[Unseen Battle] the Battle Is RealParaugs

Declaration

In 2010, my wife and I had been through a period of horrific spiritual warfare in our ministry and personal lives. It was out loud, in our faces, and attacking us in our home. We had seen the warfare play out starting years before. It would remain and then recede, but in 2008, it went into hyperdrive.

We saw things that I didn’t even know how to reconcile in my mind. Although I grew up in a credible denominational church, part of what I witnessed throughout this spiritual battle didn’t match my previous theological training. That alarmed me. As a pastor, I found I was learning on the job.

Ironically, we realized that we were spending so much time and attention on what the devil was doing that we had forgotten we were created and called to exalt the name of Jesus. And that Jesus is the name above every name.

Focusing on the devil is an error. Let me demystify this falsehood: Jesus and the devil are not two equal foes. They’re not identical. God created Satan or Lucifer. This truth led us in 2010; as we prayed through that spiritual battle, we finally said, “We just need to declare the goodness and the greatness of God.”

So, in 2010, the theme of our ministry became Declaration. That is what we did all of 2010. That did not stop the battle. The enemy was still there, still raging. But we dealt with what we had to deal with, and then we would immediately turn around and continue to exalt God. He holds the victory.

So, if you are reading this today and know you are under attack, be encouraged. I have been there. I have seen Jesus overpower the enemy. I had to learn how to stand firm and fully surrender to Jesus. I invite you to consider the truths in this plan to know how to do the same.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me victory over the enemy of my soul. Help my eyes focus on Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross. In His name, amen.