We have often cultivated the misconception implying that we must always get into the ring against the devil when he invites us. I know that there will be cases where it could happen, but the better way to beat the enemy is through deliverance and protection.
Spiritually smart believers know that being constantly in 'punching fight with the enemy' could cause havoc and even time wasting.
There are few things we need to remember about the devil:
- He is been around for a long time.
- He was so powerful that Jesus had to die to eliminate his influence.
- He is called the 'Prince of this world' (John 14:30)
-If Satan has been tempting human since the garden of Eden, it also means that he has gathered a serious baggage of experience on human nature, therefore knowing what makes people tick into sin.
Based on the four conclusions mentioned above; 'would you really enjoy battling a guy like this every day of your life?'
If you think that I am preaching something 'anti-Biblical' ;it is because in your mindset, you have been brought up to believe that it is normal to be tempted at every seconds,or you probably think that the believer should always look out for demons at every street corners like a 'ghost buster', or you probably think that it is normal to be attacked through multiple distracting demonic attacks from the enemy'.
Well. if you think that way, I invite you to change your thinking.
Let's take a look at few verses that should change our mindsets when it comes to warfare:
1. In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus decides on teaching his followers how to pray. And remarkably in Matthew 6:13, Jesus says:
'And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
Have you noticed that Jesus commended us to ask for:
a) not being led into temptation
b) To be delivered from Satan.
Jesus never said :' Go and fight Satan and enjoy the boxing match'. Unfortunately, these are the words that many believers think He said.
When you pray, make sure that you ask God to lead you far from the devil and if you are entrapped in a demonic situation, then ask for deliverance. Because the best way to fight Satan is to stay out of the ring. The only person the devil is supposed to exchange punches with, is Jesus. But that boxing game already happened over 2000 years ago and Jesus won it already for you.
2. In 2 Thessalonians 3:2, the apostle Paul makes a request to his readers and he says:
'And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.'
Paul was spiritually astute and understood the principle of deliverance. Notice that he is not asking to be involved in a 'cage match' against evil people, but he is requesting for deliverance.
3. In 1 Chronicles 4:10, there is a man called Yabez who makes a wonderful prayer which received favor from God and this is how he prayed:
'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.'
I pray that prayer every day, and it has changed the outlook of my life in many ways. Yabez asked to be kept from harm ( poverty, wicked relationships, crooks, sickness....) or evil.
4. In Matthew 16:17-18, our spiritual attitude towards the devil is well defined by Jesus Himself. He said:
'In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.'
Now, tell me: 'Where is the word 'fight'?
'Casting out' demons in Jesus name does not require a boxing match. It's all about authority and command. You don't need to fight against someone whom you have authority upon.
5. Finally, many believers refer to the term 'fight' as a misunderstood word from the passage of 1 Timothy 6:12.
Let's briefly explain the passage to increase our understanding. This is what Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:11-12:
'But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.'
Let me explain to you what the Apostle Paul told Timothy:
a) Run from all these evil things:' Your time is so precious, that you should not dedicate it to evil. If you do, then who would give you your time back? Paul commend Timothy to run away rather than spending time in a boxing ring with those evil things.
b) Pursue Righteousness:' I explain plainly the concept of righteousness in my message titled 'the box of Righteousness' (click on the link to read it). Righteousness is your willingness and obedience to live according to the will of God for your life. The will of God for your life is also your true purpose on Earth.
c) Fight the good fight: ' If there is a good fight, it also means that there are wrong fights. Paul is telling us to run away from wrong fights which are distractions. The good fight is in the pursuit of Righteousness and godliness. Everything else constitutes a distraction.
Have you noticed how many irrelevant things try to catch your attention to the point of forgetting what God made you for?
Remember that I told you in my previous message that this year is called the year of the Righteous. A righteous person should be spiritually sound to understand the non-negotiable benefits of deliverance and protection. If you are constantly tempted, constantly distracted by the devil, constantly being slowed down by the enemy at every corner, constantly dating the wrong people, constantly meeting wrong business partners, constantly having clients trying to exploit you, constantly financially broke....then something is definitely wrong, because Jesus recommended that you pray for deliverance and protection.
You need to constantly pray for deliverance and protection that leads you away from poverty,debts,sickness, wars, abusers, ect...
Let us all say: 'Lord, keep me from evil and do not lead me into temptation'.