Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:6-10 ESV
Warrior;
This is war! There is a war going on OUT THERE and IN HERE. There is a battle in the world, between 2 Kingdoms. All humanity is involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan, God’s law vs the desires of the devil, God’s sovereignty over the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the devil and lusts of the world. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, the original morning star, Lucifer, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God’s adversary. Since that great fall, Satan led 1\3 of the angelic world into rebellion against God and His children. Lucifer introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world, and then he led Adam and Eve into sin. This battle plays out everyday in our social media, in our print media, in our politics, in our communities, in our families, as well as in our MINDS! There is a battle in our minds for which Kingdom we will follow and pursue. We must CHOOSE daily, which one we will serve and seek after. For a long time, many people could have one foot in each kingdom and go back and forth, however, that time has come to an end. “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Luke 16:13, Matthew 6:24) The Kingdom of darkness has the Devil as the Supreme Commander, versus, the Kingdom of Light which has Abba Father God as Supreme Commander! God is love! So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:16,8) However, the Devil; Lucifer, Satan, Beelzebub, the Prince of this world, the Prince of the power of the air- is a murderer. He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) John 10:10 makes the clearest comparison between God and the “accuser of the brethren”: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Leader, the GOOD NEWS is that the end has already been written, we know how this battle ends. When we turn to the book of Revelation, the ending, we know what the outcome is, it is PRE-SET, and it is CERTAIN! When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10) We must remember we fight FROM VICTORY, not FOR VICTORY. We fight FOR and TO, the glory of God! Satan is NOT the opposite of God, he is but a created being. Our enemy is very aware of our God and is very aware of what he can and cannot do- even in rebellion, the Devil is still under the authority of Almighty God! We are told to know thy enemy, and the devil and his minions know, our God! WE must remember of all those who encountered Jesus in the Bible the only ones who KNEW HIM and never doubted Him, were the DEMONS! You look at anytime that Jesus came into the presence of a demon, they called Him by name, and asked his permission to do anything. Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23-24, also see Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1-20; and Luke 8:26–39)
Conduit, James in the 4th chapter v 7 tells us the same thing that Peter is telling us; HUMBLE ourselves and then, RESIST the devil. In order to RESIST EVIL, we must know the strategy of EVIL to know HIS WILES, and HIS WAYS! “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” (2 Corinthians 11:3, see also Ephesians 6:11) To be effective in the battle with the enemy of our souls we must know what to do with the EVIL in this world, since good has become evil and EVIL HAS BECOME GOOD! “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20) John Piper in a sermon on this subject gave us 8 things to do with Evil! 1. Expect evil. “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). 2. Endure evil. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7; see also Mark 13:13).3. Give thanks for the refining effect of evil that comes against you. “Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 5:3–5). 4. Hate evil. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9). 5. Pray for escape from evil. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). 6. Expose evil. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). 7. Overcome evil with good. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).8. Resist evil. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7) Now, go out and FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional 