For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Sometimes in our walk of faith, we encounter circumstances that pose some serious challenges to our faith. It could be in the area of church growth. For instance, may be as a pastor, you’ve done everything you thought you should do and applied all the strategies you know of, yet your church is not growing. Now, you’re thinking what next to do.
At such a time, it’s important to look at things from the spiritual perspective and realize that there’s an adversary who is all out to oppose the Gospel and God’s children. Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The wiles of the devil refer to the stratagems of the devil, the “lying in wait” of the devil. The Apostle Paul, here, wants you to know that there’s an enemy that’s lying in wait, strategizing against you, and against the Church.
But to counter this enemy, he tells you to put on the whole armour of God. Why? It’s because he knows that if you don’t put on the whole armour of God, you’ll be vulnerable. Verse 12 of the same chapter goes on to say, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Now, something about this wrestling is that it’s not just a fight as in physical combat; rather, it’s the adversary trying to sway you from the right path through deception. The only way you win in this kind of battle is to do what the Word says. Resist him.
James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Revelation 12:11 also shows us how to resist, neutralize, and put the adversary to flight. It says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” So, no matter what the enemy throws at you, neutralize him by standing strong on your faith in the blood of Jesus and by the word of your testimony. That blood reconciled us to God, gave us life, cleanses us from all sin, and it’s on the mercy seat before God in heaven. The word of your testimony, which refers to your testimony of God, is really your faith’s proclamation of the Word at work.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I give you thanks for the opportunity to blessed by your precious Word today. I’m not ignorant of Satan’s devices, and I refuse to fall prey to them. Through my faith in the precious blood of Jesus and by the word of my testimony, I put Satan and all his cohorts of hell where they belong—under my feet—in Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY
2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 6:1-18, Genesis 18-19
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 4:1-11,Genesis 7
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