God Has Equipped You to Defeat the Enemy
Seven Powerful Verses to Explain How
Another day facing the same challenges. More problems pop up, while the daily routine stays the same. Struggles are not disappearing, but seem to compound. You just can’t get ahead or resolve what’s already on your plate. Why does this keep happening?
God is sovereign and is still on the throne. Some days this is apparent to us, and others we wonder if He knows what we’re facing. Can He hear us and is He even listening?
There is another being who is alive and well and dwells among us on this earth. You know that whisper of defeat in your ear? Telling you to worry over that project at work? The one saying you are a terrible mom because you snapped at your child while keeping up with housework, being a short-order cook and chauffeuring? The one who sends fear that something bad is going to happen? That pain you have in your neck — it’s cancer, right?
Stop right there! The moment those thoughts creep in, refuse to accept them. That is an invitation from the devil trying to gain a foothold in your mind. Do not let him in the door. At his knocking, refuse to let him in and take residence in your home. You let the devil in and he will use your mind as a place to build a stronghold. Everything filled with discouragement, fear, shame, guilt, anger, anxiety or anything else that cuts you down or creates negativity is not from God. By turning the thought away, you reject Satan as your houseguest.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” — 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.
Our mind is a battlefield and taking thoughts captive for Christ is one action of our warfare. Is it our responsibility to defeat the enemy? Absolutely not. Jesus has already done that, but it doesn’t mean the devil won’t stop his attacks to turn you against God. If we chose allegiance to God, He works through us to pull down strongholds. If we grasp what the enemy is telling us, we align ourselves with his plan, which I cover in greater detail in my blog: Overcome 2021! Three Steps to Make the Year Successful.
The verse above asks us to bring our thoughts to Christ to ensure it complies with His will so we don’t let the enemy take residence. Does the thought line up with God’s Word, or against it? If against, cast it out!
The only reason a negative thought will invade your mind is if you allow it in.
Let’s talk about some other powers God has equipped believers with to dominate this fight.
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” — Mark 16:17–18.
Believers can do that? According to this verse they can heal the sick, send a demon packing, be immune to deadly substances, and prophesy in Jesus’ name. We can do all of this through Christ — NOT through our own power.
What does it mean to ‘take up serpents’? The bible refers to the devil and his minions as snakes and serpents. This verse means believers will handle them — not the other way around.
Did you know a demon can present itself as a debilitating disease or sickness? Or masquerade as a mental disorder? Can you imagine if you had the power to rid someone or yourself of the pain and misery of something like that? Well, believers do. God has given you the power to do this through His Son Jesus, so you have authority on earth to do this through His Word:
“Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” — Luke 10:19.
Said another way, believers in Christ have power and authority over Satan and his demons.
Did you know this?
This one verse explains Christians block the arrows the devil sends in their direction. Will the attack look like a flaming arrow? Probably not, since the enemy can wrap it in a pleasurable temptation, or make it drip with compromise because you really want it, and rationalizing doesn’t look so bad at this angle. Or you could be so tired and unbalanced, you give in to it because you’re worn out and you haven’t had time to connect with God and get your daily dose of rest in Him.
Satan is sneaky and tries to gain a foothold with each attack. Most of the time we don’t realize he’s invaded our camp until it’s too late. Be smarter than that. Don’t let him pull a fast one on you to gain even an inch.
“Be of sober mind, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8.
Exercise your authority against his lies! Do not put yourself in a position for the devil to identify you as a target. It says the enemy is looking for who he may devour — do not give him permission… tell him he may not take a bite today. Satan does not have authority to do anything unless we give it to him.
How do we protect ourselves?
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may stand against the wiles of the devil,” — Ephesians 6: 10–11.
What is the armor?
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” — Ephesians 6: 14–17.
But how do we exercise our authority? As believers, we need to make sure he doesn’t devour us, and knowing and speaking His word over a situation is our greatest weapon. Notice it’s the ONLY weapon mentioned above — the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of God.
Memorizing scripture is a great way to dress for battle. So is praying without ceasing and fellowship with God. The armor is a fortress, and it’s not built in one night. You must choose to follow Christ every day and build a relationship with him. We must take up our cross and follow Jesus daily. This means shedding our own agenda and accepting His plan. Being rooted in faith takes time, and the more you care to develop trust in Him, the deeper it will go and the richer it will be. This is what Peter means by being vigilant — knowing and following Christ at all times, so you can discern which thoughts and ideas are from the devil.
Resist the devil at the onslaught of his attack. Come back immediately with the word of God. Send the devil back to the wilderness.
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — James 4:7.
How do we humble ourselves before God? Don’t let the anxiety of the circumstance grip you, but seek the Lord in prayer for help as soon as possible.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 4:6–7.
If prayer can bring peace, this should be the Christian’s “go to” when trouble knocks.
Another way to overcome the enemy is to make sure you are well-balanced. Humans get tired and cranky, so take care of yourself. Get enough rest and don’t take on so many projects that you resent the blessings in your life. Don’t load your schedule so full that you don’t have time for prayer, self-examination, and building relationships.
God knows our nature and is aware we have trouble with busyness. He understands our limitations and knows we need to rejuvenate our mind, body and spirit. He even made a commandment to remind us to take at least one day of rest during the week.
I didn’t realize the anxiety in my life was a stronghold the enemy built. It was solid, and I thought, almost impenetrable. It must have gained ground little by little when I wasn’t even looking. The anxiety was a vice I experienced daily until God told me to give it to Him to crush for good.
Do you know this kind of worry is sinful? I didn’t realize that until God unveiled this truth to me through verse: Psalm 37:8 “Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret — it only causes harm.”
I was living in sin by letting my worry over my circumstances consume me. The enemy built the fortress using anxiety, and I let the situation make me angrier each day. By meditating on God’s word, though, I noticed it as a stronghold and could then repent. I had no control over the outcome or ability to change it and had to trust God to take care of it.
If the right conditions exist for the devil to devour, don’t think for a minute he won’t strike. Hungover people, tired moms, overworked husbands, staying mad at a friend, all are perfect breeding grounds for Satan to cultivate a strategy against you.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” — John 10:10.
Which way would you have it? Are you going to let the devil into your life? Will you allow him to kill you slowly with addiction? Will you give in to the temptation he is dangling that will destroy your marriage?
Renew your mind and stay grounded with Christ. Be confident in him. We will have trouble in this world. It is a certainty for all believers and unbelievers alike. Believers have an advantage, though — Christ has already won the battle. We need only to live victoriously through Christ!
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33.
Be bold and know who you are in Christ. The verse tells you something else powerful. If you are a believer in Christ and follow him, you will also have peace. Do you want that?
John 10:10 illustrates that both God and Satan have a plan for our life — which will you choose? The schemes of the devil may seem powerful, and they are. But Satan can only do damage if we let him, by relinquishing our authority to him. Have courage, because God is more powerful, and has given us something the devil does NOT have on earth — authority. God granted power and authority to His believers.
Isn’t it time to use them?
My goal is to provide hope and encouragement to Christians so they live an abundant life this side of Heaven. Please see other topics and articles at my other blog site: Fire for the Faith
If there is a topic you’d like to read about, or you would like to share your thoughts about this article with me, please contact me at: shannon@fireforthefaith.com
