"Go Easy on Me"

I watched as two brothers were play wrestling on the floor. The younger brother half the size and strength of the older would jump on top of his brother’s back. At times he would attack with fists swinging; at others he would get up and kick him in the back. When the older brother would defend himself, the younger would yell to his dad, “It’s not fair; tell him to go easy on me.”

I couldn’t help but think to myself, “If he goes much easier he is liable to get hurt himself.” Still as these brothers wrestled both were learning to use their strength. As the years go by, both will come to understand that they have an adversary that won’t even think about going easy on them. Who will they look to then for help?

• But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
  2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

One of Satan’s greatest lies is to convince us that he does not exist, that evil is just a force and not a person. Yet Satan is real. Together with his demonic forces the devil has one prime objective: “to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The unseen reality of life is that we are engaged in a fierce struggle against spiritual forces. It is a war that last our entire lifetime.

What is our hope to overcome the enemy? Our prayer cannot be, “Lord, tell him to go easy on me.” However, within Paul’s words I see a prayer we can make. Putting it as simply as I know how we can cry out, “God help me!”

We can pray first that God will strengthen us to persevere through each trial and difficulty we face. If God does not strengthen us, then Satan could certainly crush us far worse than the older brother could have hurt his little brother wrestling. But that’s not all; we can also ask God to defend us against the enemy, to protect us from the attack of the enemy. Let’s be honest. It is impossible for us to win the war against Satan; only God can give us victory.

One final thought: we can also pray with thanksgiving because God is faithful! The Lord has won the victory over Satan in the past, and He will continue to take us from victory unto victory.

Whatever you are facing today, cry out to God for help. God will strengthen you, protect you and give you the victory. Just ask the Lord for help.