We are in a battle, but not with other people. Our struggles with people and circumstances are real-life events and cause real-life problems. However, hiding behind every circumstance, there is a conspirator. Hiding behind every deception, there is a deceiver. Hiding behind every hurt, there is a hunter. Hiding behind every lie, there is the father of lies. Our clash is not with “flesh and blood.” We are in a spiritual battle.

Today we start a series of devotionals that will help us become battle ready. We will begin by considering the scope of our fight. We’ll work to understand our enemy. We’ll study the terrain of the battlefield. Then, we will lay out the battle gear. But first, let’s make sure we keep the right focus.

Satan is not the focus of the spiritual battle; God is. Our battle plan, the Bible, reveals that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die for our sins and therefore provide the way for us to have an eternal relationship with him. Satan “is a player in the story, but he is not the focus of the book. Indeed, he is a defeated foe from the beginning.”[1]

The spiritual battle begins with these truths:

• God is sovereign overall.
• Jesus defeated Satan at the cross (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8-12).

Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil….

• All believers share Jesus’ victory (Colossians 1:13; 1 John 2:13-14).

Colossians 1:13
[The Father] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son….

• Believers need not fear the enemy (1 John 4:1-6).

1 John 4:4
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Father,
Open our hearts to hear from you and learn from you. Teach us about the spiritual battle. And remind us that nothing can take place out of your sovereign control. Remind us that the One who lives in us is greater than he who is in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] William F. Cook III & Chuck Lawless, Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2019), 204.