In World War I, Trench Warfare was the tactic utilized by all troops. During the first hours of darkness before daybreak, armies would fire their heavy artillery without ceasing towards all opposition while they took cover in deep ditches. During this time, the enemy was patrolling and transitioning from the frontline position to the reserves. The attacks were inevitable from both sides and relentless. There was a broad space between the boundaries of each group known as “No Man’s Land”, in this place front line infantry soldiers from each faction were able to congregate but they also left themselves exposed and vulnerable to the enemy. It was worth the risk then but is it now when we contemplate our own spiritual warfare? We are all called by God to be mighty warriors that boast in our personal trials. Satan is a ruthless adversary that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He is always prowling though, his attempts never cease because he is patient, “The Evening Hate” never stops, and the night is his territory.
The demons use Guerilla Warfare to deceive us, little taunts and attacks that may seem like trifling matters that can evolve into a mountain of troubles. When this happens, we are under the illusion we are surrounded and when we feel overwhelmed, it leads to feeling weak even when we know we aren’t; This is nothing more than a “thorn in our side.” In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul explains— “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it may depart from me. And he said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When we are weak to our flesh, reliant on our carnal mind, we can fall victim to the enemy’s ways by coming into agreement with every lie. 2 Corinthians 10:4— “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”
The devil’s primary objective is to cause a “Fog of War” for all believers, because if we are disoriented, we become more vulnerable to yield to his attacks and temptations. This “Fog” is a lapse in time where we forget our spiritual training which leads to poor judgment, lack of faith, and unbelief. If you don’t have proper training, then you are just a sitting duck at that point. If you do have the know-how, it is strengthened by conditioning your inner man. What is Satan’s weakness? His “Center of Gravity” is much simpler than we think. Satan was once an angel of the Most High, he was the anointed cherub appointed to lead worship of the Lord. He wanted to be equal to God and wanted God’s creations to bow down and worship and praise him, his pride was his downfall, and he was cast out of Heaven. He wants to be glorified, so when we resist him, he hates it. Resistance is the “thorn in his side.” When we are fighting these battles, the Holy Spirit guides us with counterintelligence, and this is God’s wisdom, the Truth. This is one of the aspects of the Armor of God, known as the Sword of Truth. The Sword is the weapon but the one that wields it brings it to action through the power of prayer, the one that wields it is skilled when they worship the Lord, and trust in the Word.
There is more than one way to fight our demons. The Romans created a military tactic called “Scorched Earth” where all resources the enemy could use would be destroyed, such as crops being burned, or food supplies being poisoned. This strategy could also apply to spiritual warfare whereas we don’t give the enemy an inch because he will take more than a mile. We should take inventory of our lives, and rid ourselves of anything that Satan can use against us: break habits before he can form strongholds, abstain from temptations, surrender all worries and cares to the Lord, forgive others to be forgiven and get forgiveness, be slow to anger, etc. There are many strategies, but only one plan, God’s plan. James 4:7— “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” If we worship God, we have the authority given to us to resist all attacks from the enemy. Although it is inevitable, we are equipped to fight back, and the battle has already been won.
