by Joyce Meyer
I cannot stress enough the importance of thinking about these Scriptures and similar ones on a regular basis. Don’t miss even one day thinking and saying, “I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (see Eph. 6:10). Keep your mind renewed with the Word of God; otherwise, worldly thinking will slowly creep in and the devil will fill your mind with I can’t and I’m not thoughts.
We do not have the power to do whatever we want to do, but we do have the power to do what God wants us to do if we will only believe it.
Unless we are first strengthened with God’s power, it is useless to try to put on, let alone keep on, the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6:11–18.
Your Authority as a Believer
We not only have power through our union with Christ, but we also have been given the authority to use it. All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, and He has given it to us (see Matt. 28:18–20). We are not just waiting to get His power someday; it has been given to us, and we need to believe we have it.
God created us to be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (see Deut. 28:13). God created us to rule, not to be enslaved and ruled over. In the Garden of Eden, He gave Adam and Eve authority over the animals and the Garden, telling them to be fruitful and multiply and to tend the Garden. He also told them to subdue the earth (see Gen. 1:27–28).
When Jesus sent His disciples out to minister, He gave them the right to exercise power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases (see Luke 9:1). We can be assured that God will never send us out to do anything without giving us both the power and authority to do it.
Some of the words used to describe authority are dominance, jurisdiction, and control. Authority is also the right to give orders or make decisions, and it is a quality that gives a person confidence. God’s Word tells us that we already have and now possess this power and authority (see Luke 10:19), and we should behave as though we believe it.
For example, we should walk with our heads up, not hanging down. We should look directly at people when talking with them, and we should speak in a clear voice and not mumble. It is easy to spot someone who feels insignificant and weak; they have a certain demeanor about them that indicates a lack of confidence. But we can also recognize those who are confident, who know who they are, and who believe they can do what needs to be done in any situation.
We are God’s representatives in the earth and we should behave as such, especially when it comes to dealing with the devil and his demons. We are not to be fearful, lacking confidence, weak-minded, and doubtful. It is time to realize that we have power and authority.
Jesus told His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him, and then He commanded them to go and make disciples of all nations (see Matt. 28:18–20). The obvious inference in these verses is that He is transferring His authority to them so they can obey His instructions.
Paul writes that God the Father has put all things in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him supreme head of all things in the church, which is His body (see Eph. 1:22–23). Christ is the Head, and we believers are considered His body because we are the ones walking the earth and being the hands and feet of Jesus. We are doing in His name the work He began while He was here on Earth. If all things are under His feet, then they are under our feet because we are His body. The knowledge of these spiritual truths should give us a quiet yet powerful confidence that enables us to resist all opposition and do mighty things in Jesus’ name and for His glory.
Ask yourself how you feel and what you believe about these things you are reading. Are you confident, courageous, not easily defeated, determined, and bold? Are you strength-minded? Do you believe you can do all things through Christ who is your strength? Do you see yourself as someone with authority, someone who is the head and not the tail?
If you see yourself the way God sees you, each day can be an exciting adventure, even if your day is ordinary. As believers in Christ, with His power and authority, we can live ordinary life in an extraordinary way. The authority we have gives us the ability to have peace in the midst of the storm, joy in difficult circumstances, and certainty when everything around us is shaking.
I pray you will see yourself in a brand-new way. Hold your head up high and go through life expecting good things to happen to you and through you. Just one person who understands who they are in Christ can change the world for the better, and you can be one who does it. You are significant to God’s plan, and you have all the authority you need!
CHAPTER 12
The Importance of Watchfulness
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 ESV
A watchful person is someone who is alert and keeps an attentive eye on things. For example, a watchful driver quickly sees and stops for pedestrians crossing the street. A person who is watchful over his finances will not get into oppressive debt and end up not being able to pay his bills. As we walk through this world, it pays to be watchful in all areas, and it especially pays to watch out for the devil so he doesn’t slither into our lives and deceive us. There is almost no limit to the ways—both big and little—the devil conspires to ruin God’s work and attack His people. He desires and works hard to bring Christians into bondage and unhappiness.
John Bunyan’s book The Pilgrim’s Progress was published in 1678. Bunyan wrote it to help believers understand what they would face and know how to be watchful and overcome the enemy. This allegorical story about how Christians can make progress in their walk with God presents a clear picture of the wiles of the devil and depicts a man who has repented of his sin and received Christ as his Savior. But his troubles do not end there.
Teaching people that once they are saved their troubles are over is a huge mistake. I often tell people who accept Christ in my conferences that becoming a child of God does not mean they will never have any more problems. It does mean, however, that they will never have to fight their battles alone. I also tell them that their worst day with Jesus will be better than their best day ever was without Him.
A few great books similar to The Pilgrim’s Progress have been written on the subject of the soul’s conflict after salvation, but according to D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, most of them were written before 1880. This type of literature was characteristic of the Puritan era, but little has been produced since then—not nearly enough to equip Christians for the battle we are in. John Bunyan called it the “Holy War,” and Richard Sibbes called it the “Soul’s Conflict.” Today, we refer to it as “spiritual warfare.”
I have been greatly blessed personally by portions of a more recent book that has helped me, which is Watchman Nee’s The Spiritual Man, because it thoroughly deals with the subject of the soul and the conflict we experience as we mature in Christ.
We need writing and teaching on the wiles of the devil and especially about the ways he attempts to afflict believers. If we are forewarned, then we can be forearmed. If we understand how the enemy comes against us and if we know how to resist him, we can be ready to combat his attacks instead of taken by surprise and defeated. This is one reason I have written this book.
The Old Testament tells a story about how God led the children of Israel to the Promised Land by a much longer route than necessary.
So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.”
Exodus 13:17
I have always found this interesting, and I believe God is telling us through this story that we can expect opposition when we begin to take His promises personally. For this reason, God often has to lead us into all He has promised us through a long or difficult way. As a result we grow in the knowledge of who we are in Christ, realize that we do have authority over the enemy,
and learn how to recognize and resist his tactics.
Satan loves for us to be ignorant, and ignorance is all we are left with if we have no knowledge. People perish for a lack of knowledge (see Hosea 4:6), but God wants us well-informed. I urge you to search for information that will help prepare you to stand firm in battle and know that God will fight for you.
God knows that if we are fearful and turn back every time life becomes difficult, we will never possess what Jesus died to give us. So He works with us and teaches us to know our enemy and to be assured that he may come against us one way, but will flee from us seven ways (see Deut. 28:7). We need confidence in God, and that only comes as we experience His deliverance. Each time we have a problem and we trust God and see victory, we become a little bit stronger and Satan’s wiles affect us less the next time he attacks. I remind you again that we do not war against flesh and blood. Our war is not against people, or against our circumstances, but against Satan, the true source of all misery.
Live Carefully
Paul exhorts us to “walk carefully” (see Eph. 5:15), which means to live watchfully against temptation and evil. Other biblical phrases with meanings similar to that of watchful include “be alert,” “don’t sleep,” and “be on guard.” Numerous Scriptures instruct us to pay close attention to what is going on and that is because we have a formidable, crafty, deceptive enemy who has plans for our destruction. I am fond of Ephesians 5:15–17, and I believe we need to take time to look at it carefully.
Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.
At times we may become lazy or passive about our watchfulness, especially concerning spiritual things. Although we have learned spiritual truths, we must keep our knowledge fresh. This is why Paul encourages us to “stand fast therefore in the liberty” we have gained in Christ and not to be ensnared again in the “yoke of bondage” from which we have been set free (see Gal. 5:1 NKJV). His meaning is clear: We can gain freedom and be watchful for a period of time, but if we are not careful, we become sleepy or inactive and find ourselves in bondage once again.
For example, we know to be careful about our thoughts and words, yet at times we are tempted to think and speak in ways that are not in line with God’s Word because we do not realize that Satan is the source of such thoughts and words. I experience attacks on my mind just as everyone does, and I have prayed that the Holy Spirit will make me aware when thoughts from the devil enter my mind. When He does, if I am by myself I say, “No, Satan, you are a liar and I don’t receive that thought.” If I’m not in a place where I can speak aloud, I resist quietly and he goes away to wait for a time to try again.
We all wish we could get to the point where we do not have to deal with the devil, but that will not happen as long as we are on the earth. The enemy fought Jesus until the very end, and he will do the same with us. Resisting Satan doesn’t have to be hard work. I think we can actually learn to enjoy recognizing his wiles quickly, knowing we have authority and power to resist him.
I sleep very soundly at night, and sometimes our son comes to our house very late to use our exercise equipment. He has told me often, “I came in and did all kinds of things and you never even knew I was here. It’s a good thing I wasn’t a burglar because I could have carried off half the house and you wouldn’t have known it.”
That’s the way it is if we are not watchful against the enemy. He comes into our lives and robs us, and we don’t even recognize what is happening. We need to wake up and live more carefully.
As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote in The Christian Warfare, one of the greatest deficits of the church is teaching about the wiles and deception of the devil. He is our enemy, but God will fight our battles alongside us if we do our part. Some people would rather not hear about the devil, but that is a mistake. We don’t have to be excessive in our teaching and study in this area, but neither should we ignore it.
If we lack knowledge in this area, we will not be prepared when the enemy does attack. Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13 teaches us what happens when we are not well prepared. All ten virgins took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish (thoughtless, silly, and careless), and five were wise. The bridegroom was delayed, and they all fell asleep as they waited for him. When he did come and they awoke, the foolish virgins realized they had not brought any extra oil for their lamps. They had brought only enough oil for everything to go perfectly, according to their plan, and no more. They were like people who never plan for heavy traffic when they are going somewhere, and they frequently arrive late to their appointments.
The foolish virgins went to the wise virgins and asked for some of their oil, but the wise had to say no so they would not run out of oil themselves. How sad the foolish virgins must have been because they were not wise and watchful. They were too lazy to prepare properly and missed out on a blessing.
Lazy people often run to active people and want them to give them what they worked hard for, but that is not God’s way. We all have equal opportunity. God gives us what we need to work with, but if we won’t do the work, then we miss out.
The parable ends with these strong words of advice: “Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]” (Matt. 25:13).
This parable obviously refers to the return of our Lord and makes the point that we should stay active and be ready for His coming at all times. But we can also apply this principle to being watchful against the enemy: If we don’t stay prepared, he will sneak in and rob us of the good life Jesus purchased for us with His blood.
Watch and Pray
When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane preparing for the suffering He would soon endure, His disciples kept falling asleep. When Jesus found them sleeping, He said, “So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?” (Matt. 26:40). This seems sad, doesn’t it, that He was in one of the most difficult times of His life and His own disciples went to sleep?
Jesus said to them as He says to us:
“Keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
Satan was tempting Jesus to run from the suffering. Of course, Jesus did not want to go through the suffering He would soon endure. He asked that the cup of suffering be removed from Him if at all possible, but quickly added, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matt. 26:42).
Jesus knew that during temptation, He had to keep praying, and we must learn that also. As a matter of fact, I have formed a habit of praying regularly for God to strengthen me in areas I know are weaknesses for me. I name them and ask for strength because I don’t want to be caught off guard and let the enemy sneak up on me and take advantage of them. This, in addition to praying immediately anytime I feel I am being attacked, helps me win lots of battles, and I encourage you to do the same.
Some people believe Satan’s lie that the temptations they face are simply too strong for them to overcome, but that is not true according to God’s Word. It tells us that no temptation, no matter what it is or where it comes from, is one we cannot resist. God promises to always provide a way out if we trust in Him and lean on Him. No temptation is beyond our ability to resist, but God is faithful and He will always provide a way out (see 1 Cor. 10:13).
Don’t let the devil convince you that you cannot overcome addictions or temptation of any kind, because He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (see 1 John 4:4). If we believe we cannot
conquer a temptation, then we won’t be able to do it, but if we believe we can, then we are halfway to victory. After that, we need to remain steadfast, ask God if there is anything we should do, and, if so, then do it. Then we wait patiently for God to bring us victory. While we are waiting, we can be assured that He is working, even though we may not see or feel it.
In the garden just before His crucifixion, Jesus asked His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him because He knew prayer was the weapon He needed to use at that time. The reason Satan fights so hard against prayer is that prayer is the way to defeat him. Remember that God told Jehoshaphat He would fight his battle for him, but He also told him to take his place, which was one of prayer and worship (see 2 Chron. 20:15–22).
At the end of Paul’s discourse about the various pieces of armor God has supplied for us, which we are instructed to “put on,” he asked the Ephesians to pray for him that he might continue to speak boldly about the good news of salvation (see Eph. 6:11–19). I cannot imagine what kind of courage it took to preach the gospel in those days. Preachers were continually threatened with death and prison, often enduring beatings, hunger, and many other painful sufferings. Paul knew he needed the strength of the believers’ prayers in order to keep going. He was alert and always ready to pray anytime he felt he needed to, and he encouraged all those he taught to be the same way.
Don’t assume you are strong in an area just because you have been tested before and passed the test. Always know that your strength comes from the Lord, and He will supply all you need if you will only ask and keep on asking.
The Return of Christ
One of these days Christ will come for us. Our time on this earth will be up and it will be too late to get ready if we are not ready when He comes. We don’t want to be like the five foolish virgins who slept and didn’t do what they should have done when they should have done it.