In case you haven’t already noticed or experienced it for yourself, here's a bit of wisdom I’ve gathered along my journey of faith in the Lord: The life of a Christian is not an easy one!
It’s not like we weren’t warned, however. Jesus said in John 15:18-19 “But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you. He also said in John 16:33, “…in this world you will have tribulation.” Jesus knew trouble would be part of the Christian experience from beginning to end. And how much more true on some days than others!
Compound human troubles with those created from the spiritual turmoil in darkness trying to influence, manipulate, convince, prompt, and lie to all of humanity and, well, time for an altar call! Jesus, anyone?
The spiritual powers at work are directly tied to the sin and darkness of humanity, so while it’s easy to look at someone and want to watch the earth open up and swallow them, the real fight is against Satan and his angels. Thank God He did not leave us alone to fight on our own! We have weapons and they are created specifically for fighting spiritual battles against spiritual enemies.
We wrestle not against flesh and blood (even if we want to).
You’ve probably read Ephesians 6:12: “For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
It’s so easy to look at the people coming against us and want to lash out at them, but it’s the demonic, spiritual forces at play in, around, and even through them that we must battle. Like 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” And because your enemy is fighting to the death, you must as well.
Battles hit us in many forms: Someone you love is on drugs or is an alcoholic. You lost your job. One of your kids or your spouse or your parent is gravely ill. You’ve been injured in a car accident. You have to make an impossible decision. You’ve been cheated on, or served with divorce papers. You have a devastating health diagnosis. Someone hates you, or has stabbed you in the back or is trying to constantly bring you down. You have a loved one heading off to war. There’s a domestic violence situation.
You feel helpless, hopeless, despairing, angry, hurt, afraid, desperate, sick, betrayed, unloved, frustrated, anxious, and worse. What do you do now?
The Word of God goes forth and does not return empty.
Remember, in the life of a Christian, the battle is always spiritual. At any moment, Satan seeks to do you harm. Job, the oldest book in the Bible, notes that Satan roams around the earth, up and down and all around. What do you think he’s doing? He’s looking for people he can devour so he can then use them to turn and devour you (1 Peter 5:8)!
As a follower of Jesus, you have absolutely no need to truly fear Satan. Satan traffics in darkness, so you stay in the light. When he tries to get to you, turn and fight using the weapons God gave you – His Word, worship, prayer and even other Christians!
One of the most powerful verses in the Bible is in Isaiah 55:11 which says, “…so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
In Jeremiah 1:12 the Lord says He watches over His Word to see it performed. Speak the Word over your situation! There is true power there! When we agree with God’s Word and refuse to speak against it or disagree with it, we speak faith into existence.
So, the fight of your life is raging in your face, what do you do? Speak the Word!
Here are five tips for using the Word of God to push back and win the war against Satan in your situation:
1. Use fighting words.
Satan hates you, and all of humanity, because you bear the image of God. Your very existence is an unending reminder that God is everywhere and that you are part of God’s winning strategy to destroy Satan. This is why he attacks Christians so violently – because if he can get you to stop fighting, his job is that much easier! Speak faith.
Read: Psalm 18 — This powerful Psalm is battle worship! This is the song of a man whose enemies were bearing down hard and his way out was to remind himself of the mighty, saving power of God and to cry out to His greatness. When you’re in a battle season, print it and read it aloud so Satan can hear it!
Personalize your declaration: “The Lord lives! And blessed be my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me and subdues the people under me; He delivers me from my enemies. You lift me up above those who rise up against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore, I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name.” (Psalm 18:46-49)
2. Own your truth.
One of the things Satan will go after in battle is your identity in Christ. He wants to convince you that you are something apart from what God created you to be, or disconnect you from God by getting you to doubt that He is who He says He is.
Read: Romans 8:31-39— Remember, God is who He said He is, and you are who He says you are. You were made to walk with Him, to overcome Satan, and to live a life of victory. It is possible to win, but you have to know who you are fighting, why you are fighting, and how to fight with the weapons you were given.
Personalize your declaration: “…in all these things [I am more than a conqueror] through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
3. Speak supernatural power statements.
It’s important while battling the enemy to speak strong words, God’s Word, because he’s not afraid of you, but he is afraid of God, who resides in you, and protects you. This is why we call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). He sends His angels to set up camp around you. (Psalm 34:17) and you’re never alone. (Hebrews 13:5-6) Hard times will come. Confusing times. Frustrating times. Times of fear and despair. You can’t control that, but you can control your response.
You are not a victim unless you choose to be. Satan will lie to you and try to convince you you’ve lost, and that it’s over, but if you will use the Word of God as your sword, and continue on in the fight without giving up, it’s not over until God says it’s over! For how long? As long as it takes to win!
“Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Read: Psalm 118:5-18 — This Psalm is victorious, powerful, declarative and filled with images of the victory of the Lord – for you! Customize this word for yourself or a loved one, and every time a demonic thought comes in, command it out, in Jesus’ name. Shout your Word to yourself, and the enemy, and to the Lord. Your faith is the first evidence of your miracle!
Personalize your declaration: The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord is valiant. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord is valiant.” I shall not die, but I shall live and declare the works of the Lord. (Psalm 118:15-18)
4. Know your enemy.
Satan likes people to think he’s a great mystery and that he can keep us on our toes by stirring up fear and doubt. Fear that maybe he really is all powerful. Doubt that God can defeat him. But remember he’s a liar!
Every, single thing that you ever think or speak that goes against even one word of God’s Word is a lie. God’s Word is the only source of truth in existence and if you have doubt in it, Satan has already gained more ground in the battle.
How can you identify the works of Satan? Know your Word! Go deep into the Word for your situation. The Holy Spirit will quicken His Word to you and it’ll be another weapon in the fight.
You have the power, authority and obligation to cast down imaginations and “every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” But you must be able to identify 1) what things constitute the “knowledge of God” and 2) what things are exalting themselves above that knowledge: imagination, fear, anger, doubt, trauma, bad memories, guilt, shame, unforgiveness, bitterness, worry and more.
Remember, If God didn’t give it to you to bless you, Satan is probably using it to hurt you. Cast it down, in Jesus’ name!
Read: Revelation 12:1-12 — Today, remind yourself (and Satan) of the ultimate fate he will suffer. The lie is that he cannot be defeated. The truth is, he already has been defeated. We tend to look around and see all hell breaking loose and we start to doubt God and believe Satan, and our natural experiences. Read this chapter and glimpse how it all will end. God will have the ultimate victory!
Personalize your declaration: Matthew 18:18 says, “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” And, Luke 10:19 says: “Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.” So declare it: Nothing by any means shall hurt me, I have power over the enemy!
5. Fight to the death.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:8, “If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle?” Let Satan know you’re coming for him! No more defensive positions. It’s time to attack! Remember the battles you’re in are spiritual. You can’t control the choices that other people make, but you can choose how you respond to them.
God will fight for, in, and through you in the battle for His victory. If He promised life and health and peace – and you’re walking in the light with Him – then those promises are yours and He’ll help you grab hold of them. Maybe the fight will be until your very last day on earth, but don’t give up! He is your deliverer. God’s Word is true and still in effect from now into eternity.
Read: 1 Timothy 6:11-12 — take up the challenge to “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.”
Personalize your declaration: declare Ephesians 6:10-13 over your fight, by saying “I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. I will put on the whole armor of God that I may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, I take up the whole armor of God that I may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
You are in a fight that can be won. John 10:10 reminds us that he wants “kill, steal and destroy,” but don’t believe the lie that he will win. God’s Word is the most powerful thing in heaven and on earth. Believe it, use it, and keep fighting. God has the victory!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages-kevron2001
