The Battle Between Good vs. Evil Continues

Spiritual Warfare is an often-swept-under-the-rug topic in today's churches.  Folks think it is too much of an "extreme" or "mysterious" topic to discuss, so it is left unsaid.  But this way of thinking has produced an entire generation of Christians who are unlearned and unprepared for spiritual warfare.  Why is this a bad thing?  Because spiritual warfare is all around us, everyday! Satan (the Devil) is of course, the BAD guy, and God is of course, the GOOD guy.  They have been battling since almost the beginning of time, ever since Satan rebelled against God and was banished from Heaven.  Now all Satan wants to do is hurt God by hurting God's most prized Creation:  us.  Satan hates us because we are made in God's very own image, capable of intelligence, problem solving, higher brain functions.....and because we are beautiful and the pinnacle of Creation.  Humans are the highest level on this earth, and Satan cannot stand that.  So he attacks & deceives us, tears us down, and destroys us, simply because he knows that if he hurts us, he hurts God.  What a sniveling little coward Satan is!  He knows that he is far too weak to fight God face-to-face, so he fights us instead.  Satan's eventual doom is already written and known.  His eternal destination will be a place worse than Hell; a black hole of darkness, misery, loneliness, despair, and an utter absence of God's glorious presence.  He knows this, so he wants to take us down with him while he can.  Many people (even Christians) think "why would Satan want to attack me?  I'm nobody special or important.  I don't think Satan really cares about my life enough to interfere in it." 

That is SO WRONG!  That's exactly what Satan wants you to think!  Our daily lives are full of trivial, mundane things, like commuting to work, sitting in front of the computer, doing errands, doing laundry & dishes, making dinner, taking a walk, feeding the cat, etc....  Satan will do whatever it takes to get involved in the very core of your life, in the "little things", where you won't even notice him.  This is what The Deceiver does best.  So how do you combat his evil?  You get knowledgeable; you get tough; you get strong; you get intimate with God!  Read the Bible and spend time in prayer, really getting to know God and who you are in Him.  You belong to Him.  You are no longer adorned in filthy rags; a horrible, wretched sinner.  You have been covered in Christ's blood, and His blood has made you whole, clean, and redeemed.  You are so valuable to God that He died for you on the Cross, to make you right with Him again.  Let God tell you who you are, NOT Satan.  Do not let Satan make you doubt who you are.  Once you know the Truth about yourself, learn the Truth about God.  Know that He is good, He is just, He is loving, He is powerful, He is Holy, and He has never changed. 

Now, every time you think a thought that is unholy, unhealthy, unbeneficial, dishonest, or selfish, you will know that is from Satan, and not from yourself or God. 

Whenever you realize Satan is trying to invade your mind, heart, or life, you should respond by verbally banishing him away from you.  Declare that you are bringing all the glorious power of Jesus Christ to bear against him, call him out by name, and banish.  When you do this, he will flee in fear, because God is so much more powerful than he is. 

Don't try & stand strong against Satan using your own strength because he is stronger than you, but use God's power.
Satan may persist for awhile, but he will eventually run away and you will have victory!  But be cautious, because Satan will find another avenue to sneak into your life and slyly assault you.  Be on guard, stand firm, summon God's awesome strength against the Enemy, and God will give you victory.  AMEN!