READ: EPHESIANS 6:10-18; 1 PETER 5:6-10; REVELATION 12:10-11

One year in college, I struggled with an onslaught of repeated failures in my walk with Jesus. Although I confessed these failures, I was plagued with relentless guilt. Most mornings I woke with a foreboding sense of dread. Life just seemed to keep coming at me too fast to regroup. I felt like a boxer down in the ring with my opponent pummeling me long after the bell had rung—sweat flying, nose bleeding, no one intervening. Shamed and defeated.

But, with some encouragement, I began to read Scriptures that reminded me that only Jesus can defend me against Satan’s attacks. As these truths began to sink in, I gained hope and courage—and eventually penned today’s poem. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we can truly experience the power of complete forgiveness. In all our struggles against sin, we call on Christ; He alone is our great Defender. When you feel beaten down by sin, remind yourself often of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross because He loves you. Hold these words close to your heart and ready on your lips: “the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

I fling at you my fury,

Oh, cursed one, destroyer.

Catch it! If you would—

Wretched, wounded, liar.

Wounded, ha! Yes, wounded!

Deadly, dark-hearted wounds

Canker deep within you—

Where your putrid pride swoons.

Still, you seek to snare me,

Stench of death, foul hypocrite!

Sneering, laughing, mocking—

Luring me toward your pit.

No! I’ll not fall your victim,

Fell Satan, sifter of men…

For on the cross Christ cast you out—

His blood cast out my sin. • G. Kam Congleton

• Have you experienced times of severe temptation or felt attacked by what seemed to be evil forces? In what ways can you rely on God for help? How might you draw strength from other believers? And what encouragement can you find in today’s Bible passages?

Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. Colossians 1:22 (NLT)