Living Life by Design

As a young Christian, I remember reading a book by C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters.” The book details conversations between demons. Although funny at times, reading the book made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was absolutely freighting and heightened my awareness of real demonic forces at work in our world today. They cannot be seen, but they wreak havoc in people’s lives, causing them to fall into temptation, moving evil people into positions of national power, manipulating people’s emotions, tearing them apart and destroying them.

The ‘enemies’ and ‘attacks’ we find in the Old Testament were often physical attacks, whereas in the New Testament they are usually spiritual attacks. But the outcome is the same – God promises to rescue us from all our enemies.

The apostle John writes in, 1 John 2 that we struggle against the enemy within – sin (v.12), the enemy around – the world (vv.16–17), and the enemy above – the devil (v.14). The good news is we have already been rescued from these enemies.

We have the Holy Spirit living within us to lead and guide us; ‘the anointing you received from him remains in you’ (v.27). The key is to immerse ourselves in Scripture (v.14), and in the fellowship of the church (v.19). This will protect and strengthen us. We must stay close to Jesus: ‘If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!’ (vv.24–25, MSG).

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus lives within you. 

Through him you have the victory.

In his great love for you and me, Jesus, the Son of Man, suffered as a representative of the entire human race, so that we could be rescued from all the spiritual forces of evil in the world.

Today, hold your head up! Be strong! Be confident, and walk in the victory THAT IS YOURS! 

Don’t forget to share the victory…