He can be Resisted! – Part 2

Last week we looked at the first way God has equipped us to resist the enemy: the armor of God. This week, we look at the remaining five of six tactics we can employ to stand strong.

1) The Armor of God

–See last week's article for this content!

2) Pray Without Ceasing

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Apostle Paul instructs believers to pray without ceasing. Prayer is a vital component of the Christian life, providing a means of communication and connection with God. Praying without ceasing means continually seeking God's guidance, wisdom, and strength in all areas of life. It’s an ongoing conversation with the One who is ultimately in control of all things.

"The battleground of this warfare is prayer. What I mean is this: that this battle is won on the ground of prayer, these forces are dealt with and defeated on the ground of prayer, and, that being so, the chief objective of the enemy is the prayer-life of the believer. That is the focal point of all the enemy's attention and strategy."

- T. Austin Sparks

Prayer can take many forms, including petition, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession. It can be done alone or with others, silently or out loud, and at any time or place. By making prayer a regular part of daily life, believers can cultivate a deeper relationship with God and experience the peace and joy that comes from trusting in Him.

3) Resist the devil 

Though we have touched on this previously, let’s refresh our minds. In James 4:7, believers are instructed to resist the devil, and he will flee from them. This requires an active effort to reject sin and temptation and instead choose to follow God's will. The devil is a real and powerful enemy, seeking to deceive and destroy those who follow Christ. Resisting him requires a firm commitment to obey God's commands and avoid anything that might lead to sin.

4) Renew Your Mind 

In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul instructs believers to not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This involves intentionally filling your mind with God's Word and focusing on His goodness. The world is full of distractions and temptations that can lead believers away from God's plan for their lives. Let’s face it, the news isn’t even remotely encouraging. Renewing the mind involves intentionally shifting focus away from these distractions and instead focusing on God's truth and promises.

5) Fill Yourself with the Word

In Psalm 119:11, the Psalmist declares, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Memorizing and meditating on Scripture is vital component of the Christian life. The Bible is God's word, and it provides guidance, wisdom, and encouragement for all believers. By committing Scripture to memory and meditating on it, believers can better understand God's will and overcome temptation.

Memorizing Scripture involves intentionally committing verses or passages to memory. This can be accomplished through repetition and even writing out verses. Once a verse is memorized it can be meditated upon.

Meditating on Scripture means intentionally focusing on a verse or passage and considering its meaning and relevance to one's life. This can be done through prayer, journaling, or simply reflecting on the verse throughout the day. By meditating on Scripture, believers can deepen their understanding of God's word which in turn gives extra ammunition to The Holy Spirit (refer to the sword of the Spirit previously).


6) Walk in the Spirit

In Galatians 5:16, the Apostle Paul instructs believers to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Walking in the Spirit is living a life guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit and aligned with God's will.

When walking in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), is demonstrated in and through us. These virtues are developed through a daily commitment to be led by God’s Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit also includes avoiding the works of the flesh, which include things like adultery, fornication, hatred, jealousy, and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21). By focusing on the Spirit and avoiding the works of the flesh, believers can resist satan's temptations.

In conclusion, these six concepts provide practical and daily ways for Christians to resist and overcome satan. By putting on the whole armor of God, praying without ceasing, resisting the devil, renewing the mind, memorizing and meditating on Scripture, and walking in the Spirit, believers can grow in their faith and experience victory over sin and temptation.

I hope this series has been an encouragement to you in your daily walk with Christ. Know that you have power over the enemy through Christ Jesus our Lord—we are victorious! Use these six tactics to walk in this victory as we await the day we see Jesus face-to-face.

Pray full and stay full,

Pastor Jeff