Overcoming Your Adversary

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 Two decades ago, I went to the mountaintop with a friend to pray on some personal issues, we were there for a few days. I saw serious minded believers like us praying and seeking God’s face, but I was shocked to see two men who are supposed to be believers like us attacking each other in tongues and in the name of Jesus. They were vehemently cursing and sending spiritual arrows so that one, or the other, can suffer serious casualt.

Many believers are still living in this ignorance till date. In fact some pastors make it more difficult for their sheep to understand the scriptures, which made it clear to us that the devil is our adversary. Beloved, the scriptures cannot be broken, since it has been proven for ages, that God’s Word (The Bible) is the truth. We must therefore not walk in ignorance.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

The Bible makes it clear to us that we are not dealing with flesh and blood; the things of the spirit are different from those of the physical. That is why you cannot communicate with God in your physical realm – you need your spirit man to be alive to the Spirit of God. This is the reason for being born again.

“but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God …but the natural man receiveth not things of the Spirit of God: they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:10, 14

The devil is not a physical being that you can feel and touch. Don’t let him manipulate you to believe that human beings are your adversaries. Note, the word wrestle in that scriptures means we are in warfare with the devil and his hierarchy of government. These include principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
The problem with a believer, who are carnally minded, is lack of spiritual understanding of the devil’s modus operandi, therefore they waste their energy praying amiss.

Another misconception is praying for the destruction of your adversary the devil. You can only pray to destroy his work or influence over your life. He is a spirit that can posses human beings or use them as agents. Many believers have lost focus of this Bible based truth, because they have been distracted away from the real enemy; their attention is now on their neighbours, colleagues and relative. If you must win this warfare and overcome your adversary, then you must release all your weaponry against the devil and his government.

How You Can Overcome Your Adversary

1. Identify your enemy: you cannot be shadowboxing as there is a need for you to identify the areas of your life that are being challenged by the adversary. David knew that it was not Goliath that was challenging him, but the gods of the Philistines, who are against the God of Israel, and his people. That made him bold to challenge Goliath. People have different issues that are up against them: it may be sin, finance, sickness, backwardness, marriage, lack of progress, demonic oppression etc.
2. Knowledge not ignorance: knowledge is very powerful and every warfare strategy depends on the knowledge acquired. The ability of a man’s strength is in the knowledge he has received.
   A wise man is strong, yea a man of knowledge increaseth strength Proverbs 24:5
   Therefore the more you know, the more reason why darkness cannot stand against you.
   Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
   Thy word is truth. John 17:17
   If the Word of God is truth, then the knowledge of the Word of God will give you adequate strength to overcome your adversary. Many believers are living in ignorance of the Word of God. They reject the knowledge of the Word of God because they don’t pay attention to study and the revelation therein. Therefore they are subject of manipulations and afflictions of the adversary because of ignorance.
   My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will forget thy children. Hosea 4:6
   It is also important to have knowledge, through information, about the operations of the adversary that is set against you, this can come by hearing of the Word of God Romans 10:17 As you hear the Word of God, your faith increases and you trust in God’s faithfulness in being able to overcome the adversary.
3. Renewal of Mind: your mind is the place of your thought and that is where the mother of all spiritual warfare is fought, therefore you need to guide your heart diligently through the process of renewal by the Word of God and listen to positive information.
   And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind… Romans 12:2
   Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
   The devil will try to infiltrate your thought with evil suggestions and negative reports; you must do everything to resist devil the adversary, by saying “no” to his advances. Don’t allow wrong counsel from your friends or colleagues to overwhelm your thought. Rely on the truth of the Word of God to triumph in your mind. That is your key to victory.
4. Spiritual capacity: there is need for you to know your spiritual capacity before you embark in a warfare against your adversary. In a wrestling match, there are weight categories. This also applies in the spiritual. In spiritual warfare there is need to increase your spiritual capacity against the enemy. If you realize you cannot fight the battle alone, inform another brother and do it together.
   Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their labour… If one prevails against him, two shall withstand him and a three-ford cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12
   In fact the Bible says one shall put one thousand to flight while two shall put ten thousand to flight. Deuteronomy 32:30 If the spiritual capacity of the two of you is not enough, then you have to acquaint the church to join you in the warfare – although you can also increase your capacity by giving yourself to fasting, prayer and other spiritual exercises e.g. praise and listening to faith messages. Mark 9:29
5. The Name of Jesus:- and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name, which is above every name. That at the Name of Jesus every knee must bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father. Philippians 2:8-11
   There is one name that is given, that makes the adversary to tremble, and that is the Name of Jesus. It is the most powerful name in heaven and on earth; God Himself is the one that has exalted the Name of Jesus. It is an awesome name that subdues the kingdom of darkness and destroys all satanic bondage. If you have the understanding of the Name of Jesus, you are set to rule over your adversary. There is no power that can resist the Name of Jesus, in fact that is the name that brought salvation to humanity. Act 4:12
   Therefore, begin to use that name now and you will be surprised how your mountains shall be subdued. The covenant Name of Jesus is given to all those who believe. If you confess your sins and forsake them now, believe that Jesus is your Saviour, you can be sure that all you have lost will be recovered and there will be restoration of all things to you.