When the enemy strikes

I've been pondering this subject a lot the past couple of weeks because of a variety of situations I've been around. Today, in particular, has gotten to me. I was thinking on things when I came across one of our pastor's blogs and he mentioned a book that he had read called "When the Enemy Strikes" by Charles Stanley. I think I would really like to read this book just after reading the editorial review on Amazon. Here is what it had to say:

At some point every Christian will experience a satanic attack-a willful, determined assault by the Devil to harm our spirit, soul, or body. God wants Christians to be under His control, but the Enemy will do his best to destroy everything good in our lives. So the question is not how to avoid satanic attacks, but how to overcome them.

Satan is a very powerful adversary. However, God does not leave us to defend ourselves, and He wants us to understand His supernatural and unlimited ability to help us. Dr. Stanley will show readers how to achieve victory by:

1. Identifying the enemy
2. Dressing in the full armor of God and standing firm
3. Releasing God's energy, divine power, and protection through prayer
4. Sensing the fore warnings of Satan's attacks on finances, family, relationships, or health

Spiritual warfare is fought every day on the battlefield of your mind. The Adversary knows that if he can direct your thinking, it's only a matter of time before you're vulnerable to the allure of sin. Dr. Stanley teaches that to stand against Satan's attacks, you must meditate upon biblical principles and arm yourself with the sword of the spirit-God's Word.

Sometimes Satan just makes me so mad. I hesitate to even post this because I don't want anyone thinking I'm one of those crazy people that thinks every shadow is a demon - I don't. That said, I do think that at times we minimalize the spiritual battle that is going on unseen around us. That is exactly what the enemy wants. If we don't take his game seriously, then he can sneak in an do even more damage.

I've seen the damage that Satan can cause in lives this week and it has me mad. I have several friends who are under serious attack and they are struggling. Personally this has been a hard fought two weeks for me. I don't think that there has been a couple of weeks where I felt so directly under attack as I have lately. I'd like to be able to tell you that I was responding the way that God would have me. I would like to tell you that I put on God's armor and stood firm against the devil. I didn't. I wallowed in it pretty good for a week. I won't go into details because my personal battle really isn't' the issue here.

After wallowing in it, I got mad. Mad at myself for not taking hold of the power that I have in Jesus to tell the devil to get the heck out. Mad at myself for giving into the same old temptations as I always do. Mad at the devil for so effectively deceiving my friends that they would also neglect to put on the full armor of God and fight back.

I don't have to live in defeat and neither do you. Satan has read the Book, he knows that he's going to lose. It's done. The power of sin in my life was finished when Jesus died on the cross and rose again. As a believer I don't have to be a slave to the devil and his schemes, I am free. SO ARE YOU.

Believe it.

Walk in it.

Tell Satan to take a hike.