Excerpts from Battle Cry Good vs. Evil, Chapter 4: The Mind Is the Battlefield, The Heart Is the Fort:
As we examine the condition of the family, our inner circle of friends, neighbors, acquaintances, our towns and cities, we can see the devil has a foothold. We can see how Satan is influencing the decisions of individuals within those factions. Although we are personally responsible for every decision we make in our lives, how quick we are to blame everyone else. It wasn’t my fault. Another person influenced me. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m a product of my upbringing. The drugs made me do it. The alcohol made me do it. The devil made me do it. The devil can’t make you do anything. He can only attempt to influence behavior. How about friends who lead others astray by influencing them to make a bad decision? There are so many life-changing decisions, made in a split-second, resulting in horrific life-changing consequences.
Ephesians 4:21-27 (NLT) says, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off you old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And ‘“don’t sin by letting anger control you.”’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
Author’s comments: From the anger we see and the evil unfolding on a daily basis, there can be no denying the devil has a foothold on the hearts of many. We must stop blaming everyone else, and we must start speaking and living the Truth, that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Why are we so reluctant to take a stand for God? We are in the midst of spiritual warfare. It’s time to suit up with the Armor of God and stand on the front-line in spiritual battle, for Christ.
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