James 4:7 is our mandate. It says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 1 Peter 5:9 says, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith…”

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

One of satan’s strategic weapons is to plant doubts. Why? They bring instability. James 1:5 says that when we need wisdom we can ask the Lord. Verse 6 says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind.”

The Greek word for doubting means a conflict within oneself, in the sense of hesitating, having misgivings, being divided in decision making, or wavering between hope and fear. When doubts come into your mind ~ rehearse truth. Read Psalm 77. Asaph doubted. Then he recalled truths about the Lord.

We are the only ones who control our thought processes. No one makes us think the way we do. That is why we have to stay attentive. Not every thought we have is of our origin.

The devil tempted Jesus over and over in the wilderness. Luke 4:13 says, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”

We need to heed Peter’s warning. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” The devil is a liar. John 8:44 says that he is the father of it.

Therefore our recourse is in hiding God’s words of truth in our hearts. Memorizing those truths lays a foundation of checkpoints or barriers. God’s word in our hearts will not return void. Isaiah 55:11. It will instruct, guide, and direct us when satan sets traps to lure us. His agenda is always to destroy our faith. God’s hidden word is the shield for our faith. Memorizing is another form of spiritual warfare.

What do you do when doubts come into your mind? Dialoguing with them leads to disaster. Think of Eve in the garden. The first thing the serpent did was put doubt into her mind. Genesis 3:1 says, “…Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

What happened to Judas? John 13:2 says, “And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.” Verse 27 says, “Now after the piece of bread, satan entered him…”

Ephesians 4:17 says, “Nor give place to the devil.” Giving a place creates an opportunity, leaving a door open, or giving up ground in our heart. The devil is always looking for an opportunity to penetrate our minds with a fiery dart lie.

Let us be like Jesus. John 14:30 says, “…for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” No hold. No hook. No power.  No entry point. 

The next time you have a negative thought ~ cancel it with your next thought being one of gratitude.

Does your mind ever wander? In 1 Chronicles 28:9 David was speaking to his son Solomon.  The Amplified says, “…For the Lord searches all hearts and minds and understands all the wanderings of the thoughts…”

I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit who checks me when my mind wanders, or I have thoughts that will not serve me well. I have prayed this every day for years. “Put a protective hedge and shield around my mind, so that no thought of the enemy can penetrate.” Why?

If you will remember, the Lord took away His hedge around Job. When all the calamity first struck Job, what was his response? Job 1:21-22 says, “…The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

Later on in his trial he began to question God with why’s. Yet in the end, he made a statement that I cherish. Job 42:2 says, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

I began memorizing Ephesians 6:12. It says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Let’s remember Who created these invisible entities. Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

The Lord left certain nations so that He could test the children of Israel. Judges 3:2 says, “(This was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it).”

Our trials are spiritual warfare. They test our faith to expose any hidden dross. 1 Peter 1:7. We must battle rogue thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We do this through proclaiming truth, standing in righteousness, living out the gospel, renewing our faith, and rehearsing the promises of our salvation. Our steadfast stance is on display. Ephesians 3:10.

There is an interesting verse that helps illustrate coming in the opposite spirit. 1 Peter 3:9 says, “No returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

If you have a difficult person in your life, think about how you could bless them. First we respond to them always in an opposite spirit. That will ensure that we don’t fall into judging them. Here is my ‘beware’ verse when I am around folks who have a critical spirit.

Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Romans 2:1 says, “…whatever you judge another in…you who judge practice the same things.” Pause and think about that. Judging others becomes a circular sin. We sin in judging them in their sin, and the judgment comes back on us.

Romans 12:9-21 is like a Christian Magna Carta. We have rights, but we yield them for the sake of others. Verse 14 says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

If you are around folks who complain, beware that you do not engage in their complaining. Combat it in an opposite spirit of thanksgiving, praise, and rejoicing in your heart.

Proverbs 15:1 instructs us on how to live in an opposite spirit ~ which is to counteract the negative. It says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 17:19 Amplified says, “He who loves strife and is quarrelsome loves transgression and involves himself in guilt; he who raises high his gateway and is boastful and arrogant invites destruction.”

Strife, quarreling, harsh words, and angry outbursts are all fleshly reactions because of our hidden sins. The hidden sin gets triggered and we react. The opposite spirit is clearly stated in Proverbs 25:15 Amplified. It says, “By long forbearance and calmness of spirit a judge or ruler is persuaded, and soft speech breaks down the most bone-like resistance.”

Set the stage. Proverbs 15:30 Amplified says, “The light in the eyes (of him whose heart is joyful) rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones.”

Daniel drew a line in the sand. Daniel 1:8 says, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank…” When did he purpose? Long before he was placed in a compromising situation.

We live in the world but we are not to be part of it. Romans 12:2 says to not be conformed to the world’s standards. 1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the word…”

Philippians 2:14 says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” We know from Numbers 11:1 that complaining displeases the Lord and brings harsh consequences.

Verse 15 says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” We are called to be light bearers. 

Romans 12:2 J. B. Phillips says, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould…” Complaining is infectious ~ as well as gossip. 

I started memorizing the first phrase in Ephesians 6:12. It says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…” It is essential that we remember this when we are in the midst of adversity. People are not our enemy. True people can be influenced or controlled by the enemy, but they are not the ones we war against.

The verse continues and gives us clarity. It says, “…but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The apostle Paul had demonic interference. 1 Thessalonians 2:18 says, “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and time again—but satan hindered us.” 

The Collins Dictionary defined drawing a line in the sand as to put a stop to or a limit on something. We are called to represent Jesus in every aspect of our lives. We need to recognize that those who oppose us are opposing Him. We therefore draw a spiritual line ~ by purposing in our hearts to not sin by reacting to others’ fleshly reactions.

Here are a few accounts of David’s army. 1 Chronicles 11:11 says that Jashobeam, “…lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time.”:

Verse 14 says, “…they stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.”

How quick are you with the word of God? It is our only true defense against the wiles of the devil. Do you have the sword of the Spirit ready for battle? David chose specific stones, rounded by time for his sling. His sling was a proven weapon. 1 Samuel 17:34-36.

We need to have anchor verses hidden in our hearts. These are verses that have taken us through the battles of our flesh when we were in hard trials. They are proven truths that have kept us steadfast and immovable in the face of weariness and discouragement.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”