Hidden Costs

Financial loans, mortgages, insurances; the fine print must be adhered to as there are always hidden costs. Loans promise financial freedom while calculating the interest added on repayment. It’s no different in our spiritual worlds. Our arch enemy promises unlimited pleasure while stealing away our inner peace. Never forget Satan’s goal for every one of God’s children as Jesus warned in John 10:10 when He told us, The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy (NLT). He always seeks to steal our peace, kill our joy, and destroy all hope. By stark contrast, Jesus said in that same verse, My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. Jesus longs for us to be rich in joy and peace and to be sweetly satisfied with the plans and hope He designs for our futures.

The question then comes, “How do we maintain such peace and joy in the midst of Satan’s constant barrage of temptations?” Some, with all good intentions, make the mistake of concentrating on the enemy’s tactics, focusing on being aware of his tricks and deception. It sounds like a good plan. After all, the famous quote from the film, The Godfather, “Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer,” has permeated self-help books and has even landed in war rooms. This quote originates from the 5th century when Sun Tzu wrote in his, The Art of War, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” It’s a strategy that makes perfect sense in human warfare, but Jesus speaks about spiritual warfare. The game plan is quite different in the spiritual realm.

To fight Satan is futile in our own strength and reasoning. Satan is stronger than any of us, but he is never more powerful than God. Therefore, to maintain our peace, joy, and hope in the midst of strongest temptation, we don’t concentrate on Satan’s tactics; rather and most importantly, we heed the Holy Spirit’s inspired instruction found in James 4:8, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. There we have the simple but profound secret to success in overcoming the temptations of the enemy — purposely draw close to God.

Satan and his demonic forces quake when they see a child of God engaged in prayer, or praising the Lord for His goodness and blessing to us, or reading the Bible because, The Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). As it exposes what is weak and sinful in our lives, it allows us joyful opportunity to be cleansed in heart and mind; therefore, to be ready and strong to ward off any attack of the enemy.

Demonic attacks are daily upon; so is the power of the Holy Spirit as He reveals truth from God’s Word, and fills us with God’s power as the result of our praying. Engaging in God’s plans for spiritual warfare brings God’s own strength into our lives that wins every attack Satan can ever plan.