I wonder if it puzzles the Lord a little that with all His presence and power He provides us, we sometimes (many times?) wimp out against the devil. Jesus knows we have weaknesses and sin as Satan messes with us (Hebrews 4:15). I am talking about our fear and lack of confident faith that with the Holy Spirit working  in us, we can stand firm against the devil. How about believing the fruit of the Spirit includes God helping us have self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)? What about ordering Satan in the powerful name of Jesus to get away from us the second we are tempted?

And, what about using the troubles and trials of this life to make us stronger and closer to Jesus? Rather than letting physical, emotional, family, and financial hurts take us away from the Lord, we draw closer to Him, and heaven looks clearer. Paul writes, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

I just wonder if it puzzles God a little that we do not tap into His power to fight against the schemes of the evil one? Eat your spiritual spinach today while you read Ephesians 6:10-18a. Then listen to Stronger by Mandisa.