Sometimes it’s loud and obvious. Sometimes it’s quiet and sneaky. Sometimes it happens without us even realizing it. And sometimes it catches us off guard until we are knocked down and staring at it straight in the face.

It is persistent. Cruel. Ruthless. Like waves that keep coming and going, crashing and thrashing. It is a strong force that naturally collides with the earth.

Satan.

He is relentless in his pursuit to invade our soul and destroy our progress. He wants nothing more than to take us away from God’s loving comfort and protection and bring us under his worldly control.

I don’t know about you, but for me it seems that every time I am in a really good place Satan will attempt to infiltrate my mind. All of the hard work and dedication God spent molding, shaping and transforming me can so easily be ruined, re-broken or washed away by a mindless mishap – giving Satan a foothold.

“Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil.”

Ephesians 4:27 (CEB)

I know this to be true, but still, I have given Satan an open door to walk through. Lately, it occurred when I least expected it. I had found myself in the best (i.e. healthiest) place I’ve ever been in my entire life yet I was preparing for an event that I knew would give me much anxiety. Knowing this about myself and believing the power of the enemy is real and present in our world, I began praying about it weeks in advance. However, in the days leading up to it I gradually began to feel myself drifting away from the woman after God’s own heart and towards the selfish, angry, impatience girl who formally worshipped the world.

I had been brought out on the water, calmed by God’s peace and steadiness, and washed with His grace. But somehow, I had lost track of my surroundings and was being dragged by a heavy current leading me back to shore.

Like I said, it happened slowly, I almost didn’t even realize it. But by day three of his shenanigans I was onto his devilish scheme. He may have been messing with my mind but I certainly wasn’t going to let him mess with my heart or steal my soul. I knew better because I am better. I am no longer that immature girl who craved the junk the world fed her and thrived in a world where she felt flawless, self-made and independent because culture told her so. I am a strong woman who not only desires but also desperately needs dependence and relationship. I am broken, human, and imperfect but I am a work of perfect progress that will someday become the masterpiece God intended.

So this time I caught him before he was able to do too much damage but I pray I will be wiser in the future and more vigilant to his lurking in the shadows.

Satan is relentless and will stop at nothing to destroy us. God created the world and designed it to be good, but the entrance of sin allowed Satan to inherit the throne. As ruler of the world, his wicked power has conquered every single inch of the world we live in. Because of this, we are in a constant spiritual battle of good versus evil where God wants us to live as He created us to be while Satan wants to ruin any chance we have at succeeding God’s purpose. If you don’t believe me, turn on the news. Within 5 minutes, I guarantee your heart will be crushed and an overwhelming sense of fear will control how you think. The world is a nasty place and we cannot escape the sin that runs wild and wrecks havoc on every corner of God’s creation.

Satan will do whatever it takes to lead you away from God’s saving grace. He wants to penetrate your soul and wipe out all of God’s goodness as well as God’s purpose for your life. He is sneaky and will make his voice sound like your own so you will trust it. He will deviously wait, hiding in the darkness, and will pounce when you least expect it. He is very much like a forceful wave, pulling us under and dragging us into his control.

Friends, don’t let him!

While we are all fallen humans and are capable of sin, we are also given the free-will to choose not to sin. We have the opportunity to choose not to listen to Satan and to not give into his control. The remedy for the enemy’s relentlessness is a constant dose of Jesus because guess what? Jesus is relentless, too. He will do whatever it takes to save you from Satan’s slimey grip. Jesus is waiting for us to accept Him and He won’t give up on trying. And once we finally do choose to live for Him He will never, ever, leave our side. With God for us, who can be against us? There is power in the name of Jesus and the more we have of Him the less we will have of us and the less chance Satan will have to have an effect on our souls.

“Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you.”

James 4:7 (CEV)

Ugh, this world is scary and ugly and polluted with more garbage than I would ever consider existed. But you know what? This is not our home. This is not the world we were intended to live in. We were made to do life in a better place. With a better Ruler.

I don’t want to live in a fallen world chained to a relentless control freak. I want to live in a world of freedom where Jesus is the King of my heart and God reigns my soul. A relentless Father who will do anything to protect His child and keep her safe in His loving arms.*

*Read Psalm 139 – A beautiful song about God’s relentless pursuit