Don’t be Fooled!
ICS Daily Devotions
Ephesians 6:10-11 (Amplified) In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. Put on the full armour of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armour of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
Spiritual warfare is real, and the devil is not fair in his dealings with us. Therefore, we must learn how to stand firm against the wiles of the evil one.
As Christians, we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm, beside the Heavenly Father; with Christ far above all principalities, dominion, might, and He has placed the enemies beneath Jesus’ feet! It is a position of victory. Therefore, we are not trying to win in spiritual warfare because Christ has already defeated the devil. We are enforcing His victory.
There are two types of spiritual warfare. First, there are temptations thrown at us to lure us back into our old selves and discourage us from living out the newness of life in Christ.
The second kind is fiery darts hurled by the devil. Have you been in a state of distress, facing tribulation in your life, with thoughts, doubts, frustration, anguish, and emotional turmoil, alongside various questions in your mind, such as, “What have I done to deserve this?” or “Is it a discipline of God?”
We also encounter diverse opinions, suggestions, and interpretations from different people, as in the days of Job. Some are helpful, but some are stoking the fire. Therefore, it is best to listen to one voice amid the chaos, frustration, and anger rather than letting our thoughts go wild and trying to identify all the causes. The key is to get into the Word and enforce the victory.
The Apostle Paul has revealed to us that the devil and his followers are real, and natural weapons are ineffective against them. Sometimes, we are to blame because we have walked in the flesh and disobeyed God’s commands. Therefore, we must discern whether we are facing the onslaught of the devil’s attack, because he will attack us whether we are lukewarm or on fire for the Lord.
One of the devil’s tricks is convincing people that he does not exist. If we are unaware of this, we might even misunderstand God as the source of our evil encounters. Some Christians believe that everything they experience in life comes from God, which leads them to blame Him and develop a theology of suffering from it, or to be deceived into thinking that they need to earn their salvation, when God has already chosen to see us in Christ and seated us with Him!
Many Christians are passive in the face of the devil’s disturbances, but the Bible tells us to put on the whole armour of God and to stand against the wiles of the evil one. God wants us to enforce the victory of Jesus, and we can do it more effectively when we know who we are in Christ, what we have in Him, and what we can do in Him.
Sermon Series: Cell Group Campaign (Stand)
