Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
–1 Peter 5:8
There’s a man who attends our church and played in the NFL for nine years. He was telling me one day about the importance of scouting the other team before you even begin practice for the upcoming game. He told me that everything about the week’s practice hinges on the report from the scouts.
In much the same way, everything we do to prepare for battle against our enemy should come from a biblically-informed scouting of his activities. From that, we’re able to discern how best to do battle against him.
As we begin our scouting report of the enemy, it’s important to first understand his overall strategy against believers in Jesus Christ: to devour them. Now that doesn’t mean he necessarily seeks to kill them physically. But if he can bring a believer to spiritual ruin by causing him or her to lose faith, then he’s accomplished his most important goal.
Because of what Jesus did on the cross, our enemy has been tethered. Yet even though he is restrained, we must never underestimate his power. But in Christ, the victory is already won if we’ll trust in Him!
THE ENEMY IS REAL AND WANTS TO CAUSE YOU SPIRITUAL RUIN. BUT YOU CAN OVERCOME HIM BECAUSE OF THE VICTORY JESUS HAS WON FOR YOU!
