, these beings have become my enemies and are dedicated to turning me away from You and back to sin. I must be prepared daily to engage in warfare until You come again. I must put on the armor You have given me to take my stand against these forces of evil.
In I Peter, I am cautioned to be alert and self-controlled because my enemy, the devil, prowls around looking for someone to devour. Lions attack the weak, young, or struggling animals … those who are alone or not alert. Your words encourage me to stay alert and not dash off in fear when we are suffering through persecutions and trials. Too often, I let the enemy make me feel alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from help. When I get focused on my problems, I forget to watch out for danger and become vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. During times of need, I must turn to You and other believers for support and encouragement. If I choose to keep my eyes on You and resist the devil (by not taking the bait), he will flee from me. I must understand that whatever I go through is temporary compared to eternity and I will never be asked to take on more than I can handle.
Carrying worries, stress, and daily struggles by myself indicates I do not trust You fully with my life. It takes humility on my part to accept the fact that You do care and that I need Your involvement in my life. Sometimes I feel like my struggles are caused by my sins or foolishness and You will not intervene to help me. Such thoughts, thanks to the devil, are meant to cut me off from You. As soon as I turn to You in repentance, I can count on You to stand in the gap for me so I can prevail. Turning my anxieties over to You empowers You to take up the weight of my struggles and allows me to focus on standing against my enemies. I must never submit to circumstances (often smoke screens of the devil) and, instead, submit to you who controls all my circumstances … when I let You. Help me learn to stand by faith, being ever vigilant for the attacks of my enemies. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
II Corinthians 11:14 For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.