Anne Graham Lotz tells the story of a week when everything went wrong for her. She writes: ‘I was tempted to lose my temper, to worry instead of trust, and to neglect my prayer life. What looked like ordinary frustration…was something more sinister…Satan attacks our weakened defences in the mundane areas of our lives.’ The Bible says that immediately following the spiritual blessing He received at His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert ‘to be tempted by the devil’ (Matthew 4:1-11). There are important lessons here: 1) Don’t let your guard drop when something good happens. When God’s really blessed an area of our life, we’re full of joy and confidence – which is great. But we need to watch that this doesn’t turn into overconfidence, where we become almost blind to risks. We’re easier targets when we’re off guard. 2) Stay in God’s will. Have you ever thought, ‘This can’t be God’s will, it’s too hard’ and decided to give up? Even when you’re doing the right thing, you’re not immune. Jesus was in God’s will when the enemy attacked Him. When things look bleak, don’t ‘lean…on your own understanding’; that’s the time to ‘trust in the Lord with all your heart’ (Proverbs 3:5 NKJV). 3) Know the Bible. Every time Jesus was attacked He responded with, ‘It is written.’ God’s Word is called ‘the sword of the Spirit’ (Ephesians 6:17 NIV) because it’s our best weapon against evil (v. 16). Jesus used it to defeat Satan, and so can you.
What Now?
Read about the ‘full armour of God’ in Ephesians 6:13-18. As you read, visualise yourself putting on each piece of armour. Maybe even mime the actions.
