A few months ago, I learned a painful lesson in tool selection. I was using a multi-tool saw with a flat-head screwdriver as a pry-bar (because that seemed like a creative and “outside-the-box” thinking I am generally good at). Something was stuck in a hole I had drilled, and I figured I could just quickly wedge it out. I was very, very wrong.
Problem one: The multi-tool saw didn’t have a locking mechanism, which meant it folded shut under any amount of misapplied pressure.
Problem two: The serrated blade was extremely sharp (which is usually a good thing when you’re actually attempting to cut something). So, when I applied pressure the saw snapped closed — past (read: “through”) the tip of my finger — I realized two things very quickly: I was using the wrong tool and the tip of my finger (including nail) had been quickly and cleanly sheared off (except for a piece of skin that had “coincidently” been missed by the blade).
In the same way, when we face spiritual battles, using the wrong tools (like self-reliance, fear, anxiety, anger, control, etc.) doesn’t just fail to fix the problem; it can cause even more damage than the original issue. Romans 8:31-39 reminds us that no challenge can separate us from God’s love, and through Him, we are more than conquerors. Here are the right tools to fight the real battles:
Know Who Is Really Fighting
You’re not called to fight alone. “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8.31). Victory isn’t about your strength — it’s about you trusting in His strength.
Recognize the Real Enemy
The battle isn’t against people, but against a real spiritual enemy. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against … the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6.12). Respond to attacks with truth, not retaliation.
Stand in Your Intrinsic Identity
When accusations come — whether from others or being whispered into your own mind by the spiritual enemy —remember: “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8.39). The enemy’s greatest weapon is doubt, but God’s love IS your defense.
This week, ask yourself: Where am I feeling the attack? How can I use Jesus rather than fight in my own strength by what I think will work?
You’re not designed to just survive — you’re more than a conqueror!
God bless —
Nathan
