Protecting Ourselves From Our Spiritual Enemy

I usually think of my problems as either physical (pulled muscle, a virus, atrial fibrillation, etc.), psychological (worried, anxious, depressed, etc.), or relational (someone is mad at me, I am mad or disappointed with someone, etc.). Unless I am at church or Bible study, I seldom think that my problems are caused by spiritual forces. Yet the Bible is clear that I have an enemy, the devil, who is working to destroy my life (1 Peter 5:8, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”). 

The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot about how the devil works to destroy us. There are a couple passages where the Bible gives us som

e clues as to how the devil might work. In the book of Job, the devil is involved in physically destroying everything important to Job, including his health. The most disturbing part of this story is that Job doesn’t have a clue that it is the devil that is the root cause of his problems. In the Gospels, the devil is trying to destroy Jesus through temptation. When this temptation is shown in  Jesus movies, the devil is always pictured as having a physical form, but there is nothing in the text which indicates that the devil is physically present. The temptation of Jesus could have been psychological. In 2 Corinthians 11:14, the devil is described as someone who masquerades as an angel of light, which is confusing. 

When my problems are either physical, psychological, or relational, I can see a clear path to fixing the problem. I can see a doctor, a psychologist, or a relational coach. However, would any of these strategies work if it were the devil who was the cause of my problems? Could a doctor have helped with Job’s physical ailments? Would property insurance have been helpful to Job, or was he destined to experience financial loss because it was brought on by the devil? 

PROTECTING OURSELVES FROM THE DEVIL

Jesus was able to defeat the devil because he knew the scriptures and could accurately quote them. For over 25 years Bible memory has been a big part of my fight against the devil. I have a couple hundred Bible verses which I have memorized that I keep on 3×5 cards, and I review them often. Bible memory is not easy, but it is the best defense against the attacks of the devil. I would encourage all of you to do the work of memorizing the Bible and keep current on your review. The Topical Memory System  is a great start if you don’t have a good memory system. I began using the  Topical Memory System in 1976, and it was the best, and most demanding thing I have ever done. In the 70s you had to invest $7.00 and buy a kit. Now you can get free cards or an app for your phone. (See this website for details: Topical Memory System)

However, I have other defense strategies against my enemy. The devil is not more powerful than God, but if  the devil is like a lion, I might need more than just Bible verses. One of my defenses is daily habits. Over the years I have created habits of getting enough sleep, regular exercise, and a healthy diet. I do not view these habits as trivial, optional, or just part of maintaining my physical health, rather they are key in my spiritual struggle against the devil. A professor at my university used to say that the body and soul are so closely linked together that they catch each other’s diseases. I want to make sure I do everything I can to maintain my physical health. 

Another defense I have in my arsenal is reading. I am currently reading Reflections on the Existence of God by Richard E. Simmons III, and I’m re-reading Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. Reading reminds me of how I want to live and how our culture is constantly working against my spiritual health. Like my physical habits, reading doesn’t feel optional if I am going to successfully defend myself against my enemy. 

Finally, I have strong Christians friends that are in this fight with me. Last weekend Debbie and I were in Denver. For two days we just met with good friends and listened to their struggles as they listened to ours. These friends were not part of an exorcism, and we never talked about the devil. But I have the sense that as we were meeting there was a spiritual battle which was being waged.

THE MYSTERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL FIGHT 

I will continue to engage doctors, psychologists, and relational coaches. Many of my struggles are physical, emotional, or relational. However, I never want to forget that “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12).

We should also remember God’s description of Job, “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). Had Job lived in the 21st century I am sure he would have memorized scripture, read good books, and had a great church community; and yet he was still attacked by Satan. Jesus promised that in this world we will have trouble. Regardless of what we do there will be trouble. Sometimes that trouble is simply living in a fallen world. Sometimes that trouble comes from spiritual forces which we cannot see. Like Job, there is no way for us to know for sure how unseen spiritual forces are impacting our minds or our circumstances. What we can do is realize that there is an unseen reality, as well as a seen reality. We can build our defenses: physically, psychologically, relationally, and spiritually. We will always live in a fallen world where there will be trouble. I never want to forget that some of that trouble comes from spiritual forces.

This week, I pray that you carefully consider your defenses against our enemy, the devil. I pray that if you need to give attention to your spiritual life, you would take decisive action. It might save your very life.