But resist [the devil], firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
1 Peter 5:9
I cannot accept someone saying, “The devil made me do it.” No, he didn’t make you do it: you did it. Somewhere along the line you chose to give the devil a foothold. He merely took advantage of the opportunity you gave him. You have all the resources and protection you need to live a victorious life in Christ every day. If you’re not living it, it’s your choice. When you leave a door open for the devil by not resisting temptation, accusation or deception, you are vulnerable. And if you continue to allow him access to your life he can gain a measure of control over you. You won’t lose your salvation, but you will lose your daily victory.
Many Christians today who cannot control their lives in some area wallow in self-blame instead of acting responsibly to solve the problem. They berate themselves and punish themselves for not having the willpower to break a bad habit, when instead they should be resisting Satan in an area where he has obviously robbed them of control. Anything bad that you seemingly cannot stop doing, or anything good which you cannot make yourself do, could be an area of demonic control.
God’s protection from demonic attack is not something you can take for granted irrespective of how you behave. This protection is conditional on your willingness to respond to God’s provision. We are told to put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14), to put on the armour of God and to stand firm (Ephesians 6:11), to submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7). If we irresponsibly ignore God’s resources by failing to obey these commands, how can we expect Him to protect us?
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the clear direction and mighty weapons You have provided for victory in spiritual warfare.
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.
