Whether we acknowledge it or not, we live in the midst of a spiritual battle.  Paul writes about this battle in Ephesians 6:10-17 where he commands the believers in the city of Ephesus to put on the full armor of God so they can take their stand against spiritual forces in the unseen realm.  

We see the spiritual battle on a global scale every day as we watch the news or interact with the broken world around us.  But rarely do we think about how spiritual warfare also impacts us personally.  When we battle incessant negative self-talk in our minds, feelings of rejection and betrayal, thoughts of death and suicide, we often fail to recognize that these harsh words and feelings might be coming from the enemy of our souls, Satan.

Satan is an opportunist, and he takes advantage of every chance he can get to torment and afflict God’s children.  His main platform in attacking us is through hurtful and hindering lies that he projects into our minds, often tied to past hurts and wounds.  He tempts, confuses, condemns, and discourages us in any way he can.

As children of God, we have been given a new identity in Christ Jesus and we are to fight against the lies of the Evil One.  We know Jesus has won the ultimate war, but we must partner with Jesus, fighting daily for the freedom He intends for His children.