Journal Entry ~ 02/10/18

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. - Ephesians 6:12-13

The enemy is purely evil. He is called an accuser, a slanderer, and the father of lies. And though God does limit his power, Satan and his league of fallen angels are powerful and should not be underestimated. The enemy comes as an invisible force - we are fighting an enemy we cannot see, making him more powerful and dangerous. He is deceptive and scheming, and he will draw us away from the truths of scripture by appealing to our own pride and understanding. He will tempt us into sin by portraying sin as attractive and fulfilling. The enemy is strong, he is systematic in his attack, and he is often successful. While it’s true that God wins the ultimate battle against satan in the end, make no mistake about the fact that the enemy is winning battles here in earth. Christian marriages end in divorce, pastors fall into sin, churches split, and Christians are led into false teaching every day. He is not weak, and he should not be trifled with. 

We should be careful to never think we are a match for him in our own power. We can’t. We are told in these verses that the way to stand firm against the schemes of the devil is to take up the full armor of God. It is only through God that we will be able to defeat the enemy who seeks to devour us all. It is God’s armor and God’s strength we are commanded to put on. We will foolishly lose this battle if we walk out onto the field in our own power. Take up the full armor of God and stand firm. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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