Many people did not see the Battleship Part 2 Video at the bottom of last week’s e-mail.  So here it is.  If you watched part 2, you can check out our Youtube channel which has 50 other devotional videos.  Youtube.com/user/AIM2LiveHigher/

…we are not ignorant of his [Satan’s] schemes 2 Corinthians 2:11b

          Battleship is a 2-person game, but our spiritual battle involves more than just 2 people.  Satan is working with his cohorts / demons to devise and execute a strategy.  Do not fear though, the Lord tells us in 2 Chronicles 20:15b, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”  The battle is God’s and Jesus has already won (John 16:33 and 1 John 5:4-5).  We just have to walk in agreement with God and our helpers, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit (John 14:16).  If we are obeying God and His Word, we can stand upon Isaiah 8:10. “Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.”  In righteousness, we can also proclaim 2 Corinthians 2:11, “No advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”  As we obey the Word, Satan’s plans will be thwarted.  No weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).  Satan will form weapons, but they will not prosper!  

          Obedience to the Word of God is the key to our defense.  2 Corinthians 10:5 says we are to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  Christ here is the Word (John 1:1).  We quench the fiery darts    with our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).  The Word is also the key to our offense.  After all, we are not firing flaming missiles.  Our weapon is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17b).  If the Word is the key to our offensive and defensive attack, it is no wonder that Satan’s main scheme is to get believers out of God’s Word.  God’s Word brings light (Psalm 119:105).  If Satan can keep us out of the Word, then we will remain in darkness stumbling and getting hit by the flaming missiles.  Proverbs 4:19 says, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”  Do not fall into this trap!  Set time aside every morning to read the Word of God.  Then apply and obey what you have read.