Not today, Satan…and probably not tomorrow either
Prepare yourself to read this novel of a ramble. The Adderall just isn’t doing it for me today.
Today, I have been repeating this in my mind: Not today, satan. Not. Today.
Do you ever have those days? Weeks? Months? Years? I think everyone goes through this in the walk with God, and most likely it’s not a one-time deal.
I feel like in the Christian community, spiritual warfare is a debatable conversation. Some believers say that it’s a true thing and that angels and demons do walk among the living, and some say that it’s all in your head and that it doesn’t happen. That, when it comes down to it, the only possible answer is free will.
I will be brutally honest, for the longest time, I didn’t think Spiritual Warfare was an actual thing. Raw moment I low-key thought it was a way to manipulate people to scare them into the faith. As I have grown and continue to grow in my faith, I am realizing not only is it real, but it’s happening often, and some people are more in tune with it, and others are not, which I mean is such a human thing because our minds are just wired differently.
Recently, I feel like I have been in a season of war. You might be like Oh, she’s just being dramatic and I will be the first to tell you I am feeling the dramatics today, but this…This is real. This is raw. This is hard. This sucks.
I have been working on my faith journey recently and finding who I am through Christ and how I want to truly live my life, being the Christian wife I am called to be, and one day raise little kingdom workers like we should as parents. But that does not come easily. That’s where the battle truly begins.
The enemy does not have a certain age, gender, career choice, relationship status, or economic status preference. What he wants is a body count. He wants you. He wants your soul and will do ANYTHING to take you down a path where Jesus is not your priority. He is ready to do whatever he can to take you away from the person who died for you.
If you’re relationships are going well, he will try and enter and create temptation or create a wedge between you and whoever he sees as a threat. If you are growing in your relationship with God, he will come in and try to tear you down limb from limb and make you question if God is truly there or if God honestly cares for you. The enemy will bring the thoughts into your head, like how could a God let XYZ happen to you in your life? How could the God I am told to praise take someone away, give you some type of medical illness, not save your job from being eliminated, or a whole host of different things?
God is not the storm. God is not creating the storm. God created you to be the palm tree in the hurricane that will bend but not break. You might bend to the point where you think this is it. This is your breaking point, BUT GOD created you to come back up, to stand firm. Faith is what you’re made of. Faith is the reason why you will bend but never break. You are firm in your faith (now that doesn’t mean doubt won’t creep into your head from time to time), and you know that no matter what the enemy and world will throw at you, God will ALWAYS have you. Even if you’re mad at Him. He will always have your back.
Now, this will probably ruffle some feathers, and just remember this is my personal opinion, but the saying “God will not give you more than you handle.” I personally think that is so far from being right. 1) He didn’t give it to you. The fallen world did. The enemy did. 2)I think the world will give you things that you absolutely can not handle, and that’s where you have to lean on God because He can.
I can’t. We can’t. He can. He will.
So, how do we fight this spiritual warfare? Prayer. Stay rooted in the word. Reach out to your people that God placed in your life. Do not isolate. (If you know me, you know I tend to do that pretty easily, but thankfully, my people love me and stick with me even in my silence.) I know this is easier said than done. If anyone gets how hard this is, it’s me. I promise you- I get it.
I want to leave you with what the Bible says about fighting the battle.
The Whole Armor of God
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV.
I am still learning how to suit up in God’s armor. Some battles I might show up with some but not all the things, but hey, some is better than none, and I can still fight the battle because what I lack, God sends others to you to help fight. You can’t see God in the flesh, but you see God in the people around you willing to fight the war with you.
The battle has already been won. The enemy feels like he deserves more than a participation ribbon. Don’t give him the trophy when he doesn’t even deserve the ribbon.
