Page 12 - Cornerstone Connection Magazine - Volume 22 - Issue 6

Know Your Enemy, Win the War feeling guilty about something you’ve done, the ability to
have healthy relationships, or any of the other promises
The Bible teaches us about spiritual warfare and that we God gives us in His Word.
have an enemy, the devil. 1 Peter 5:9 says to resist the devil
and stand firm in our faith in God. And Ephesians 6 tells us Be Liberated by the Truth
about the armor of God that helps us overcome our strug-
gle “against the powers of this dark world and against the Our thoughts are so important, and that’s why I teach
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (v. 12 NIV). about the “battlefield of the mind.” We need to be more dili-
Some people deny the existence of the devil and of hell. gent to think about what we’re thinking about and choose
They don’t believe a loving God would really send anyone on purpose to think in ways that line up with God’s Word.
to a place of eternal torment. But the Bible teaches us that Jesus said, “If you abide in My word…you are truly My dis-
we do have an enemy, and there is a place called hell, so ciples. And you will know the truth…and the truth will set
we’re deceiving ourselves if we refuse to believe it. you free” (John 8:31-32 AMP).
The Bible also says that God is patient, “not wanting any- The key here is to “abide” in God’s Word. To abide means
one to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pe- to live and remain in it. As we spend time each day meditat-
ter 3:9). And John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world ing on Scripture, rolling it over and over in our minds, we
that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in will gain freedom from wrong mindsets and beliefs.
Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Here’s a practical way to apply this principle. The next
time you’re feeling discouraged or having a pity party, ask
The Truth About Our Enemy yourself, “What have I been thinking about?” You’ve likely
been mulling over thoughts about what people don’t do
An effective strategy to gain victory over any enemy is to for you, what you don’t like about yourself, what you don’t
know who he is and how he operates. The Bible has a lot to have…and on and on.
say about the devil. The solution to turning your attitude around is by think-
John 8:44 (NIV) says, “He was a murderer from the be- ing about God and what He says about you.
ginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he • Romans 5:8 says God loves you unconditionally, and
is a liar and the father of lies.” And 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you.
“be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” • Psalm 139:14 says that God created you by His own
Deception is the devil’s primary strategy to keep us from hand in your mother’s womb, and you are wonderful.
growing spiritually and fulfilling God’s purposes for our
lives. To be deceived simply means you believe a lie. This is • Ephesians 2:10 says you are “God’s handiwork, created
dangerous because if you believe a lie, then it will become in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared
your reality even though it isn’t true. For example, you can in advance” for you to do.
believe someone doesn’t like you and be upset about be-
ing rejected when the truth is they haven’t thought one bad • And Romans 8:37-39 says you are more than a conquer-
thing about you. or through Christ, and there is nothing that can separate
Everyone is affected to some degree by lies they believe. you from God’s love.
I used to believe I would be able to have a second-rate life
because my father had sexually abused me, and I was “dam- I want to encourage you to spend time studying these
aged goods.” If I hadn’t come to know the truth about God’s Scriptures, praying for God to help you get these truths
love for me and how He could heal and restore my soul, rooted in your heart. You can also get more encourag-
my life would be much different than it is today. I seriously ing teaching or submit a prayer request by contacting our
doubt I ever would have become a Bible teacher, who is ministry at www.joycemeyer.org. We love you and want to
helping others discover how they can know God and be- help. ✝
come everything He has created them to be in Christ.
We need to pray for God to reveal any deception in our
minds because every lie we believe represents something Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc.
the devil is stealing from us that God wants us to have. I’m She has authored nearly 100 books, including Battlefield of the Mind and Making Good Habits,
Breaking Bad Habits (Hachette). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs,
talking about real peace and joy, freedom from constantly which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.
12 Volume 22 • Issue 6