The Aftermath of Victory!
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37).
I must be careful never to let a victory over Satan become my weakness, his prime targets are not victims, but victors. Paul reminds me of this when he says, “And having done all, to stand, stand”. (Ephesians 6:13). In other words, after a notable victory, be even 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 and harassment failed, Sanballat said to Nehemiah, “Come let us meet together….in the plain of Ono”. (Neh. 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 has 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” (Neh. 6:3). When Satan comes to neutralize my victory, I am to ignore his statements, and refuse him. Never must I turn from God’s directive (to build walls for His work) to think about Satan’s suggestions. More then 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” (Eph. 6:10), for my all-Conqueror stopped Satan’s darts and crushed his armory forever. Remember there can be no great victories without great battles!