Doubt Devours

1PE 5:6-10 ESV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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A sin alone, a stumble, is not what devours. Doubt is what devours. Destruction of faith leaves one powerless, so this is the goal of the enemy.

Being tricked by the enemy into a trap that appears outwardly like sin, this is how the enemy tries to work against us – because he can’t see our heart. For example, if I am helping someone needy, and they use that help and twist it into a way to enable bad things in their own life, the devil will try to use that as an accusation against me. He might say things like, “You are empowering the enemy by helping someone that is doing evil.” He might tell you all kinds of things to try to make you doubt and question your purpose and direction.

And this questioning is good if you have vision to see it for what it is, because then that attack from the roaring lion can be used to sharpen you, not to tear you down. And it is good if you use it to examine and make any necessary refinements to yourself.

The armor that we wear in this spiritual battle is what protects us from these attacks from the roaring lion that is seeking to devour someone:

Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

This lion will try to twist words to make other men of flesh and blood out to be the enemy, when we should know that those men doing evil are just lost sinners, in slavery to the bondage of the true enemy, those evil forces unseen (like we once were ourselves).

And the weapon that we have to use is the Word of God. And not to be used as a weapon against another man, because we are not meant to use it as a club to beat over the head of our brothers of flesh and blood. No, this sword is a surgical instrument that is not meant to be used in the ways of the flesh, anger, accusations, slander, strife, For if we weild the sword against men, it will be weilded against us, and who can meet the requirements of the law?

No, we are to use the Word in the Spirit of God, in love towards our fellow man. It is used against the enemy, against the disease of evil and sin that has them condemned and corrupted. So our best weapons against the enemy are the fruits of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Because if how we are walking is bearing the fruits of the spirit, if we have the right reasons in our hearts for the things that we do, the enemy can bring all the evidence that he can find of our outward actions, but the Lord knows our hearts and our minds and our attitudes and our intentions. And these attacks that are meant to shame us and convict us by the tricks of the enemy, actually serve to prove our hearts more fully to the Lord.

Isaiah 54:14-17 ESV
In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord .”

No weapon formed against me shall succeed of I have Christ in me. Because the enemy can influence the world around me, and can lay traps so that I might stumble, but the Lord can turn even that to his honor and glory.

Let us all have the vision to see the attacks of the enemy, to be equipped and prepared for them, and to hold firm in our faith, proven by the fiery trials of the spiritual battle.