Resist the devil’s attack

Sunday 12th November 2006

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1Peter 5:7-10)

For those suffering, they not only have to deal with the pain and suffering, they also have to war against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. These evil spiritual forces will devour those who are not standing firm in the faith when they undergo suffering; so Satan is the real enemy and suffering is spiritual warfare.
Those undergoing suffering have to face the following challenges:

1. Worry
When we suffer, a scheme that Satan often uses is to cause us to worry. In the more than forty days of cancer therapy, it is not that I did not worry, sometimes I feel so overwhelmed, but I choose to stand on the Words of God and resist “Worry”. The Bible says, ‘Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

2. Fear
Everyone suffering has this feeling. But if you allow fear to wrap itself around your emotions and to dominate your thoughts, you will easily be devoured by the enemy. Therefore everyday I proclaim the Words of God, “God is my refuge and my fortress; He has become my salvation…” That means I’m saying, “Since we are heirs of God, no one can snatch from God's hand His promises for us.”

3. Doubt
Apart from the above two points, the enemy also endeavours to attack our faith. “Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1Peter5:9)
Sometimes, we wonder if our sins had so angered God that He is allowing suffering to come into our lives; sometimes we doubt the faithfulness of God. But if we stand firm in the faith, then no matter what happens, we still have the peace and joy in our heart. Therefore we must firmly believe in the loving-kindness and the faithfulness
of our God and not sin against God in words or speech.

4. Self-pity
For those who are so seriously sick that they had to stay home by themselves, yet cannot get much done at home, they may feel a deep sense of worthlessness. This sense of worthlessness and meaninglessness has to be resisted. “After you have suffered a little while, (God) will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Whenever I cannot fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night, it is so easy to be affected by negative thoughts and 1Peter 5:7-10 really helps to strengthen my faith. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev Li Kin Wah