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Thursday, March 15, 2012

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Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Luke 11:14-23

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unilateral disarmament

"But when someone stronger than he comes and overpowers him, such a one carries off the arms on which he was relying and divides the spoils." —Luke 11:22

We, as soldiers for Christ, should not only resist Satan but also attack him. We need to be both on the defense and on the offense. When we attack the gates of hell (Mt 16:18), by God's power we can disarm and despoil Satan. For example, if the devil is using sexual lust as a weapon against us, we can not only resist his temptations but also disarm him. Through repentance and healing, we can remove those things which make us especially susceptible to sexual temptations. The devil will still tempt us, but the weapon of sexual lust will no longer be effective in attacking us.

If we've fallen into sexual sin, Satan may have robbed us of good relationships, self-respect, innocence, or peace of mind. We can repent, confess our sins, despoil him, and get back what we've lost to sin. We can feel as pure and innocent as when we were little children. We can get rid of guilt and regain peace. Knock the weapons out of Satan's hand and repossess all your stolen property. In Jesus' name, quickly crush Satan under your feet (Rm 16:20).

Prayer:  Father, in Jesus' name, may I dismantle Satan's strongholds (2 Cor 10:4).

Promise:  "Listen to My voice: then I will be your God and you shall be My people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper." —Jer 7:23

Praise:  Mike and Maryann suffered through many unhappy years of marriage. Finally, Maryann left him. Jesus changed their hearts and brought them back together with a commitment to pray together. Now they minister to married couples in retreats.

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our tape Overcoming Temptation on audio AV 63-3 or video V-63.)

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 2011

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