Anyone that has been in the in the Christian race for some years would have discovered the militant nature of the average Christian. Every true Christian is fully aware of the on-going conflicts around us, physical, mental, and spiritual. We are confronted with contrary doctrines in our daily lives, we face diverse kinds of temptations, we are bombarded with many ungodly ideas and propositions; sometimes it could be vicious attacks from unknown people or aggression from neighbours. In addition to all these, we are constantly faced with attractive and seemingly profitable offers from the pit of hell to lure us into all kinds of sins. The devil is prowling around the world looking for Christians to destroy according to 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

The survival of a child of God therefore depends on his or her preparedness for battle and the ability to fight. We must be ever-ready so that nothing will catch us unawares. We cannot afford to slumber or sleep, we are meant to be spiritual watchmen and scouts, constantly looking out for bands of approaching enemies that may try to take us by surprise. This is why the above passage counsels us to be serious minded and vigilant, carefully monitoring every move of the enemy around us, and to be fully prepared to counter and completely neutralise his evil attacks. However, one of the most dangerous places to be in a conflict situation is at the back. Whenever you see somebody dropping back in a war situation, be sure that the fellow will soon be hit very hard. King David learnt this lesson in a hard way. I pray that you will never backslide into error and be caught in the snare of the devil in Jesus’ name.

In Matthew 16:18, the Lord Jesus declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church. These gates are the access points that the enemy may use to penetrate our lives. To permanently keep these gates shut, Colossians 3:5 counsels us to subdue the flesh and its worldly desires through discipline, and put it under control. If we fail to discipline ourselves, then it becomes easy for pride, sexual immorality, inordinate ambition, covetousness, and other forms of indiscipline to creep into our lives and give opportunity to the devil to butcher us. May the Lord deliver you from every evil plan against your life in Jesus’ name.

Finally, 1st John 3:8b says; “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of devil.” This instruction to fight becomes easy to carry out when we realise that Jesus Christ the Son of God came to this world for the sole purpose of destroying the works of the devil. I decree that every work of the devil in your life be destroyed now in Jesus’ name.