Weapons~

We know that the devil comes to exploit weaknesses and if you leave cracks and crevices open, he will squeeze his way in without notification.  His job is to steal, kill and destroy the plan of God that is predestined for your life.  He is very conniving and very deceptive in his approach and we as believers must make sure that we guarded with the whole armor of God at all times.  In this day, he is coming stronger with more force but he only possesses the power that you give him.  If you do not entertain him or his little friends, then he won't have any power to overtake you.

Deuteronomy 28:7 says "The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways."

The devil has already lost but he is trying to take as many with him as he can, apparently just to hurt God. And however much the devil succeeds in doing this, God hurts -- like a parent does over losing a child. This sort of spite is very much in keeping with the devil's character. Satan is a leech; he is so lacking in life that the only life he has left is what he can suck out of the living.

James 4:7 says"Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

How do we resist the devil?

First we must be protected with the armor of God.

Ephesians 6:13-17 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"

Let us talk about faith for a moment.  Faith in God and His word will carry us through.  It is our protection.

John 1:1 says"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

The word is God and He is our shield and our buckler.  He is our protection.  So in order to overcome the devil and his little friends we have to have faith and trust in our protection.  We have to stand strong upon Him, knowing that He is not like man that He should lie and that He will never leave us or forsake us.

***KNOW WHERE YOU HELP COMES FROM.  TRUST IN GOD***

The word and faith must be inseparable. 

Hebrews 4:2 "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"

Another awesome weapon of warfare is PRAISE.

Psalm 68:1-2 "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.  As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God."

Psalm 149:5-9 "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD."

Acts 16:24-26 "Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

Another weapon is operating under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 10:27 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

One of the most important weapons we must use in this day like never before is our weapon of prayer.  We hear all the time, prayer changes things and I just want to say that prayer changes everything.

Luke 22:31-32 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

To stand in the victory over the enemy, we must remember that we have to be obedient to God and His word, be in right standing with God and we must not leave any room for the devil to creep in and steal what God has already given us and that is the VICTORY.

I pray that this word will penetrate your hearts on today and that you will be filled and compelled to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God.