Rise Of The Servant KingsSample

A Duel for Your Heart

A good king fights with passion to keep his enemy from taking territory. Many Christians are under constant attack by our enemy—Satan—but have no idea of the battle they’re in. They think their lack of joy, broken relationships, and failures in life originate with them, when in reality their troubles are because they are following the voice of the enemy of their souls but are completely unaware of it. 

Sometimes we get the idea of an equal duel between good and evil happening in the heavens. This is not the case. Satan was defeated and cast out! The only duel now is for your heart and mine.

Satan can’t touch God, so he attacks His children. He does this by exploiting the Fall. He does it by appealing to the prideful nature in each of us. Satan seeks to push our flesh in its natural direction, toward hatred of one another, nature, ourselves, and God. Satan hates you, he hates your family, and he hates the church. 

When we create unity among others, even at the expense of our own ambition, when we authentically build others up, and when we serve, we display the Spirit of God. When we gossip, slander, act out of jealousy, and create division, we show that we’re following the voice of Satan, acting as enemies of our Savior and Creator. 

But Satan is a liar. His power comes through appealing to our pride and our flesh. If we’re surrendered to God, Satan has no hold on us because our lives will be shielded by the armor of God. We want to know who he is and what his schemes are so that we can recognize when he is deceiving us or others. We too often engage the lie rather than the liar. 

Life according to the flesh, which is under perpetual harassment by Satan and his lies, always brings pride, discord, and division. Life according to the Spirit always brings humility, peace, and unity. 

Now we see the immense responsibility that God has given to each of us. We must humble ourselves so that we can fight. Once we know what is wrong with us and who our enemy is, we are ready to become the men God has called us to be. 

In what situations are you most tempted to believe Satan’s lies about who you are?