In the Western world, we downplay the spiritual realm. Many “believe in God” but live as though He is non-existent. In other words, they live in such a way that denies His influence in the world and our personal lives.

The focus is similar on the opposite side. We choose to ignore or deny the presence of the devil, “the prince of the power of the air” (the ruler of this world) (Ephesians 2:2). This ignorance, or lack of recognition, leads to our vulnerability, our manipulation, and a great possibility for attack from the devil. He is always prowling around “looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8-9). He does not sit off to the side and let you live your life. And he especially does not ignore you once you trust in Christ. He is out to destroy you (John 10:10). And no, that language is not dramatic, it is REAL. We are under attack, and if we do not wage war with preparation and counter strikes, we will be dragged through the mud of his lies and threats. His goal is to keep you as far from the Father and as far from truth as he can.

And in our day and age, with the rampant use of social media and technology, Satan’s greatest tool is accusation. John tells us that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44) while Revelation names him “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10).

Accusation can come in many different forms, for believers and non-believers alike.

• For many, it is a sense of worthlessness, that you could never be good enough for that job, or those friends, or even that church.
• For others, it is a deep feeling of shame or condemnation. He accuses us of being unforgivable, of having gone too far, of being past the point of redemption.
• For still others it is a question of identity and a forgotten understanding of who we are in Christ. Maybe you’ve forgotten that Jesus loves you as you are and that he accepts you, redeems you, and pursues you without your efforts to fix yourself. Or maybe you have accepted an identity that you have no idea is contrary to what God thinks of you and says about you.

In those moments, when we allow the accusations of the devil to sit in our minds, when we do not take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), the devil gains a foothold in our thinking. Even as Christians, especially as Christians, if we do not enter every day as if we are going into battle, the devil can plant thoughts, he can plant LIES in your head, and sooner or later, you start to believe those lies.

The biggest thing the Lord has taught me in the past few years is that, as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, I have authority over my mind!!! I get to choose what I think about. The Holy Spirit indwells me, which means I literally have the full power of God at my fingertips, to work according to his will and purposes. The devil may plant thoughts in my head, but I have God’s strength and His Word to think on things that are true and lovely and excellent (Philippians 4:8). I may be tempted from time to time, but God’s Word says he provides a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13), and that way out is ultimately through the gift and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.

You are no longer subject to the swaying thoughts, emotions, and accusations that pop into your head!! You have access to truth that combats every lie the devil throws at you. But friends, YOU MUST CHOOSE to receive the power God has given us. More often than not, we view ourselves through the lens of victims rather than victors. We can be saved while still sitting in our prisoner mentality. We can believe that Jesus is Lord without using his strength daily. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). We have to choose to believe Scripture more than we believe this world (whose ruler is the great accuser, if you forgot) and to live out the new identity we have in Christ.

And in the end, we must remember, as people saved by grace, we no longer seek victory because we already have it! Jesus already rose from the grave. Jesus already conquered sin and death. We are already victorious because of his work on the cross. And because of that victory, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under YOUR feet” (Romans 16:20). YOU will see victory in every battle because Christ has made us victorious. Embrace it, and walk in freedom.