“Be of sober spirit, be on alert. Your adversary, the devil
prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
1 Peter 5:8
It happened deep into the night. I was awakened by a presence. It was not a physical person, just a presence, a heavy and oppressive feeling. I knew immediately it was a spirit from the evil one. I began praying to the LORD, asking for protection, rebuking this presence to leave my home. In short order, I felt the peace and presence of one much stronger than the previous one, the LORD had come while the oppressive presence fled. 1 Peter 5:9 says “But resist him, firm in your faith…” . I know I am firm in my faith but if I let my worries, fears and battles linger, then those spirits of the evil one will attempt to come and poke and try to devour me.
I am not a person who struggles with depression or addictions. I know people who do struggle with one or both. I struggle to understand how I can help them. I struggle to understand the draw that pulls them into the bottle or to the computer screen. I struggle to understand the hurt they feel, hiding it from the world and even to those that know and love them. But I do know the One that can pull them from their hurt, their addictions, their struggles.
But...the adversary, the devil and his minions prowl about looking for these people that struggle with the weight of the world upon their shoulders. They are weakened in their struggle making them easy prey. Much like that roaring lion looking for a weak animal to pull from the group, the devil is looking for that weak one. I ask myself what I can do to help. How can I bring healing to their spirit and soul? I can listen to their hurts. I can help them pick up the pieces from a night or day of drinking themselves into oblivion. I can hold them when they are crying and calling out for forgiveness. I can pray over them and plead the blood of Jesus cover and wash them clean. I can pray that the temptations do not overtake them.
There is a much greater presence of evil in the world right now. It seems the devil knows his time is drawing to an end and he is determined to take as many away from the LORD as he can. But I know that HE who is IN us is greater than he who is in the world. We are to stand firm and know that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against principalities, rulers, forces of darkness and wickedness. (Ephesians 6:12) So friends, it is time to take back what we know. Take back our friends from the adversary. Rescue them and strengthen them in the LORD. The battle is the LORD’s but we can be there to pray and support them.
“...be on alert with all perseverance…”
Ephesians 6:18
