Reasons pile on reasons why hards exist. We’re impacted by consequences of poor decisions we, or someone close to us, make. Accidents and acts of nature produce great hardship. Disease and results of living in a decaying world make life difficult. Ugliness exists from sin remaining in our own, and other’s, hearts. But make no mistake. As followers of Christ, we have an enemy. He is real, determined to make our life hard, and he is no gentleman.

Satan: opponent or adversary. Devil: accuser or slanderer (Revelation 12:10). John calls him a murderer and the father of all lies (John 8:44); the great dragon, the ancient serpent (Revelation 12:9). 

Though we take caution to not embrace a “devil behind every bush” mentality; or, “the devil made me do it” excuse-living, scripture unveils what Satan is capable of:

    He binds (Luke 13:16)
    He sifts (Luke 22:31)
    He lies (John 8:44)
    He fills men’s hearts (Acts 5:3)
    He can have power over people (Acts 26:18)
    He tempts (I Corinthians 7:5)
    He schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11)
    He sows “weeds” among us (people of the evil one) (Matthew 13:28)
He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)
    He blocks our paths (1 Thessalonians 2:18)
    He leads many demons (Matthew 25:41)
    He hurls flaming arrows at believers (Ephesians 6:16)
    He leads the world astray (Revelation 12:9)

“He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Lions stalk their prey, searching out the weak and weary. They often strike when their victim is engaged in simple, routine activity, oblivious to what’s happening around them. Lion attacks are sudden and vicious. Their intent? To swallow up their prey.

This mirrors Satan’s tactics, a cunning and evil being, with the ability and inclination to attack Christians. Because of this, we are given a warning to maintain spiritual vigilance. We are advised to “be alert and sober”. The opposite is a shrug-the-shoulder indifference, responding to situations without considering the spiritual significance of an event or struggle.

And, Satan is not a gentleman. He doesn’t play fair. He observes we are weak and weary, but doesn’t return at a time we’re up for the fight. He delights to find us struggling; or oblivious and unaware of his approach. He studies us. He ascertains our weaknesses and aims his fiery darts right into the spot our armor is compromised. He sees where we are prone to sin. He’s learned which of his whispered lies we believe. He knows what fearful mirage he can paint in our minds that makes us tremble and faint, withdrawing from the battle. He strategically chooses obstacles to throw on our path. One of his greatest attacks is not the hard itself, but the temptation to not face that trial with faith. He will attack with persistence, coming at us from every angle. 

But. He cannot. Defeat us. One name mentioned from our lips sends him scurrying for cover: Jesus. 

Our trust in God, coupled with effort and vigilance in living for Christ, defeats him. An unshakeable faith in Jesus stands as a solid shield, against which the devil exhausts himself in vain attempts to rock our faith. And like any bully, he retreats when he meets brave resistance by those stayed in the strength of Christ.

God does not say to fear this adversary, but to “resist him, standing firm in the faith”. (1 Peter 5:9) We have confidence that God will intervene and give us the victory. We are assured when we resist the devil, he will flee. (James 4:7) Resisting means active, determined opposition; a standing against.

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil, so we are to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power”, putting on the full armor of God so we can stand our ground against evil. We have a great arsenal available to us: prayer, praise, help from fellow believers, the belt of truth and breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God). (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Satan has no hope against such weapons. He is knocked flat when we stand strong in our faith. He stands mute when he hears the truth of the Word of God spoken that disputes his attacks and reveals his lies. He waxes faint when we lift our hearts to heaven and bring praise to God in spite of our hard. He slithers away when we smile at his attempts to draw us from Christ.

Standing strong in faith, we have nothing to fear from our adversary. He is clever, and conniving, and a liar. But he is already in the death throes from a fatal wound inflicted at the resurrection of Jesus, where death was defeated. And we will witness his final defeat, standing at the side of our Glorious Warrior King.

Therefore:
    1. Know you have an enemy
    2. Know his tactics
    3. Stand against his attacks with firm faith, and
    4. Be at peace in the powerful, perpetual, presence of Jesus.

(note: on the website (revablaker.com), placing your cursor over a scripture reference will produce a pop-up in the NIV translation)