Let’s face it, we have an arch-enemy, the devil, and deception is his greatest weapon.

“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

The Bible says he walks around “LIKE” a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Deception is his greatest weapon; just because he acts like a lion doesn’t make him one! Revelations 5:5 describes Jesus as the true Lion from the tribe of Judah, and He lives in the inside of you!

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Victory has been provided by Jesus, but you and I need submit to God and resist the enemy from that place of victory, to maintain our freedom. When you do so, the Bible says the enemy has no option except one- to flee from you!

What has captivated your heart? Sin or God?

God pleads with us not to yield to sin because even though He has forgiven all our sins, it leaves an open door for the enemy to attack us. Jesus says in Matthew 22:37 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

The enemy cannot deceive you in any area that is CAPTIVATED with the love of God.

Perfect, Establish, Strengthen and Settle

When you resist the enemy, by standing for the Truth, obeying the Word and not believing his lies, you may suffer initially for going against the norms of this world. The enemy will try his best to growl, howl and shake you up so that you remain in the same mountain of defeat, be locked in the same valley of addiction, until you finally give up. But here is God’s promise:

“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10

After you have suffered a while, you will be established, strengthened, and settled. Hallelujah! That’s when the truth sets you free in an area where the enemy once held you captive with his lies.

If not now, then when?

Let’s take an instance from real life. Say you got symptoms of flu. The enemy starts quietly whispering into your ears- ‘it’s useless to stand on God’s Word’, ‘look you got the symptoms, you can’t resist this’, ‘you need to have faith’, ‘God’s promises are for holy people, not for a sinner like you’.

This is how the enemy traps people by making them believe his lies. He binds you from enforcing the victory that Christ has purchased for you and he does not want you to resist him. Why? Because he knows the outcome has been decided for anyone who will believe God’s word and resist him.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrew 10:23

Please don’t get me wrong; I’m not asking you to do foolish things but always be led by the Holy Spirit. Sooner or later, you will need to start resisting the enemy at some point in your life to see some victories manifest.

Once you have tasted victory by resisting and standing on God’s Word, you now have working faith that has been tried and tested. And if the problem comes back, you know the secret that got you the victory previously.

You see the enemy never wants to let you gain new ground in the realms of the Spirit. Because the more you conquer, the more you get to possess and be settled in the issues of life.

May you live under the mighty hand of God in every area of your life!