Our personal enemies come in many forms. A bully, a co-worker, a frenemy, a family member, a struggle you’ve had for years or maybe just introduced to that took control before you knew it. Maybe the enemy gets in your thoughts and makes you think things about yourself or others that you have no clue where they came from. Maybe you keep hitting the same bumps in the road over and over and can never swerve to miss them no matter how hard you try. Whatever your personal enemy is, there is one we all have in common. Satan is real and he often preys on us. I often feel sorry for him because I guess he hasn’t read the end of the Book. God has already won. We have already won the war. Satan keeps on trying to pull Christians off the train and yank them onto the train tracks to their demise. Here a few things you can say to the enemy when he tries to derail you:
1.) “Flee.”
James 4:7 (MSG): So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time.
When you are in those dire moments, all you have to say is, “Flee!” and ask God to be in your presence. Some people think it’s not that simple, but just the mere mention of the name Jesus and the devil and his army cower. You don’t have to yell to get God’s attention, but the devil just can’t seem to get it through his brain without you screaming at him. Whisper the name Jesus and you will feel instant relief. The devil has no place in God’s presence and he has no place in yours either.
2.) “My God fights for me.”
Deuteronomy 3:22 (NLV): Do not be afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the One fighting for you.
How often do you feel you are fighting your current battle alone? Your family just doesn’t get it. Your friends are too busy doing their own things. Your pastor will judge you. God doesn’t care enough about you to fix or listen to your problems. You create these ideas in your head that you are doing it all alone. But right there in Deuteronomy it clearly says that the almighty God is on YOUR team. He’s not only your coach, but your teammate, your first string, your front line. Tell the devil that God picks up a sword and fights on your behalf. The enemy is no match for God’s dueling ability.
3.) “The God of peace will crush you.”
Romans 16:20 (ISV): The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be with all of you!
Yes, I know this sounds like an oxymoron. If God is supposed to be “peaceful,” why is he “crushing” someone? How can he be both love and vengeance? Without having a million words in this blog post, I’ll just say this- God does what is best for his children so that they will come out on top. God does what is best for his children so that there is a learning opportunity for them. God does what is best for his children so that they will be protected. God does what is best for his children so that they will have every chance to grow closer to him. God does what is best for his children. Whether that be teaching you a lesson in a hard time, showing you the consequence of your sin with his fatherly love, or whether that be interfering on something that wasn’t quite as good as you thought it would be and he pulls you out of a situation before you’re in too deep. God does what is best for his children. And if that means crushing the enemy, you can bet he will.
The enemy isn’t always easy to spot. Usually he’s charming or exciting or inviting or really cute and says all the right things, but “charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting.” (Proverbs 31:30) Be on guard because the enemy is always looking for a foothold so that he can be active in your life. He sneaks in when you least expect it. Satan is waiting to pounce like I like pounce on a box of mac and cheese. When you get that icky feeling like something is wrong, take a step back and gain some perspective on your situation. If the enemy is trying to knock your train of the tracks, tell him, “Flee. My God fights for me. The God of peace will crush you.” Then, let God work.
What is something you’ve had to tell the enemy recently? Let me know in the comments so I can gain some more comebacks for when he’s attacking me!
Clothed in What? 