THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE – 1 Satan Is Your Enemy

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). KJV

Loved ones, in our Spiritual Battle Satan is the enemy, and His strategy can be found in three words: deceive, divide, and destroy. Whether it is in a nation, a church, or a family - Satan is busy trying to deceive, divide, and destroy (cf. Revelation 12:7-13).

That is his purpose, to destroy our life physically, to destroy our testimony concerning the Lord, to destroy our finances, to destroy our marriage, to destroy our families - destroyed, destroyed, destroyed! So deceive, divide, and destroyed… that is the reason he and his messengers await their eternal destiny in Gehenna - HELL Fire (Matthew 25:41).

Through lust and pride the enemy plays on the weaker parts of our flesh (cf. 1 John 2:15-17). He knows exactly when you and I are the weakest. He does everything he can to keep us from being fully committed to God and serving God. He knows exactly what it takes to get and keep our attention (TV, gambling, money, power, beauty, skill, etc.). He knows exactly what it takes to trip us up (jealousy, envy, disappointments, depression, etc.).

Satan has a whole line of excuses that set us up and position us to miss the best blessings from God for our life (James 1:17). God has the best life for every single one of us, but the devil does his best to deceive, divide, and destroy us.

He uses people and things to draw us away from God. He knows exactly what it takes to get our mind off of God, off of spiritual things, and on to him and the carnal material things of life. He draws us away from the pure and good thoughts of God (Philippians 4:8).

If the devil can blind you to God's purpose in your life, he's got you where he wants you (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Satan does not want us worshipping God. He's given us a whole plate full of stuff to get our attention away from God because that's his purpose.

So he will tell you why you don't have to attended worship with the saints. He will say you have to get your rest, or get rid of your illness, or get busy doing something else on Sunday morning. He’ll tell you why you don’t need to read your Bible, because you can’t even understand it. Anything he can do to get your mind off of spiritual things, that's what he'll do.

Satan hates God, and so he hates anything God has created. What he hates most of all are God's children. And so Satan hates you if you are a Christian. He doesn't just hate God. Satan hates you. You may have heard the phrase, “God loves you and has a good plan for your life.” Well, Satan hates you and has a bad plan for your life. REMEMBER: he hates you.

Stay with us now… Satan wants to hurt God, but he can't. He can't hurt God, but he does have access to you, and he can hurt you. The quickest way to hurt a parent is to hurt his children. The real issue is this spiritual warfare we are waging with Satan. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

We are not fighting against human beings. But against wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. Please understand that you don’t wrestle against flesh and blood. In other words, people are not the source of your problem. They may be the conduit for your problem, but they are not the source of your problem. We Christians wrestle against principalities and powers and world forces that are located in heavenly places or the spiritual realm.

Recognize that the source of your opposition is Satan. It's not other people, it's not coworkers, it's not some other political party, it's not some other nation, it's not your spouse, it's not some competitor, it's not some person who just doesn't like you.

The real source of the pressure you feel that is trying to get you to cave in to sin and depart from your integrity, is Satan. The pressure you feel to be quiet and not stand up for what you know is the right thing is not coming from other people. It's really coming from Satan. So what you need to do is recognize and resist the source as you submit to God (James 4:7). Then treat the opposition the way Jesus did.

How did Jesus treat those who opposed him? Even on the cross He's praying, “Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing” (Luke 23:34). The way to win your battles is to realize, with your eyes wide open, what the enemy is trying to do, and respond the exact opposite from the way he wants you to respond.

Instead of hating your enemy, pray for that person. Show them the Agape (love) of God. Don’t let the devil work through them to steal your joy and peace that Jesus died to give you. Don't let somebody else's bad choice determine your destiny.

The word of God tells you how to dress for success in this spiritual battle. He gives you the armor of God. “14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:14-18).

The Holy Spirit gives these pieces of spiritual armor that the Christian is to utilize when it comes to standing “in the evil day,” or when you're under spiritual attack and spiritual oppression that's affecting your physical, financial, circumstantial, emotional, or family well-being.

Take your stand harder than you've ever taken it before by putting on this armor. But some of you may not remember all the pieces of the armor you are to wear. So let's make it easy because Romans chapter 13 verse 14 says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” If you can't remember all the pieces, remember this one - put on Christ (cf. Galatians 3:26-27).

The Holy Spirit says, “girt your loins with truth;” Jesus says I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

The Spirit says, “put on the breastplate of righteousness;” Scripture says Christ is our righteousness (2 Peter 1:1).

God says, “wear the Gospel of peace on your feet;” Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Above all, God says, “take the fiery dart quenching shield of faith;” the faith of Jesus fulfills that promise (Romans 3:22; Revelation 14:12).

The Christian is told to “put on the helmet of salvation;” Scripture is clear that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and salvation (Hebrews 5:9; 12:2; Acts 4:12).

We are to “put on the word of God” by using “the sword of the Spirit;” Jesus says He is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).

So, if you don't remember truth, remember Jesus. If you don't remember righteousness, remember Jesus. If you don't remember peace, remember Jesus. If you don't remember faith, remember Jesus. If you don't remember salvation, remember Jesus. If you don't remember the Bible… the word, remember Jesus.

If you don’t remember anything else, put on Christ and become centered in Him. Pray without ceasing for all saints (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). God will be glorified and all will be well (Romans 8:28).

Shared with you by Samuel A. Matthews, preaching with the Liberty NW church of Christ, meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35)