[Deeply Rooted] Stand StrongSýnishorn

The Enemy’s Goal: Our Destruction

The 2020 thriller, The Invisible Man, follows a woman’s harrowing struggle against an abusive ex-partner who has somehow found a way to make himself invisible. The ex uses his invisibility to follow and torment the woman, and we see her struggle throughout the film to uncover her tormentor’s schemes, protect her life, and finally stop the invisible man for good. Of course, this is fiction, but the Christian’s struggle against Satan, the true invisible enemy, is very real.

That’s right - we have an enemy! An unseen adversary who works against us and aims towards our demise. He has many names—Satan, the devil, the accuser—but he has one goal: to destroy the people of God. We see in the first chapters of the Bible how the enemy came and tempted Adam and Eve. His deceptions caused them to sin and forfeit their place in Eden. From there, the domino effect of sin began, and sin’s sad effects are evident all around us today. Satan has not stopped working to tempt humanity away from God’s will and His purpose for our lives.

As Christians, we must know this so we can live aware and armed to face this enemy of our souls. If we can borrow from another movie, there is a famous quote from the modern classic, The Usual Suspects, warning us of one of Satan’s schemes: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn’t exist.” We can’t fall for this trick and live like there isn’t a real struggle for our lives and allegiance. Because Satan moves imperceptibly many people have turned him into a myth or a figment of religious imagination. But he is very real.

So, how should we live in light of this knowledge? Should we be afraid? Looking for our invisible enemy behind every door or under every rock? No, of course not. We are not called to fear or spiritual paranoia. We are called to live in the victory that Christ has secured for us. The Scriptures assure us of this victory and tell us that one day, this invisible enemy will be defeated once and for all. That’s how the story ends. In the meantime, what we need to do is to live aware—aware of the enemy’s existence and his schemes. Throughout this devotional, we’ll look more closely at Satan’s schemes, and arm ourselves with God’s truth to help us stand strong against whatever he brings.

Thought of the Day: I have a real enemy who works against me and seeks to tempt me away from the truth. But thank God, I have a real Savior in Jesus and victory in His name! Today, I will live aware, but not afraid, as I seek to follow God and remain in His will.