Proverbs 4:23
Introduction
The Bible instructs every believer to keep or guard his or her spirit, for out of it flows the issues of life. But what do we guard against? What or who is the real enemy? How can they alter or damage the issues of life that flow from our spirit?
I know that most of you will say that we are to guard against the devil and his attacks, and you would be right. But how does the devil attack us? What power does he have over us? What does he use to defeat us or put us in bondage? These are all good questions and I will answer them as we go on with the article. However, let me remind you that keeping or guarding your spirit is vital to your peace, prosperity and power to live a Christian life.
Jesus defeated Satan
Let’s talk first about Power. Who holds the power in this world? The scriptures say that Jesus defeated Satan and his entire crowd through the shedding of His own blood on the cross, as a penalty for sin. It also says that He, Jesus, made an open show of the devil, triumphing over him in all things. The power is in the blood. Satan is a defeated foe…so how can he have power over you?
The world is full of defeated people and many of them are Christian. They do not understand how evil works to defeat them…so they fall prey to the wilds, or tricks, of the devil. It is true that Jesus defeated Satan and holds all the power. It is true that Jesus has given us authority, in His name, to walk in His victory. The problem is, most of us, when we try to do that find it stressful, difficult and often just impossible.
Power is in the Will of the individual. You have the power in you, if you are a true Christian, because Christ lives in you. You decide what you will allow and not. Each decision determines the flow of life from your spirit and the victory you enjoy. Because your will is the key factor in defeat or victory, Satan must attack you there, where it counts the most. He has no power of his own. He has to steal yours.
Satanic weapons
Lets discuss satanic weapons. His primary weapon is lies. Jesus said he was a liar that there was no truth in him and that he comes only to steal, kill and destroy. He does that by deceiving you so you believe the lie. He will tell you things like:
- You are worthless
- You are ugly
- You are stupid
- You’re the type that, (Fill in the blank)
He can easily enter your mind and plant thoughts and ideas that are not yours. His suggestions and questions are meant to reinforce a particular lie or lies that he has planted in your mind. The purpose is so you will believe the lie and act upon it as a lifestyle, thus doing what he wants instead of what God wants. The lie is the only way he gains an advantage and retains power over your will…because you believe it. The lie is the weapon of choice for all demons.
Fear is a by-product of a lie. It is the result of believing the lie. You know, it takes just as much faith to believe the lie as it does the truth. If you are not hearing from God, you never will know the truth and will always live out the lie. One may be afraid to fly because Satan has said, “What if the plain crashes”. That same one says, “Yeah, that could happen, so I better not ever fly.” The faith is based upon a conscious belief that the plane will or might crash. He has believed the lie and now sits in fear and is tormented, deprived and oppressed for the rest of his life or until he realizes the truth and goes ahead and buys a ticket to fly, just to prove that evil voice wrong.
Knowing God’s voice
Knowing God’s voice is key and that only comes with listening as you read His Bible. The scriptures bring us truth, upon which we rely by believing and we use them as a weapon against Satan’s lies. When he says we are unworthy, we say we are accepted in the beloved. When he tells us to steel, we say, “Thou Shalt Not” Our faith is really a demonstration of what we believe. Because we believe in a thing, we rely upon it and it becomes a lifestyle. This is the essence of the Christian walk and it can only come to us by the scriptures. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
Satan has no authority over you except the power you give him through believing what he has spoken into your mind. That thought or question can come directly to you or through a person, even a family member. It’s up to you to evaluate it and cast it down, rejecting its implications.
Own up to a fault
The real enemy is You. It’s not appropriate to say, “The devil made me do it”. We understand that no one can be to blame for our actions but us. It’s our free will that got us where we are today. We believe and thus act upon it and need now to stand up and admit that we are fat because we ate too much; that we are in prison because we did something wrong; etc. Our choice is at fault and each choice has a consequence.
When was the last time you owned up to a fault? When you realize that you are deceived because you didn’t know God’s Word and had no foundation to stand on, you will strive to learn all you can so it will not happen again.
Here are a few good tips
- Open your Bible and discover God.
- Study His Word and hold it dear to your heart.
- Call upon Him in times of confusion or decision-making for a divine revelation.
- Hold every thought to the light of what God’s Word says.
- Cast out everything that is not in line with God’s Word. Do not entertain it.
These things will help you in the process of keeping or guarding your spirit. Remember! 1Peter 5:8 says, “Satan, like a roaring lion, roams the earth, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfastly in the faith.” Keep your spirit and you’ll keep your issues of life.
Until next time
Rev. John Marinelli