We are engaged in a mop-up effort to fight our vanquished foe, the devil, and despite his defeat, the battle has just begun for us as believers living on his turf. We must not remain ignorant of his deceitful schemes lest we are caught in his web. Note, nevertheless, our victory is assured, and we are fighting from the victory at the cross, not for victory--Satan's already in a no-win situation.
The tools of his trade are psychological warfare, mind-games, lies, propaganda, drugs, "education," and ignorance, et al. Satan knows our vulnerabilities and weaknesses and strikes at the most opportune time, often when we are on a spiritual high or in special need. He's always at work "seeking whom he may devour."
Our threefold enemy is the world-system, the carnal nature or flesh, and the devil and his legions. Note that our worst enemy is ourselves: "We have met the enemy, and he is us!" (This is quoted from the Pogo character by Walt Kelly.) We are also on Satan's hit list and are targets of his animosity and cruelty. What does Satan foster, but division, divisiveness, contention, and polarization? Remind you of someone? His main strategy is to divide and conquer, the opposite of the Spirit that unites us in Christ as one body.
The best strategy in warfare is to "know your enemy" according to Sun Tzu, in The Art of War. In warfare, the troops do not need to wonder why, but to do and die (from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade). There are casualties in every war, and that is why it's imperative to arm ourselves with the full armor of God--to fight a spiritual war with natural weapons is sure to defeat. The Word of God is our only offensive weapon and that is why it's important to stay in the Word and not to become negligent in the discipline. Job One is holding down the fort and taking back the turf that Satan has stolen as the god of this age, the prince of this world. Note that we are not to give the devil an opportunity or beachhead, and never to compromise with him. Our SOP (standard operating procedure) is to "watch and pray" that we enter not into temptation and to stay alert to his dirty tricks--remember, Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak [we're human and can fail in the flesh]."
One of the tactics he uses is to accuse us before the Father, but "there is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (cf. Romans 8:1). The only way to silence the devil is to fight with the Word just as Jesus did, saying, "It is written." Satan has no answer to it and must surrender or flee. We can rest assured that we are "more than conquerors" in Christ and our battle strategy is to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." We are never to forget that we are on the winning side and our victory is assured because "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (cf. 1 John 4:4).
However, we have two natures, and the one we feed or cater to is the one that wins over and dominates--therefore sow to the Spirit, not the flesh! In the final analysis, we are to "rejoice that our names are written in heaven" and not to get a big head or sense of insecurity or inferiority, as we fight the devil with God on our side--we're in a win-win situation in the end, and there's no losing proposition at all in Christ! Soli Deo Gloria!
The tools of his trade are psychological warfare, mind-games, lies, propaganda, drugs, "education," and ignorance, et al. Satan knows our vulnerabilities and weaknesses and strikes at the most opportune time, often when we are on a spiritual high or in special need. He's always at work "seeking whom he may devour."
Our threefold enemy is the world-system, the carnal nature or flesh, and the devil and his legions. Note that our worst enemy is ourselves: "We have met the enemy, and he is us!" (This is quoted from the Pogo character by Walt Kelly.) We are also on Satan's hit list and are targets of his animosity and cruelty. What does Satan foster, but division, divisiveness, contention, and polarization? Remind you of someone? His main strategy is to divide and conquer, the opposite of the Spirit that unites us in Christ as one body.
The best strategy in warfare is to "know your enemy" according to Sun Tzu, in The Art of War. In warfare, the troops do not need to wonder why, but to do and die (from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade). There are casualties in every war, and that is why it's imperative to arm ourselves with the full armor of God--to fight a spiritual war with natural weapons is sure to defeat. The Word of God is our only offensive weapon and that is why it's important to stay in the Word and not to become negligent in the discipline. Job One is holding down the fort and taking back the turf that Satan has stolen as the god of this age, the prince of this world. Note that we are not to give the devil an opportunity or beachhead, and never to compromise with him. Our SOP (standard operating procedure) is to "watch and pray" that we enter not into temptation and to stay alert to his dirty tricks--remember, Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak [we're human and can fail in the flesh]."
One of the tactics he uses is to accuse us before the Father, but "there is, therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (cf. Romans 8:1). The only way to silence the devil is to fight with the Word just as Jesus did, saying, "It is written." Satan has no answer to it and must surrender or flee. We can rest assured that we are "more than conquerors" in Christ and our battle strategy is to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." We are never to forget that we are on the winning side and our victory is assured because "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (cf. 1 John 4:4).
However, we have two natures, and the one we feed or cater to is the one that wins over and dominates--therefore sow to the Spirit, not the flesh! In the final analysis, we are to "rejoice that our names are written in heaven" and not to get a big head or sense of insecurity or inferiority, as we fight the devil with God on our side--we're in a win-win situation in the end, and there's no losing proposition at all in Christ! Soli Deo Gloria!