Given January 3, 2013 
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33), so we know the devil is going to attack us because we are followers of Christ. When this happens, we have four options.
1. The first option is to do nothing. This shouldn’t even be an option but some choose it. They think they don’t have a chance, they deserve to be defeated, or they don’t know what to do. They just let the devil or his troops push them around with no resistance. “Oh poor, pitiful me.”
2. The next option is for those who don’t want to just lay down and be defeated but only bring to the fight their own piddly little weapons. They bring a cap pistol or a stick and the devil will let them use these so they focus on him in a long battle. Eventually, they will get frustrated and give up.
3. This option is to decide to resist the devil AFTER submitting to God, (James 4:7). When we do this, it opens up to us a whole cache of Heavenly weapons. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4). When we know about this option, (by reading our Bible), we can use God’s weapons and armor, (Ephesians 6), to make quick work of the enemy. In fact, he might just see us in God’s armor and run away. With this option, we can say, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14). And, God will always be right there with us.
4. Now there is another option but we don’t have the choice to choose this one. Sometimes when we decide to fight using God’s weapons, He will say, “Relax child, I’ll handle this one.” God told Moses to tell the people at the Red Sea, “Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.” (Exodus 14:13), or in our language, “Stand still and watch this!”
So, what will it be the next time you’re in a battle? Your choices get more difficult as you go downthis list as far as your preparation for battle goes. But your guarantee of victory goes way up!