Spiritual Warfare—Reminders [A]
The devil’s strategy in spiritual warfare is deception. There is no Christian who has not fallen victim of Satan’s master-minded tricks in this warfare. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places according to Ephesians 6:12. Let us remind ourselves of important facts concerning spiritual warfare:

1. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Be on the alert! Satan does not play fair. He looks for what to steal, kill, and destroy. He will work to destroy your testimony. He will accomplish this by luring you to fall for his baits as he capitalizes on your appetites all the while offering what you cannot resist. If you give him a chance, he will enslave you.
Satan will use the people you least expect like friends, colleagues, or those who hate you to mar your testimony. They may gossip and spread false information making it hard for you to stand boldly for your faith.
Beware, Satan works to steal God’s Word from your heart as he plants doubts that weaken your faith. See what Christ told His disciples as He interpreted the parable of the sower.
“When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:19-23).

God’s Word is your deadly divine weapon with which you will dispel the flaming darts of the evil one. When Satan robs you of the truth of God’s Word by counteracting it with lies, this decreases your faith. It deprives and disarms you of essential weapons with which to fight. “Wordless” Christians are Satan’s delight. Satan has been around longer than you and I and he is smart at his game. Get some weapon in your hand and fight the enemy. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Soak in the Word of God. You will be steadied to fight spiritual battles even without your knowing.
What has been your experience on this subject? Share and encourage those undergoing similar battles in life.