With an everlasting love, God loves you. He sent Jesus to die for you, to redeem you from eternal torment and spiritual death. The devil, our enemy, on the other hand, cares nothing about you. Because you are a child of the King, he hates you and wants to destroy you, if he can’t get you to turn on God (cf. John 10:10). Satan is only our enemy by association; his opponent is God the Father. Because he can’t be the Big Boss, large and in charge, then he goes after everything and everyone connected to God. This feud is like that of the Hatfields and McCoys; they’ve been feuding so long it’s been passed down through generations. Like the Arabs and Jews, this fight has been perpetuated for centuries.
In the case of God vs. satan, this on-going feud involves us, mankind. Satan knows he cannot win, he knows he cannot overthrow God, but he goes after that God loves most, His people, His creation. If satan can get us to turn against God, then he finds a way to hurt God. It is His will that none should perish but if we willfully follow after that which God has forbidden, denied, and forsaken, the we become doomed to the same fate. In this manner, satan scores his victory. You know it hurts to have your own turn against you. Imagine that…your daughter, your son, your spouse, your mother, your father, etc. It is an describable hurt that stays with you.
Now satan paints a pretty picture. He entices people with all sorts of things: fame, fortune, prestige, power, influence, etc. and people fall for it all the time. He is the ruler, spiritual authority, and principality of the air. He can make things difficult for you, but God has all power in His hand and God is the final authority. What the enemy meant for your bad, God can and will turn around for your good. Now on the flip side, since he is all those things, he can make things good for you, but it comes with a cost. You can enter into an alliance, an allegiance with the devil here on earth and have it good, but the sacrifice is your eternal soul which will be condemned to hell with satan and his followers. We know that hell was not made for man but for satan and the fallen angels (cf. Matthew 25:41). What God offers is so much better, His rewards are for the here and now and extend into eternity.
Get it in your head, the enemy does not like you and he doesn’t play fair. He is not going to give you a break, he’s only devising his next plan of attack against you. He goes away for a season to recoup from his whoopin’ but then he comes back with a vengeance. Understand he has demons assigned to you or your region. Satan can’t be in more than one place at a time; he is not omnipresent like God, he is not omniscient nor omnipotent like God. You only come up on his radar when God makes a fuss about you. This comes about in one of three ways: when souls are saved, there’s advancement of the Kingdom, and God personally points you out.
See when someone gives their life to Christ, the Bible tells us the angels rejoice in heaven. Now you know that is no quiet fanfare. If you are on a mission to advance the Kingdom of God, then you re-claim territory held by satan. His minions have to come back and report that to him and he wants to know who is taking the hill, taking back territory. Then there are those times when God just plain ole point you out to satan like He did Job. When God points you out to the devil, He is trying you. He wants to see if you will hold up under the fire or will you take down and give in. Many have endured great hardships and many have taken down for a lot less. God knows what’s in your heart, but do you? The trying and testing of your profession of faith shows you where you are.
Spiritual warfare is good for you. It may not be fun to go through or endure but it builds you up in the Spirit and teaches you to stand on God’s Word, if that is the route you take. The battle rages on and the question is being asked, “Who’s side are you on?” You have to fight to win but God has already assured the victory!
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