May 30, 2005

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

--Ephesians 6:10-11

 

We are in a war. It is an invisible war, but very real. And it is dangerous and deadly. As believers, we must beware because all the artillery of hell is being unleashed against our world. We need to wake up.

 

There used to be a time in my life when I didn’t talk or think much about the devil. Now, it is certainly a mistake to be obsessed with him, but perhaps a greater mistake to ignore him. And you can watch some television programs today that even mock the devil, but let me tell you that he is no joke. He’s not the bad guy in a comic book. He is a real and evil being who is committed to the overthrow of the kingdom of God.

 

Don’t underestimate the power of the enemy. Certainly when you commit your life to Jesus, you’re going to come face-to-face with the devil more than before. God has called all Christians into the believer’s battle. And I’m concerned that many Christians today are more interested in playgrounds than in battlegrounds. Many Christian soldiers are AWOL and are not participating in the spiritual battle.

 

This is a call to arms against the wicked one and his army. There are occult groups practicing demon worship in your own city, and you need to be aware of it. The subtlest efforts of Satan are when he undermines and develops strategies against you. One of his strategies is to prevent and pervert the Word of God from taking effect and empowering people’s lives.

 

Don’t be deceived. Satan has always been involved in religion. He knows God personally for he served the Lord before he was thrown from heaven. And he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. He is trying everything he can to disrupt the truth of the Word of God, even by disguising himself in a clerical collar or in a minister’s suit. Christian, beware of Satan and his gang of demons. They are out to get you and they will stop at nothing.

 

Ask God to protect you today with His armor, so that you can stand against the enemy.

 

WHEN YOU PLAY WITH THE FIRES OF SATAN,

YOU ARE SURE TO GET BURNED.