Lest Satan Should Get an Advantage

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Corinthians 2:11 

Spiritual warfare is more than a mere analysis of spiritual principles. It includes active participation in warfare by application of these strategies in life and ministry.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

Spiritual warfare is the analysis of and active participation in the invisible spiritual war. It includes study of the opposing forces of good and evil, the strategies of Satan, and spiritual strategies for overcoming the enemy.

One of the most effective strategies of Satan is to keep believers ignorant of his devices. Apostle Paul in speaking to those at Corinth in regards to unforgiveness, said it is important to know Satan's strategies...

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  2 Corinthians 2:11

We should learn all we can about Satan's strategies of attack. We must also understand the scriptural basis of victory over Satan and the forces of evil. We are called to intelligent combat. Basic to the understanding of spiritual warfare is this key principle:

You must recognize that all battles of life, 

whether physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, financial 

or with human personalities are only 

outward manifestations of a spiritual cause.

Although in the natural world problems may seem to occur through the circumstances of life, the basis of these natural battles is in the spirit world. The account of Job (chapters 1-2) confirms this principle.

The evils of this world have tried to be corrected through education, legislation, and improved environment. It has not worked in whole because the visible evils of the world are the results of an underlying spiritual cause. Thus they cannot be corrected by natural means.

In the natural world a king is the sovereign ruler of a kingdom. All the territory and people in the kingdom belong to him. He has the power of life and death over his subjects. The same is true in the spiritual world. You are either part of the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Satan. Either God or Satan has power over your life; there is no neutral ground.

One of the parables told by Jesus illustrates that all men are either part of the Kingdom of Satan or the Kingdom of God. Jesus compared the world to a field. The good seed in the field were children of the Kingdom of God. The bad seed, which resulted in the growth of tares (weeds), were children of the wicked one:

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the Kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.   Matthew 13:38

People enter the Kingdom of Satan through natural birth. The Bible teaches that all men are born in sin. This means that they have a basic sin nature or the "seed" of sin within. Their natural inclination is to do evil:

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Psalms 51:5

Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.  Romans 5:12

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

Because we are born with the basic sin nature, we have all at one time been part of the Kingdom of Satan. All who remain sinners remain part of the Kingdom of Satan which is where Satan desires to keep us.  He will do all within his power to keep you there; everything from deceit, to seduction to fear to sabotage to terror - whatever it takes.

But, the whole message of God's written Word, the Holy Bible, is the appeal to man to move from this evil Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God.   God calls us with truth and righteousness, with loving kindness and the promise of eternal life.  Men are born into the Kingdom of Satan through natural birth. They must be reborn into the Kingdom of God through spiritual birth. Entrance to the Kingdom of God is by new birth experience explained in John 3.

There are only two divisions in the invisible war. Jesus said, 

"He that is not with me is against me"  Luke 11:23

You cannot be neutral in this war!

You are on one side or the other in this spiritual war. Even some believers, because of their fear of confrontation with the enemy, try to ignore the war and form a truce with the enemy. They think if they ignore Satan, he will not bother them. This is one of Satan's main strategies. He tries to render members of God's army immobile by his terror tactics.

But there is no neutrality in this war. You are either a victim or victor. The spiritual "call to arms" has gone out...Are you on the side of good or of evil? Are you part of Satan's Kingdom or the Kingdom of God? To which kingdom do you belong? Are you a victim or a victor in the invisible war?

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