Battling the Devil and Winning
“Battling the Devil and Winning”
Let me be clear: every single day, we’re in a battle. Not the kind with swords and shields, but one that targets the mind, heart, and soul. Some days you wake up and feel grounded. You’re ready. You’ve got your to-do list, your prayers said, and maybe even a sense of calm. But then something—or someone—shows up to poke at your peace. A side comment here. A passive-aggressive email there. An unexpected confrontation. And suddenly, the light you carried into the day starts to flicker.
We don’t always realize we’re under spiritual attack. The enemy isn’t just a caricature in red with horns. He’s cunning. He shows up in discouragement, distraction, division, and doubt. He delights in stealing your joy, making you second-guess yourself, and convincing you that your light is too much. His tactic isn’t always destruction—it’s slow erosion. Little by little, he tries to chip away at your confidence, dim your hope, and wear you down until you stop showing up as your full self.
And that’s the real danger: when we stop showing up as ourselves. When we shrink, go quiet, and let the harshness of others shape us into someone we’re not. When we let someone’s bitterness turn our compassion cold. When we let someone’s anxiety become our own. That’s how we start losing battles we didn’t even know we were fighting. The enemy doesn’t have to destroy us. He just has to convince us to dim our light to survive the room we’re in.
But here’s what I’ve come to learn: your light is not just yours—it’s part of your calling. Your joy, your laughter, your empathy, your resilience—those aren’t personality quirks. Those are sacred gifts. And when you protect those gifts, you are fighting back. You are waging spiritual war in a world that desperately wants to numb you out. When you refuse to match someone’s bitterness with more bitterness, when you choose peace instead of chaos, when you keep being kind even when it’s not returned—you are not losing. You are winning.
I’ve been in spaces where I felt the enemy working overtime. I’ve been in rooms where I knew the air had shifted. Where people seemed more interested in control than collaboration. Where joy wasn’t just absent—it was unwelcome. And I’ll admit, I’ve questioned if my light could survive in those rooms. But I’ve also learned that darkness doesn’t win unless you let it.
The key is recognizing what’s worth guarding. Your spirit is worth guarding. Your boundaries are worth keeping. Your emotional energy is worth preserving. That doesn’t make you weak—it makes you wise. You don’t owe anyone access to the most vulnerable parts of you, especially if they only seek to manipulate or diminish them. That’s not kindness—that’s surrender. And I refuse to surrender to a spirit of fear, resentment, or self-doubt, no matter how familiar it tries to become.
This battle isn’t about becoming hardened or cynical. It’s about becoming stronger in your softness. Sharper in your discernment. Clearer in your faith. You don’t fight spiritual attacks with the same tactics being used against you. You fight with grace, clarity, truth, and prayer. You stay anchored in who you are, even if the winds around you rage. You remind yourself—again and again—that the devil doesn’t get to define you. Your creator already did.
If you’ve been feeling heavy lately—like you’re under constant emotional or spiritual pressure—I want you to know you’re not imagining it. Some battles are unseen, but they’re very real. And the fact that you’re still here, still standing, still choosing goodness in a world that pushes the opposite? That’s victory. Maybe not loud, maybe not flashy—but victory nonetheless.
Don’t let the enemy convince you that your joy is naïve. Joy is defiance. Don’t let him make you feel like your light is “too much.” Light is supposed to shine. And don’t ever believe the lie that protecting your peace means you’re selfish or sensitive. It means you’re paying attention.
We weren’t created to live timid, watered-down lives. We were made to live fully, with hearts on fire and spirits unshaken. And yes, we will be tested. Yes, we’ll have to defend our joy and dignity. But we don’t battle alone. We stand with God, armed with purpose, and covered in grace.
So keep showing up. Keep protecting what makes you you. Keep your light on—especially when it’s hard. Because that’s how you know you’re doing something right. That’s how you know you’re not just fighting the battle—you’re winning it.
– Dr. Nick
