RESIST
When Paul wrote to the Ephesian church he said “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” he continued, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.”
As followers of Christ we have a spiritual enemy with a mission to “kill, steal and destroy.” In order for us to stand resolutely in our faith we need to be strong in our relationship with the Lord and to be filled with the mighty power of His Holy Spirit.
Paul warns us not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices and exhorts us to put on the armor of God so that we may be equipped to resist every form of spiritual opposition we face.
Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. (Ephesians 6:13)
The belt of Truth – To keep us secure in Christ
The helmet of salvation – To protect our minds
The shield of faith – To extinguish the fiery arrows of the enemy
The breastplate of righteousness – To protect our hearts
The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God– To defeat the lies and work of the enemy
“Put all of these on so that you may successfully resist and stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.”
The good news is that when we know the authority that we have in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit the enemy will not be able to prevail against us.
Jesus said “I give you authority over all the power of the enemy”
James writes “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Paul exhorts us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests”
When Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days, his prayer was heard by God on the first day, but the Angel that was dispatched by God to visit Daniel was obstructed by a demon, “the Prince of Persia”, until the Archangel Michael came to his aid. (Daniel 10:11-13)
Prayer is an activity that the devil hates because he knows the power of the prayer of faith and he will do everything in his power to distract us, hinder us or obstruct our prayer.
So let’s pray and fast, putting on the armor of God, strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, praying in the Spirit with the authority we have in Jesus’ name, knowing that as we resist the devil he must and will flee.