Last week we studied about our new identity in Christ. We focused on who we are: loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed and His Bride, nurtured, adored and adorned to walk out a life of dignity and victory. Preceding this we studied who God is by learning about His character via His names, Elohim, power and might, Rohi, our shepherd, Rapha, our healer, Jireh, our provider, Nissi, our banner, Shalom, our peace and more. All to remind us who we now belong to. Last month we studied the prayer that moves heaven and learned what to do in a battle. Remembering who our God is, remembering the times He has come through for us and others and listening to the voice of God when the enemy comes against us. We learned that God revealed the strategy of the enemy and then exactly how to defeat them.

This is what we are going to focus on this week. The next step in victorious living as we continue our study in Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:19-23
“ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 2:6-7
“even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

How great is God’s power?

Great enough to overcome death. This same power (dunamis in the Greek: dynamite) is the same power available to us now to live the victorious life. Take a look at verse 20. Notice that Jesus sat down. You do not sit down until the work is done! He won the battle with our enemy Satan. He was then enthroned above all power and where are we? Seated with Him! Where is the enemy? Under our feet. We just have to recognize our authority and what to be alert to, the strategies of the deceiver.

In Ephesians 6 we read:
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. “

Who is our enemy?

Revelation 12:9
9And the huge dragon was cast down and out–that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Satan wants to steal your eternal significance. He wants to get us so wrapped up in our problems and circumstances that we don’t reach out to others. He would love to kill us and can not but he can kill our joy. He also wants to destroy our relationships. But remember he is a toothless lion. He can only do any of these things through the lies he tells us if we believe them.
What are the schemes or strategies?
I have found 2.
He uses bondages to trip us up and his methods always include deceit and lies. The lie is the only real power he has. He leads us into bondage and renders us powerless in certain areas until we recognize the lie and replace it with God’s truth.

How do we win?

Revelation 12:11
11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
By the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimonies. We claim the blood, the finished work of Christ on the cross and we hold up the truth, the sword of the spirit. Ephesians 6:17 “ sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”
Lie replacement therapy.
The other thing we can do is to break strongholds.
Jim Logan in his book “Reclaiming Surrendered Ground” tell us that when we sin it is an act of disobedience. If it is not dealt with it can become a practice and then a habit and then a stronghold.
If you recognize a stronghold in your life you need to repent and announce verbally in the name of Jesus that you are taking back any ground that has been yielded to the enemy. Then have nothing to do with it.

The word is clear: Resist the enemy and he will flee!

James 4:7 So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.