In 2018, I wrote a series of journal entries in which were my prayers to the Lord: "Teach me how to overcome sexual sin, show me how to be disciplined in Your Word, and do not leave me or take Your presence away." These statements all pointed to my inner battle with sin, the schemes of the enemy, and my faith all at play.
How do we as believers “fight back” against the schemes of the devil? Or better yet, how do we properly fight in this spiritual battle. We do so with the Word of God.
There is no greater or better weapon than the Word of God. This is proven in multiple instances with Jesus himself. For example, Jesus’ encounter with the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13) and Jesus’ confrontation with Peter during the last supper (Matthew 16:23).
Jesus relied solely on His knowledge of what the Word of God said. That is why He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mathew 4:4).
It is this mouth and this bread that reveal the weapon that will stand true. Yes, we have the truth of the Spirit, but the full power was manifested when God speaks, what He says, and when He declares what is true.
It is for this reason, I am reminded that my fight with sexual sin would have ended a long time ago, had I stayed in God's Word, not just speaking it, but applying it daily in my life. Today, I can confidently say that the Word is the only thing that has anchored me in loving God more than sin.
There is so much power in the word of God. Jesus proclaims in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
It is the Word of God that convicted me to follow Him and turn from my ways.
It is the Word that made my desires pure and renewed my mind.
It is the Word that sustains me when I had no one else to call on.
It is the Word that held me accountable to repentance.
It is the Word that called out fear and sent the enemy back to hell.
It is the Word that God spoke over Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to establish His covenant with us.
It was the Word in the beginning; the Word that was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through Him, and there is nothing that was made that did not come from Him.
In closing, David reveals one of the profoundest truths about the importance of God's Word in Psalm 119:11: "I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You."
In this battle with sin, and the enemy’s schemes, The Word stands alone. Nothing else will help us truly overcome.
Challenge:
I challenge you this week to memorize at least 1 verse from the Bible that can anchor you in any area of your life. Currently, I have memorized Psalm 100:1-3. The more you read and meditate on God's Word, the more it will be impressed upon your heart, helping you stand firm during tests and trials.
Prayer:
This week, I pray that the Lord will overwhelm you with His love. May His grace and mercy be sufficient to draw you closer to Him. May your desire to sin against God decrease as you read and speak His Word into your life. May you walk in praise and thanksgiving because you are overcome by the blood of the Lamb and have been given all authority to stand against the enemy. Let this be a sweet reminder as you walk the narrow path that God loved you even when you were a sinner and died for you that you may be free in Him. In Jesus' name, Amen.
