Jesus answered,”It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Matthew 4:4
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been (or soon will be) in a confrontation with the enemy. At times it can seem like the confrontation will never end. Because you are His—the Lord’s—there is a target on your back and the only way to go into combat against the enemy is with the Word of God.
In Ephesians 6:17, the Bible is called the “sword of the spirit.” And since we don’t live in medieval times, we are highly unlikely to have a sword at our disposal. And though His Word IS our sword, sometimes we don’t have a Bible with us either. However, if we memorize it…no one can take it from us.
Remember Jesus in the desert alone for forty days and nights…? He was tired and hungry and vulnerable. The enemy came at Him on all sides. Jesus didn’t have a Bible with Him, did He? Psalms 119:11 says,”I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
After you have memorized Scripture, you must learn how to apply it. Jesus answered the enemy with specific Scripture—actually He quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 the verse that we started off with today. The enemy was tempting Jesus while HE was fasting and praying. He tried to tempt Him with bread. Jesus had an answer. You, too, will have to respond to the enemy. He is the father of lies and he will have many for you. You will need Scriptures that pertain to whatever he is throwing your way, and you must stand boldly on God’s Word. Don’t just let it collect dust on your coffee table or sit your nightstand by your bed. Open it and read it! It is one way that He speaks to us.
And if the enemy isn’t backing off, don’t give up! If he wasn’t afraid of Jesus the first time, he won’t be afraid of you at first. But if you’re persistent, and you draw your sword, then you can rebuke him in Jesus’ name. He will flee, I am certain. Remember, there are seasons of spiritual warfare and there is always victory in Jesus.
I remember the story of Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian who hid Jews during the Holocaust. While she was growing up, she, her sister and her father would learn Scriptures. When she and her family were taken to the concentration camp, she had His words to lean on and remember. She would say them out loud some days, just to make it through. She would pray Scripture to God and wait on Him to deliver her, and He did.
You have a story, too! A story of hope and redemption and grace. What does it look like? I encourage you to journal today. Write about the things you have gone through…and what or Who got you through. And find some verses that you can rely on the next time you feel the attack of the enemy!
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from Him.
Psalm 62:5
Let us pray: Dear Lord, You are all-powerful and all-knowing. Your love is unshakable and Your patience is never ending. You know our every thought and You know what we are going to do next. You save us from ourselves. We thank You for all that You do in our lives. You go before us and make our paths straight. Thank You for giving us Your Word. It is sharper than a two-edged sword and it never comes back void. Lord, help us to desire to learn Scripture and to read it daily so that we know what You have said to us. We are so blessed by Your words. And for the times that You speak to us alone. And when the time may come that we don’t have the luxury of having the Bible with us, we will have Your Word memorized and hidden in our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
