Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Pet. 5:8
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Luke 4:13
He (the devil) is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” Rev. 12:12
In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Eph. 4:26-27
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 1 Jn. 3:8
Dear Lord Jesus, yet again I found myself naïve to the battle—forgetful of the war that’s being waged daily against us, your beloved people. Having lost us for eternity, the devil will do anything in his power to tempt us, seduce us then condemn us; to lie about God to us, and lie about us to God; in essence, he will do anything he can to rob you of glory and rob us of the gospel.
How comforting it is to remember that the reason you can into the world was to destroy the works of the devil, and you have succeeded! By your death on the cross, you crushed his head and sealed his fate. There is a Day coming with our already defeated foe will be our fully eradicated foe. Hasten that Day, Lord Jesus, when we will no longer be tempted to sin, or even capable of sinning! Hasten that Day, when evil will be no more—only the good, true and beautiful of your kingdom will remain—when everything sad will come untrue; when all things will be put right and made new!!!
Jesus, until that Day, keep us wise to the schemes of the devil (2 Cor. 2:11). He hates our relationships—our marriages, our families, your church. He’s the invisible intruder, masquerading as an angel of light—so subtle and capable of convincing us he doesn’t exist; so skilled at convincing us other people are our biggest problem in life; so ruthless is trying to convince us God is neither good, faithful or enough.
But the prowling lion—who desires to devour us, is no match for you—the triumphant Lion who delights to deliver us! What an awesome and loving, mighty and merciful Savior you are, Lord Jesus. You are our righteousness before God and our peace for this day.
We choose, right now, to fix our gaze on you—the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). We choose to set our minds, hearts and affections on things above—for we have died and our lives are now safely hidden in you (Col. 3:1-4). We choose to submit ourselves to God, right now; and resist the devil, knowing, therefore, he must flee from us (James 4:7). So very Amen we pray, in your loving and triumphant name.
