Life can be tough, tougher than most people realize. Life can be brutal at times, extremely brutal. That is what happens when one is in a war. Yes, we are in a war and very few people even know that there is war going on. And since few know about this war, then they have no idea who or what is involved in this war. By nature, we are fighters, survivors, able to persevere many obstacles, provided we know who or what we are fighting. But when we do not know our opponents, fighting becomes somewhat difficult and winning nearly impossible.
“Our fight is not with people. It is against the leaders and the powers and the spirits of darkness in this world. It is against the demon world that works in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12 NLV).
We are not fighting against people, against persons made of flesh and blood. No, we are fighting against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, against the principalities, the powers, and the world rulers of this present darkness, against the mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. We are fighting against “persons without bodies.” Interesting to note that this scripture tells us our fight is not with people, yet we spend the majority of our time fighting against the very thing we are not supposed to be fighting against, each other. Once again, people are not our enemies nor are they our opponents in this war.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).
We are given this warning, told to “be sober and to be vigilant,” which is the same as saying, “be careful and keep a watchful eye out” because “our adversary, our opponent, our great enemy, the devil,” goes around as if he is a hungry, roaring lion, “making due use of every opportunity,” to seek those that he may devour or tear apart. The fact that he is seeking those he may devour or tear apart implies that he as to search for “his prey or his victims.” The warning is for us to be careful, be watchful, and watch out for the attacks from our great enemy whose only purpose is “to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10), his prey.
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (I John 5:4)? “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).
Jesus tells us that we can have life and have it more abundantly because of him. Jesus tells us, that though we may face trials and tribulations, we are to be of good cheer because he has overcome the world. Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we have been born again or born of God and we too, can overcome this world. Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we know and have the confidence that we can fight and will win this battle. Because of our faith in Jesus Christ and because we belong to God, we know we have already won our fight because there is someone in our hearts who is stronger and greater than any evil in this world. We just need to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and putting on God’s armor so that we can stand against the wiles or the tricks of the devil.
Praise God that he has made available to his children the tool things needed to overcome the difficulties in this life. Life can be tough, especially when one has no idea that they are in engaged in a war against an enemy that is not made of flesh and blood. While we focused on one of the enemies we listed from the beginning, all of these “persons without bodies” are equal-opportunist, seeking to devour the believer as well as the non-believer. We are so thankful that we have the weaponry available to win this war. Life can be tough, but as you can see, it does not have to be.
We again give thanks to God for this avenue that he has given us to share his word through this inspirational message. We continually pray that God’s grace will be upon you and that these devotionals will be a blessing to you. If you are blessed by them, please share so that others may be blessed as well. Amen.
Enjoy your blessings - KW
