Revelation Day 35 - Our Battle
DAY 35
Our Battle
John 8:31-32
How do we fight the devil?
We’ve talked about our enemy and our champion. Before we talk about our battle, let’s review: 1) Our enemy rages on. 2) Our enemy's weapon is lies. 3) Our victory’s already won by the death and resurrection of Jesus. 4) We benefit from, or gain access to, his victory through our testimony.
“Testimony” in Revelation doesn’t mean your story of how you came to faith in Christ. “Testimony” in Revelation means your loyalty to Jesus even when it’s easier to be disloyal. It means surviving spiritual attack with your faith intact just like Jesus did before us.
How do we fight our enemy from a position of victory?
Satan’s weapon is lies - twisting the truth. He twists the truth about God and about us. We fight spiritual attack by confronting lies with truth.
There’s an interesting old book you’ve probably never heard of that takes this more seriously than I’ve ever seen it. Thomas Brooks, a Puritan pastor in the 1600s, wrote a book called Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. It’s a funny name but insightful and practical. You can get it free or cheap online. Brooks catalogs lies Satan tells Christians and then lists antidotes to all those lies. He teaches us how to fight from a position of victory in Christ by fighting lies with truth.
A few examples. One of Satan’s devices is “suggesting to the soul the greatness and vileness” of its sins. You think your sin is too big, too awful, that God can’t forgive you? Well, that’s a lie! Tell yourself, grace is greater than sin because Christ is greater than sin, and Christ died to free sinners like you!
Another device: present the bait and hide the hook (think of fishing). Feeling tempted? Something that you know is off limits looking really good? Remind yourself: the enemy shows you the shiny side of sin and hides the warning label. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is!
One more device: “To keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and so making their life a hell” by brooding over their own failures. But wait, aren’t we supposed to take sin seriously? Yes, but whoever thinks about their sin more than Christ will stay spiritually stuck. So do what the old hymn says: turn your eyes upon Jesus!
Our enemy’s weapon is lies and our weapon is truth. That boils down to telling yourself the truth about God and the truth about yourself in Jesus Christ. Don’t fight TO win. Fight FROM the win. As Jesus promised, "the truth shall set you free."
REFLECT
What lies are often tempted to think about God? Or about yourself? What’s the truth to answer those lies?
PRAY
Jesus, you are the truth. Remind me who you are and remind me who I am in you. Amen.
Our Battle
John 8:31-32
How do we fight the devil?
We’ve talked about our enemy and our champion. Before we talk about our battle, let’s review: 1) Our enemy rages on. 2) Our enemy's weapon is lies. 3) Our victory’s already won by the death and resurrection of Jesus. 4) We benefit from, or gain access to, his victory through our testimony.
“Testimony” in Revelation doesn’t mean your story of how you came to faith in Christ. “Testimony” in Revelation means your loyalty to Jesus even when it’s easier to be disloyal. It means surviving spiritual attack with your faith intact just like Jesus did before us.
How do we fight our enemy from a position of victory?
Satan’s weapon is lies - twisting the truth. He twists the truth about God and about us. We fight spiritual attack by confronting lies with truth.
There’s an interesting old book you’ve probably never heard of that takes this more seriously than I’ve ever seen it. Thomas Brooks, a Puritan pastor in the 1600s, wrote a book called Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. It’s a funny name but insightful and practical. You can get it free or cheap online. Brooks catalogs lies Satan tells Christians and then lists antidotes to all those lies. He teaches us how to fight from a position of victory in Christ by fighting lies with truth.
A few examples. One of Satan’s devices is “suggesting to the soul the greatness and vileness” of its sins. You think your sin is too big, too awful, that God can’t forgive you? Well, that’s a lie! Tell yourself, grace is greater than sin because Christ is greater than sin, and Christ died to free sinners like you!
Another device: present the bait and hide the hook (think of fishing). Feeling tempted? Something that you know is off limits looking really good? Remind yourself: the enemy shows you the shiny side of sin and hides the warning label. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is!
One more device: “To keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and so making their life a hell” by brooding over their own failures. But wait, aren’t we supposed to take sin seriously? Yes, but whoever thinks about their sin more than Christ will stay spiritually stuck. So do what the old hymn says: turn your eyes upon Jesus!
Our enemy’s weapon is lies and our weapon is truth. That boils down to telling yourself the truth about God and the truth about yourself in Jesus Christ. Don’t fight TO win. Fight FROM the win. As Jesus promised, "the truth shall set you free."
REFLECT
What lies are often tempted to think about God? Or about yourself? What’s the truth to answer those lies?
PRAY
Jesus, you are the truth. Remind me who you are and remind me who I am in you. Amen.
Posted in summer 2023
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