BelovedSample

TAKING YOUR ENEMY SERIOUSLY

Many are oblivious to the spiritual battle that rages on around us. Yet 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (ESV).

Imagine if you looked up from this reading plan to see a lion slowly circling you, getting ready to pounce. What would you do? Run? Scream? Pray?

Whatever your reaction might be, I seriously doubt it would be to continue reading YouVersion like nothing was happening. And yet, that is exactly the kind of casual attitude we can have toward Satan and the demonic forces.

For much of my life, I didn’t think or talk much about the demonic realm because I didn’t want to be one of “those people” who see demons in everything. But the Bible is very clear that evil forces exist, and that their goal is to steal, kill, and destroy our faith.

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 ESV)

I believe that one of the greatest schemes of the enemy is to keep us insecure. Think about it—if someone is totally secure in the perfect love of an almighty God, they become fearless. The opinions of others don’t sway them. The coming judgment day doesn’t scare them. But when the enemy successfully inspires doubt regarding those truths, he uses it to cripple us, often to devastating effect. This isn’t just what Satan does; it’s who he is (John 8:44; 10:10; 1 John 3:12; Revelation 12:12).

Our enemy is very real, and he is more active than any of us truly realize. We have to start recognizing that our doubt and insecurity are not random, they’re demonic. And we need to take up the weapons that have been given to us to fight this spiritual battle. You’ll read about them in today’s Bible Reference scriptures.

Prayer: “God, make me more aware of the spiritual dangers around me, and equip me to stand firm in You.”