If you’re tired of being attacked by the enemy, then you need to know how to block his deceptions. But how? In this 5-day devotional with John Ramirez, you’ll learn the key principles and practical tips on how to stay rooted in the goodness of God no matter what comes your way.
Charisma House
Day 1
Scriptures: John 10:10, Matthew 6:19, John 10:8-9
Don’t Let the Thief Have an Opening
The first thing I want to say is: God is good. He has established perimeters of living, spiritual living, as a way to protect us from the enemy. The same way God has used His Word to create the heavens and the earth as in the book of Genesis, Chapter 1, He has created supernatural boundaries in the spiritual realm for us. We may not see them, but they are there. We are not going to allow or give the devil anymore the opportunity, or any given chance that he’s trying to take from us, to spiritually incarcerate us. God’s Word and His will are over our lives, our purpose, and our destiny.
John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]” (AMP).
It is critical for your spiritual walk, beloved, to seek God and stop putting yourself in spiritual harm’s way and danger, or live disobedient and unrighteous, or align yourself with something that not of God. Don’t give the devil the opportunity or the moment to spiritually kill your ministry and your calling. It’s time to wake up and seek the face of God.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.—Matthew 6:19, MEV
All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. —John 10:8-9, MEV
Day 2
Scriptures: Ephesians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 2:11, Ephesians 6:12, John 8:32
When You Know the Word of God, it Pushes Back the Kingdom of Darkness
Know one thing, spiritual warfare is directed not against people, but against forces of darkness and wickedness in high places. Stop wasting your time fighting the person—a friend, family member, spouse, or your own children. You’re wasting time in the battlefield.
Ephesians 6:10, “Be strong in the Lord.” That talks about spiritual maturity. That comes by total submission to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, obedience to Christ, humility, standing in righteousness and not on your own understanding, emotions, or carnal mindset.
2 Corinthians 2:11 — “to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (Amplified Bible).
The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:12 that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rules, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places” (Amplified Bible).
Be in right standing and in holiness in Christ by the lifestyle you carry. Being strong in the Lord is all about surrendering yourself completely to Him to have all He has for you in the fight.
John 8:32 “And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin]” (Amplified Bible).
Study scripture and memorize the Word of God so when the devil shows up, you can use it as a sword of the Spirit against the forces of darkness in the prayers that come out of your mouth. This is the same exact thing Jesus did in the wilderness when Satan came to tempt and entrap Him. Jesus fought back with the written Word. King Jesus defeated him right on the spot.
The number one weapon for us believers is that the more you live in the Word of God, the more discernment, the more revelation, and the more clarity you have in your spirit against the forces of darkness.
Day 3
Scriptures: Exodus 34:28, Matthew 4:1-4, Acts 9:1-9, Acts 27:33-38, Daniel 1:1-20, Romans 6:23, 1 Peter 1:16
Sanctified by Christ
Fasting Grows Our Faith in Christ
In order to be powerful in spiritual warfare, we need the discipline of fasting. We know Moses fasted for 40 days. We know the story of Jesus. He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. We know as soon as he was converted, the Apostle Paul fasted for three days. Even when Paul was shipwrecked out in sea, he fasted for 14 days. Fasting opens prison doors. If you are spiritually shipwrecked somewhere in your walk, fasting will release the bonds of spiritual incarceration off of you.
Daniel engaged in spiritual warfare when he was fasting for 21 days. Fasting is something that we need to do for spiritual maturity; it makes us stronger in spiritual warfare. We must do this to be victorious and confront spiritual wickedness on every level.
We Are Called to a Life of Purity
Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Amplified Bible), and 1 Peter 1:16 tells us, “because it is written, ‘You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy’” (Amplified Bible).
You can see that sin opens demonic doors to demonic attacks. It is absolutely important to live in holiness, meaning a pure life, a genuine life. We’re not perfect in any way.
Satan has plots, schemes, and set-ups of spiritual barriers to trip us up from our life of holiness. Satanic weapons and demonic arsenals are aimed against us to try and stop us from living a life of holiness. In order to be victorious when confronted with spiritual wickedness, one thing we must do in our hearts and minds is to live in uncompromised holiness, and be dedicated and sold out to Jesus. Let’s be mindful of Him throughout the day and until it’s time to go to bed.
Day 4
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 7:10, Matthew 9:13, 2 Corinthians 7:9
Repentance Changes Everything
Repentance is about making peace with God, getting back into right standing with Him, and getting back into His perfect will.
Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but the sorrow of the world produces death.—2 Corinthians 7:10, MEV
To walk as a champion for Jesus, you have to walk in total repentance. Every unconfessed sin gives the devil legal grounds for him to remain and own real estate in your walk with God. To repent means to turn away from that place, that location, that part of our life and never go back to it. We break the powers of darkness completely and fully. I believe that the mark of a true champion is in Christ and Christ alone; not in us or our achievements. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Be filled from the crown of your head to the sole of your feet. That is the mark of a champion.
But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.—Matthew 9:13, MEV
Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorrowful in a godly way, that you might not suffer loss in any way through us.—2 Corinthians 7:9, MEV
Day 5
Scriptures: Jeremiah 23:28, Philippians 2:9-11, Revelation 12:11
God’s Tools for Spiritual Battle
God has blessed us with spiritual weapons in the Bible. I call them the arsenals of Heaven, and I believe with all my heart they are meant for us not only to use but to live by. They are there for us to stand in the battlefield of our lives, to guard and protect everything the Lord has given us. They help us to fight the good fight.
But the devil has weapons too in the spirit realm. It’s time to rise up, to put on the armor, and shake off every hindrance, delay, blockage, and distraction as well as every doubt, fear, and unbelief. It’s time to put the devil and his kingdom on notice that he picked the wrong Christian believers to mess with. The devil might hit you spiritually, but he won’t be able to move you. Satan and his demons hate the weapons of Heaven, especially when they are used to destroy his kingdom, his plots, his schemes, his wiles, and his entrapments.
WEAPON 1: The Word of God
Jeremiah 23:29 tells us, “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]? (Amplified Bible)
Ephesians 6:17 reminds us to “take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Amplified Bible).
WEAPON 2: The Name of Jesus
Philippians 2:9-11 is a powerful Scripture which tells us, “For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father” (Amplified Bible).
WEAPON 3: The Blood of Jesus
Revelation 12:11 reminds us “And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death” (Amplified Bible).