spiritual warfare

I was reading a book last night and there was a part of it that really seemed to jump off the page at me. As you may have guessed by my title, the part had something to do with spiritual warfare. I've been thinking a lot about it since last night.

The book is called Walking With God and it's by John Eldredge.

This part of the book was talking about how we often get caugt in just praying that God would do the opposite of what we're feeling. So, if we're feeling discouraged we ask God to encourage us; or if we're struggling with lust we ask God to give us pure thoughts. Nothing wrong with any of that, but the part that struck me was when Eldredge talked about how we need to pray against that action of Satan in our lives. So, instead of praying that God would encourage us when we're discouraged, we would pray against the spirit of discouragement from Satan. Eldredge talks about how we need to actually take a stand and command Satan to leave.

There is a quote from the book that has really stuck with me:
"The enemy is present in the form of some foul spirit, and you must command him to leave. As the Scripture urges, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you' (James 4:7). No resist, no flee. We are commanded to resist."

I think I have often missed this verse when it comes to spiritual warfare. I don't take hold of the power that I have because Jesus Christ is living and active to send Satan running from me! I so often get caught up in thinking that I have to do it . . . that I am the one who has to stop thinking those thoughts or feeling that way. But, that's not the way that it is . . . through the power of the risen Lord I can command Satan to leave and he runs! That's an amazing truth!