Old Deluder Satan

When I was in college I had to take a class called Foundations of Education.  It was one of the most interesting classes I ever had because of the historical aspect.  In that class we learned about a 1647 Massachusetts Law called the 'Old Deluder Satan Act'.  In short, this act required every township of 50 or more people to have a public school so the students could learn to read the Bible.  This act is interesting for many reasons, but I especially like the title. 
http://www.americareclaimed.org/elements/docs/documents/Old%20Deluder%20Satan%20Law(1647)p.pdf

Friends, Satan, is a deluder.  He is a deceiver, a liar, a thief, and a murderer.  What is more friends, he is very good at it.  He is so good that when he does it, we scarcely recognize it.  He works through people, books, music, TV, and any other way he can wiggle his way into our thoughts and our hearts.  All he needs is to cast some doubt on God's word--once he does that our minds will do the rest.  It's not hard to plant weeds.  He will most likely come in a way that seems harmless to us, and speak things that seem right to our carnal minds.   I had the unfortunate experience of encountering him recently as I was reading something, and it hit me like a ton of Bibles.

Brothers and Sisters he is strong, and when he gets hold of us, or our family, his grip is tight.  Too tight for us to break with our own strength. .  I wanted to physically fight him.  I wanted to jump on him and literally rip his head off.  Instead, I prayed, because we war not against flesh, but against spiritual wickedness. (I'm paraphrasing Ephesians 6:12 here).  If  I had been being half the Christian I thought I was, I would have been truly praying, truly engaging in spiritual warfare all along.  However, the truth is that my prayers were frequent, but not fervent.  They were constant, but I was not praying in the spirit.  I may have started out that way, but over time it became routine.  I was reminded last night that warfare is anything but routine and how we do it makes all the difference. 

Where did I go wrong?  I think that I was so caught up in the storm and how huge it was that I forgot that I serve a God that can quiet the storm with a word, with a mere thought.  I was telling God how big the storm was, and I should have been telling the storm how big God is.  Friends there is nothing Satan can do that God cannot undo.  There is no situation that is hopeless.  Remember, Jesus defeated death itself, and greater is He that is in us (Christians), than he that is in the world.  The old deluder is already defeated, he is just too arrogant to believe it.

Friends, if the devil is attacking you or your family, be encouraged.  If he is fighting you everywhere in your life, count it all joy.  That devil will work very hard against Christians.  We are his targets.  The harder he fights against you, the more joy you should have.  Remember, he attacks his enemies, not his friends.  If you are under attack then it is likely that you are a friend of the most high God and an enemy of the devil.  Continue to resist him in the name of Jesus Christ and he will flee from you.