Satan is an intimidating foe so we should take him and his schemes very seriously. However, our awesome God is infinitely more powerful. When we rely on Him, we can be assured of victory. Scripture promises, “Humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Satan has strongholds in this world, but miraculous things happen when Christians band together in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In Cali, Columbia, the lucrative business of illegal drugs was destroying the town, which was filled with terror because of the seven drug cartels that controlled the city. Hit men would kill anyone standing in the way of the drug kingpins.
A local pastor, Julio Ruibal, a beloved personal friend of mine, wanted to mobilize churches to pray against this stronghold of Satan. But the pastors in Cali were intimidated by their enemies.
After much fasting and prayer over the situation, Pastor Ruibal spoke openly and powerfully against the drug cartels. As a result, he received many death threats. Shortly after making his stand for what was right, Pastor Ruibal was shot and killed. At his memorial service, his wife described how her husband had lived under constant threat and how the enemy had tried to intimidate him in many ways. She then explained his great desire for the churches in Cali to be unified in the battle between Christ’s kingdom and Satan’s.
Hearing of Pastor Ruibal’s example, the pastors were convicted of their failure to speak out and formed a covenant with each other. God led them to hold an all-night prayer rally in the city’s stadium attended by tens of thousands of people.
God began to do incredible things in Cali. Within nine months, six out of the seven drug lords were arrested and the power of the drug cartels was broken.
Our Lord and Savior is more powerful than any stronghold of Satan. To put on the armor of God is to put on Christ, who bought our salvation with His blood. He is our Deliverer from the evil one. To experience the reality of our deliverance, we must understand God’s character and who we are in Him. Then, by faith, we can live in accordance with who we are in Christ.
By Bill Bright, Abundant Living
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