Note: This was a follower-requested topic. Thank you to the person who requested this! I learned a lot and I hope you will, too
Pope Saint John Paul II once wrote,
In the inner heart of every person the voice of God and the insidious voice of the Evil One can be heard. The latter seeks to deceive the human person, seducing him with the prospect of false goods, to lead him away from the real good that consists precisely in fulfilling the divine will.
There is a battle going on right now for your soul.
There’s a disturbing trend in Christianity right now. Some people are questioning, or even insisting, that the devil isn’t real. (The devil IS real.)
Now, we shouldn’t be afraid of the devil- that would give him more power- Jesus has already defeated him and he has no power over you unless you allow it, However, that doesn't mean that he doesn’t try and work in the world to get you away from God. The devil’s ultimate goal is to get you to separate yourself from God. Throughout our lives, we will experience many temptations. Some will be physical- temptations to sexual sin, lying, cheating, gossiping, etc. Others will be mental and spiritual- temptations to despair, scrupulosity, spiritual leniency, lukewarmness…
Spiritual warfare involves fighting against these works of the devil with the help of Christ. We can’t do it on our own, but Jesus can!
Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
How do we put on this spiritual armor? This is explained in Ephesians 6: 10-18. St. Paul tells us that to put on the Armor of God for the spiritual battle is to:
1. Gird (belt) your loins with the truth
Remember the truth. God is just. God is merciful. He loves you. He has a plan for you.
2. Put on the breastplate of righteousness
Live each day in a way that is honorable to God. Follow the commandments!
3. Readiness of the Gospel of peace
Accept God’s peace as your own. He’s offering it to you- you’re allowed to take it! (John 16:33)
4. Take the shield of faith
“...with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16) Faith in God and His promises leaves the devil powerless.
5. Take the helmet of salvation
Yep, that’s right. Remember that God does not take away your salvation. As a Baptized Christian, only YOU do that (by mortally sinning) and that’s exactly what the devil wants to happen.
6. Take the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
Know Scripture. Know God’s Word. Know Jesus, who is the Word of God made flesh. (Hebrews 4:12) He will fight for you! (Exodus 4:14)
7. And pray in the Spirit… keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Pray. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for yourself. Pray for others. Pray that the devil is defeated in all his works. Pray to St. Michael. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. PRAYER IS POWERFUL!
You are so precious and valuable that good and evil, love and hatred, all of Heaven and hell, God and the devil, are fighting for your soul. All of Heaven is on your side, cheering you on, until, at last, having rejected all the works and lies of the devil, with the help of God’s grace, you enter Heaven and take the place that has been prepared for you for all eternity.
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