Conversation Conversations

Week 17 — The Devil (Spiritual Warfare)

"Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in regions above." —Ephesians 6:12

Jump to day: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Sunday

"Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. Although the dragon and his angels fought back, they were overpowered and lost their place in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out; he was hurled down to earth and his minions with him." —Rv 12:7-9

Conversation:

Jesus: The devil is a creature, not just a force. The devil is an angel who rebelled against Me. Being the father of lies, he confuses you (Jn 8:44).
Soldier Jesus, I wasn't sure of the devil's existence, because the more I allowed him to do, the less I recognized him doing it.

Response:

Fight not against human beings.

Monday

"He went about doing good works and healing all who were in the grip of the devil, and God was with Him." —Acts 10:38

Conversation:

Jesus: Demonic activity is not reducible to epilepsy, mental illness, or accidents. The shape the world is in is not merely the effect of human sinfulness. The devil has used sin to build strongholds and monuments of evil. But I have defeated him. Attack the gates of hell (Mt 16:18). Destroy his strongholds (2 Cor 10:4).
Soldier Jesus, Your truth is clearing away the cloud of confusion in my mind. I thought I was so smart when I learned to explain away the devil. Now I see I was a fool.

Response:

Fight secular humanism by submitting to Jesus and changing your life-style.

Tuesday

"The man who sins belongs to the devil, because the devil is a sinner from the beginning. It was to destroy the devil's works that the Son of God revealed Himself." —1 Jn 3:8

Conversation:

Jesus: You try to limit the devil's works. You should totally destroy his evil works. The devil's works are like cancer. If you let any of it remain, it will spread and kill you. It's either you or the devil. Don't believe the prince of death (Heb 2:14) will let you live.
Soldier Jesus, I begin to see that without You I would be viciously manipulated, degraded, and perverted. I would be assaulted, molested, and abused by demons (Jude 7). Jesus, You are my Savior; I accept You as Lord.

Response:

Fight the good fight (2 Tm 4:7).

Wednesday

"The seventy-two returned in jubilation saying, 'Master, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.' He said in reply: 'I watched Satan fall from the sky like lightning.' " —Lk 10:17-18

Conversation:

Jesus: The devil rebelled when he found out I was going to become a human being, and therefore he would have to adore Me, the God-Man. He could not accept Me becoming an inferior creature like one of you (1 Jn 4:2-3). The devil hates human beings more than anything else.
Soldier Jesus, I now understand why the devil, like a roaring lion, seeks to devour me (1 Pt 5:8). If You weren't restraining him, I'd be overwhelmed (2 Thes 2:6).

Response:

Fight human degradation, abortion, racial prejudice, and social injustice.

Thursday

"Then He summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority to expel unclean spirits and to cure sickness and disease of every kind." —Mt 10:1

Conversation:

Jesus: When I gave you authority over the devil, he thought that was his greatest humiliation—a mighty angel of superior, instantaneous, total intelligence having to obey weak human flesh. Go ahead, take authority over the devil, but be sure to hold tight to My hand.
Soldier Jesus, I get the feeling that the devil hates me to go to Mass and receive Communion.
Jesus: You're right; this stops many satanic works.

Response:

Fight with spiritual weapons (2 Cor 10:3-4).

Friday

"But Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins and took His seat forever at the right hand of God; now He waits until His enemies are placed beneath His feet." —Heb 10:12-13

Conversation:

Jesus: From your perspective, you're in a spiritual war, but actually the war's over. The devil's irreversibly defeated. You're only mopping up, placing My enemies beneath My feet.
Soldier Jesus, send the Holy Spirit to teach me to wield the spiritual weapons of Your word, blood, and name. May I contend with demons and win by exercising my faith through prayer and fasting.

Response:

Fight, knowing you've already won.

Saturday

"But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out devils, then the reign of God is upon you." —Lk 11:20

Conversation:

Jesus: I've done it all. It's finished (Jn 19:30). You need only believe in Me with all your heart, confess your sins, and rejoice. You defeat the devil by My blood and your testimony (Rv 12:11).
Soldier Jesus, with the help and ministry of Mary and Michael, may we claim Your victory and deliver people, institutions, cities, churches, and countries from the devil.

Response:

Fight temptation and sin.

Excerpts from Scripture are taken from The New American Bible, copyright 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

Nihil obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, July 13, 1995.

Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati, July 25, 1995.

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