I must be careful never to let a victory over Satan become my weakness, for his prime targets are not victims, but victors. Paul reminds me of this when he says, “And having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13, KJV). In other words, after a notable victory, be all the more on your guard. Satan is the great “spoiler,” and he loves to suck the honey out of a sweet victory we have won over him.
Think of Sanballat and Nehemiah. After his threats, bombast, and harassment failed, Sanballat said to Nehemiah, “Come, let us meet together … in the plain of Ono” (Nehemiah 6:2). He meant, “Why fight each other any longer? I tried to prevent the walls from going up, but I failed. Now let’s be good sports, forget the past, and plan something harmonious for the future.” Satan never quits when he loses. If Nehemiah had listened to Sanballat, all his previous efforts would have been washed away.
I love the word Nehemiah gave in reply: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down” (Nehemiah 6:3). When Satan comes to neutralize my victory, I am to ignore, slight, and refuse him. Never must I turn from God’s directive (to build walls for His work) to think about Satan’s suggestions. More than that, I must never gloat over my victory over Satan, for gloating represents an abnormal preoccupation with the victory itself, rather than with the work God has given me to do. The victory is only an incident, a battle in the eternal war, and I must quickly arm myself against the next visit from the evil one. Having done that, I must stand, not nakedly, but “in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10), for my all-Conqueror has blunted Satan’s darts and crushed his armory forever.
“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).
Daily with the King 