Stand Up to The Enemy, Stand Up for Jesus

Do we know Family, that the enemy is a coward? Do we realize that the enemy is powerless? We understand that the enemy doesn’t like to be challenged, right?

I hope we do. Because we have to get to that stage in our spiritual lives where we can watch the devil fretting, fussing, foaming, and fighting, roaring like a lion, roaming to and fro, and be able to stand firm and unbothered, and rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

My both hands are up here and I solicit your prayers in this area of my life.

Family, as I encourage myself, I trust that I will encourage you as well. We have to receive the power of God as we face the challenges of life and be determined to win. Because we can win. In fact, the battle has already been won. 

See the enemy would like us to be getting depressed and feeling defeated. That’s his job. But we cannot let the enemy get under our sin. Stand firm. But be aware: When we shun him, he gets ever more mad.

One thing we must understand Family, is that wasting time in the enemy’s camp will not do us any good. But we have to be on guard, “lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV.

Some people say some Christians talk too much about the enemy. I agree. But you see when you know what you’re up against, it puts you in a better position to, catch this, resist, rebuke, restrain and recharge.

So who or what is the enemy?  

1 Peter 5:8 NLT “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

John 10:10 NIV “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Revelation 12:9 NIV “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

Ephesians 6:11-12 NLT “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” 

So the Bible identifies multiple layers of the enemy, the devil, thief, dragon. There’s also another layer - S I N sin. 

To be clear, I’m not here talking about a person. But while we don’t see the devil, it is also clear that he manifests in humans as we yield to temptation as we sin.

Family, anything that separates us from God is the enemy. It could be our self righteousness, stubbornness, or selfish attitudes.

John 8:44 NLT “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Romans 7:18-19 NLT “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

We have to also be on guard Family about the world and its corrupt systems that lead us away from God.

1 John 2:15-16 NLT “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”

James 4:4 NKJV “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

As we continue to explore what we are up against as far as the enemy is concerned, we look at the final one - death. And this is the last enemy to be destroyed, according to 1 Corinthians 15:26

Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Amidst all of this Family, there’s some really good news. None of us has to succumb to the enemy in any of its forms. The enemy’s power is limited and he is ultimately powerless. 

As believers, through Christ Jesus, we have authority over the enemy.  Victory is possible over all of these enemies.  But we need to stand up for Jesus and be confident in this: 

One day, Jesus will disarm the enemy and his imps, Colossians 2:15.

Through Jesus’ sacrifice and the testimony of us as believers, we will overcome and the enemy will ultimately be defeated. Revelation 12:10-11.

As believers, once we are submitted to God, we have the authority to cause the enemy to flee. James 4:7. 

We know that with God on our side we don’t have to fear what man can do to us. 1 John 4:4 NKJV says “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Luke 10:19 reminds us that we have power over the enemy. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Heading over to the book of Revelations, chapter 20 verses 7-10, MSG, we read of the devil’s ultimate defeat - “When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He’ll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong. They’ll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God’s holy people, the Beloved City. They’ll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.” 

Today, knowing what we know, we are encouraged to stand up to the devil and stand up for Jesus.

Remember that the enemy knows our weakness and he will use that to cause us to fall back into our old sinful ways. 

So here’s a strategy I’ve been advised to use: when  the battles come, pray and move on. Don’t let the enemy get under your skin. Stand your ground. Stand up to the enemy and let the light of Jesus Christ shine through.

The enemy is all around us, manifesting himself in our family members, in our friends, in our neighbours, even in us, if we let him.

The encouragement for me and hopefully someone else here today is, let us stand firm in our faith, knowing that victory belongs to us through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 59:19 NKJV “So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”

Let us go forth rejoicing today, that all of these enemies are defeated or overcome through Jesus Christ. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus provides victory over Satan, sin, and death, giving every believer hope and the ability to overcome through faith in Him.

aub - 9Sept24

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