So often when life throws difficult times at me, my first thought is to blame a person, the situation, or God. Whether it is an illness or a loss of something, I always am quick to judge it by human standards. But I’ve realized that I am not giving the right being the credit he deserves. He is the one that will make me lose heart for the One who provides all good things.

“The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Scripture teaches that the devil is the one who promotes destructive events in our life; ones that hinder our faith or cause us to stumble in our walk with the Lord. But Jesus came to show us that we can have life more abundantly through Him as our God. The devil wants us to fall. He wants us to lose our faith. He’s the one who chose not to love Jesus, and he wants us to do the same. The earth is his kingdom, but it will not be forever.

“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14

Satan is the ultimate deceiver. He is the enemy that will go to the ends of the earth trying to make us have hatred toward God. We have to be stronger than that. We have to have a faith stronger than that. Our relationship with Jesus should be at a point to where when He speaks, we know that it is His voice. Having discernment between the Lord’s voice and the devil’s voice is essential.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

There is power in the word of the Lord. We are fighting the wrong enemy. The enemy is not your family, your spouse, or your neighbor. The enemy is the devil himself, but we have a way out. We have a way to get around his schemes and lies. Submitting ourselves to God requires prayer. Prayer strengthens your relationship, and a strong relationship with the Creator is unbeatable.

“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3

We have hope. We have hope in Jesus, who has already defeated the enemy. He has stepped on Satan’s head and crushed it. The Lord will not leave us, and by using His word as a sword, we can stand against the devil. Satan is the enemy. Fight against him, not against God.