by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

He wants you to forget. Our spiritual enemy’s mission is to hurt God’s children and keep hearts blinded to the truth. He doesn’t want us to remember that a spiritual battle is in play at all times. We may grow weary with writing and rewriting, but we need to remember what’s at stake.

Satan delights to hinder God’s work. I’ve experienced his tactics. Have you? It seems like the end of a project sees more spiritual warfare than anywhere else in the process. Satan will try to hinder God’s people from sharing the truth. Although we have a skilled enemy, our Lord Jesus Christ is a more powerful commander, and He has called us to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV). Are you faithfully serving at your post? Are you allowing any part of your writing or enthusiasm to diminish because of spiritual warfare?

In His Word, God has given us an example of how to resist Satan’s tactics and discouraging whispers. Nehemiah had set his heart to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, but certain enemies in the area taunted him and the workers. Nehemiah’s response can be our response when Satan and his forces try to hinder God’s work.

The God of heaven Himself will prosper us;

therefore we His servants will arise and build,

but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.

(Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV)

Do you see the confidence in his words? Not in himself, but in God. Nehemiah identified who they were serving—the God of heaven Himself—and who they were—His servants. So the enemies of the Jews had no right to hinder what they were doing for God. The principles works for us too.

When our spiritual enemy tries to hinder our work for God, we can answer in a similar way. God Himself will help us, and we are His servants. Satan has no rightful place in our lives to make us afraid and no authority to influence who we are or what we do. So don’t let him win.

When you sit down to write, don’t let the enemy have any place in your mind, heart, or life—in how you think, in your desires and what drives you, or in any part of your relationships, work, ministry, and dreams. Satan can never indwell a believer, but he will do what he can to hurt us and God’s plan for our lives and for others’ lives.

Keep your heart close to God, and stay under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:4). Remember why you’re writing, and keep fighting the good fight. The story isn’t finished yet. There’s more work for you to do.

Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations. Her writers’ newsletter called The Lighthouse Connection shares writing tips, inspiration to write, and news of submission opportunities. Katy is also the co-director of the Enrich Conference for Bible study writers, speakers, and teachers.

In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, draw flowers and landscapes in her sketchbook, and do yard work in the morning sun. Connect with her at www.lighthousebiblestudies.com