“…though we walk in the flesh, we do not WAR according to the flesh. For the WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE are not carnal but MIGHTY IN GOD for PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS (ochurōma: an opposing fortification of error), CASTING DOWN ARGUMENTS and every HIGH THING that exalts itself AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, bringing every thought INTO CAPTIVITY to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corin. 10:3-5) First of all, does the devil really exist? According to Barna research a MINORITY of Christians indicated that they really believe SATAN IS A REAL ENEMY(26%) So, when we exam this scripture inspired by God, who it is “…IMPOSSIBLE for Him to lie.” (Heb. 6:18). If we DO NOT BELIEVE in a literal devil he has WON the battle of our minds, that’s why suicide is the SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH for ages 15 to 44, in the US, according to the National Network of Depression Centers.
We are in a WAR with the enemy of our souls “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (katapinō: to swallow up, destroy).” (1 Peter 5:8) As Satan did to Eve when he put a thought in her mind (Gen. 3) about God really saying “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” he told her, she would not die, and that God lied to her. Then he told her “you’ll become like God if you eat.” Eve believed these lies, partook of what God had forbidden and Adam and Eve died and mankind fell into sin!!!
We need to battle these thoughts like Jesus taught us when He battled with the devil, when he “…came to Jesus and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “IT IS WRITTEN: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on EVERY WORD that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matt. 4:3-4) THREE TIMES THE DEVIL TEMPTED AND THREE TIME JESUS FOUGHT BACK WITH THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON IN EXISTENCE, THE WORD OF GOD! The scripture, our Bibles, is our “Sword of the Spirit” and every word is “…LIVING and POWERFUL, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” (Heb. 4:12)
-Bill Stockham