One of the toughest parts of an active and effective Christian life is facing spiritual battles.

Our faith grows as we learn more of God’s Word, increase our prayer life and serve others.  We draw near to Him through bible studies and church fellowship. We seek to imitate Jesus’s life by going out in the world to  . . . seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) . Knowing God more intimately causes us to change from the inside out. Our nature becomes more like His.

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”   2 Peter 1:4

Just when we are closest to God and seeing fruit in our lives . . . . wham! We get knocked down, we are blindsided. We have become a threat to Satan, and he is going to try to take us down!

Satan has many tools in his toolbox. He rubs salt on old wounds, whispers lies to us, shoots arrows of shame, deceives us, and confuses our thoughts.

The enemy knows how to push my buttons, and he knows how to push yours. He knows where he can get a foothold in our lives. He knows how he can be most effective with each one of us. He is cunning and subtle and ruthless.

Attacks from Satan will are more likely to come when we have a good relationship with God and we are doing the work of advancing His Kingdom on earth. Satan abhors the Kingdom of God. He will try anything he can to destroy it. Thank God he never will!

However, when we are wrapped up in ourselves, Satan won’t give us a second thought. Pride and ministry cannot dwell in the same place. When we are consumed with our own lives, our jobs and our families, we tend not to make time for ministry. If we are uninterested in advancing God’s Kingdom, than we aren’t a threat to Satan.

If God is our number one, than advancing His Kingdom is a central part of our lives.

Separating us from the love and grace of our God and Father is Satan’s mission. He may try to take your kids, your marriage, and your joy to accomplish this.  But make no mistake, he wants to destroy your faith! If he can take that from you, his work is done.

Ultimately, Satan wants to destroy our faith!

Brothers and sisters, it is time to FIGHT!  It is time to take a STAND!

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness”  Ephesians 6:13-14

One of Jennifer Connelly’s first movies, if not her first, was The Labyrinth in 1986.  In this movie, a 15-year-old girl wishes her baby brother away to the goblin king (David Bowie).

She finds herself in a fantastical world filled with strange creatures and dangerous riddles. To save her brother, she must find her way through the labyrinth to get to the castle before midnight or her baby brother becomes a goblin forever.

“Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city,” she says. “My will is as strong as yours.”

The goblin king has a spell over her throughout the journey. When they are finally face to face, the king offers the girl her dreams and everything she wants. “just let me rule you,” he says. All of the sudden it hits her. She remembers the words to break the spell and says,

“You have no power over me!”

“You have no power over me!”

“YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!”

At those words the spell is broken, the creatures and the strange world dissolves into a vapor and the girl is free of the goblin king. She finds herself back in her house and the baby is saved.

As I was thinking about the spiritual battles in my life, this scene popped in my head.  When Satan lines up his forces against us, we have the authority in Jesus’s name to say, “Satan, you have no power over me!”

And, don’t say it . . . . shout it!!!

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”    James 4:7

Sometimes we are called to be warriors.  Sometimes we have to fight.  There is a time for everything . . . a time for war and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3:8).

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”  Ephesians 6:16-17

In the name of Jesus, you have no power over me!

Spiritual warfare is very real. But praise God that He has given us everything we need to be victorious! He has already won!

We were redeemed when we breathed in the Holy Spirit and became a follower of Christ. And that is all there is to it! No longer does Satan have dominion over us.

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,”   Colossians 1:13

He has given us power and authority. What have we to fear?

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Luke 10:19

Let’s not be blindsided when the fiery arrows start to fly. Let’s rejoice in sharing the sufferings of Christ! Let’s give thanks when we are a threat to the evil one!

When you feel Satan messing with you, just remember that you are on the winning team. Remember that you are a child of the Creator God. And, remember that authority has been given to you in Jesus’s name.

“at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord”   Philippians 2:10-11

So, get in his face, and tell Satan where to go!