For some strange reason, we tend to downplay the enemy. He is a guy with a red suit and horns. We portray him as always in the dark kind of guy when, in reality, he is pretty active, getting you to lose your faith, your passion, your purpose.
That guy in red we like to imagine is the culprit of many of our situations. He will try his best to defeat you in the most subtle way. He knows what he is doing; he is not a fool. He fights us with a strategy. If we don't have a plan to fight back, he most likely wins the battle against you. Defeating you and making you lose your focus.
The enemy is not going to show up at night, pinched you with his fork, and fight you. He is fighting you daily in the little things. He knows that all he needs is to keep you out of focus. Keeping himself in the shadows, keeping you distracted, because is he does, he automatically has the upper hand.
Sometimes we blame external factors for the reason we feel lost and defeated. We blame our husband, our kids, our church, our coworkers, etc. But we never blame the guy behind the curtain, the one pulling strings, the guy with a strategy against you. He sits and watches how your chaotic life unfolds, enjoying how little he did to distract you.
The reason why the enemy is continuously “winning” against us is a terrifying one. We underestimate him. 1 Peter 5:8 says: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He is not playing, and you should not be playing either. To face the devil, we need a strategy. The best strategy is PRAYER!
Not a soft mumbled prayer. We need to pray with all authority; We need to be specific and stop the enemy’s attack. In the book, Fervent is a phrase that I loved: “Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth.” Prayer is so important that even Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. When we pray against the enemy, we need to have the mindset that we are stepping into the battlefield. We are in a war. It is a war to get back our joy, passion, happiness, and the things the enemy has taken from us. It would be best if you come fully equip to this battle. Once you step into his territory fully equipped, you will get what is yours back!
The enemy wants to rob you of those things that keep you going; your passion, focus, and your identity in Christ. He will use your family members to distract you, your past, your fears. He plays dirty, and you need to be aware and prepared. You need to get your prayer game strong; you need to be strategic; you need to be specific. Whatever area in your life, the enemy is messing with, pray against it with every ounce of power inside of you. Declare that the enemy releases the hold of your marriage, your self-esteem, your kids, your mind, that depression. You need to lift your voice high and loud and conquer the territory he has marked as his. We don't need to play nice when it comes to face your enemy. We need to position ourselves to victory.
Don't forget he has already been defeated. For that reason, he wants us to believe he is stronger than he is. Fire your passion daily. If he dims your passion for God, everything else will follow. Your prayer life will diminish, if not become inexistent. A life without the motor of prayer is useless against your enemy’s attack. No matter if your prayer is not loud and powerful all the time, keep praying. Every time you feel you're losing your passion, your focus, PRAY. Pray hard. Find a prayer buddy, pray together. Find your strength and fight back! Position yourself because the victory is already yours!
Ephesians 6:11 -17 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
