Combating Satan

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4: 26-27 (NIV)

Anger gives the devil a foothold in our thinking and in our lives. So does condemnation. That is the beginning of the end game for the enemy. His goal is to make us ineffective for the kingdom of God. The more ineffective we are, the less people hear the Gospel or see it lived out in our lives. That means less people are saved. He picks on the weaker members of the herd. He picks on our individual weaknesses and when we are going through difficult times. He sees our grief as an opportunity to inflict more damage because we are vulnerable. But God has not left us unprepared beloved. Our defense starts with knowing our enemy and knowing his pitiful schemes. In our grief he will try to convince us that we need to be alone, so his attack is easier. He will try to make us either question God or take our eyes off of His promises so that our faith will falter. He will try to prey upon legitimate feelings of regret and turn them into a permanent spiritual condition of condemnation so that we are forever living in a past we can no longer change. No matter what you face today or in the future, remember the schemes. Look for them in your pain so that you can combat them. Grieving and times of great trial are natural processes that unfortunately, we all must go through in our lives. But sadness in our soul does not have to become a disease in our spirit. Get behind me Satan!

Reverend Anthony Wade December 20, 2011