The Attack of the Enemy

We are all aware of the enemy, i.e. satan, the devil, who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 NASB), is very real. There is no sense in trying to ignore his attempts to lead you astray. I have often struggled with this myself, waking up daily to the attack on my spirit, the thought of failure for the things I didn't accomplish in life, or the fear of failure in what I might accomplish.

For those who read this and are not sure, our Lord is REAL! We believe the devil is real, but often don't believe that God is just as real. Is it because we see the devils handy work everywhere, and not God's? In society, we're conditioned to look for the bad, and not to see the good works of God around us. Let's face it, bad news makes the headlines before good news does.

Remember, the devil, satan, is the ruler of this worldly earthy environment. In Ephesians 6:12 we read, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (NASB)

We know that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is more powerful than the devil. Peter says in James 4:7 (NASB), "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you". That's easier said than done sometimes, I know. I will say that I have really sensed the heaviness of my thoughts lift when I order the devil out of my mind, my house, my neighborhood in the name of Jesus. The devil NEVER stops at trying to deceive you. You WILL deal with this for the remainder of your time on earth. It may be a daily struggle, but you can have joy.

Jesus spoke of joy in John 15:11 (NASB), "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full". Earlier in this book, Jesus was speaking on abiding in Him. It took me some time to figure this out, but God's promises are displayed after an act of obedience to Him. An instruction, or recommendation that is carried out by one of His children leads to reward and blessing (not always materially). Jesus said that if we abide in Him, and He abides in us, our joy will be full.

Earlier in this post, I mentioned James 4:7. The key phrase in that verse was "Submit therefore to God". So I ask, if we have no joy, in the middle of our suffering, could it be because we're not abiding in Him? Could it be in fact that we haven't submitted to Him?

1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:12, James 4:7, John 15:11