In the Old Testament Satan afflicted Job with disease to try to bring about his spiritual ruin. In the New Testament the apostle Paul had "a thorn in (his) flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment (him)" (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Satan can use illnesses to bring spiritual defeat even when he did not inflict them in the first place. He uses these discomforting ills to discourage us. In this way, he wages spiritual warfare against sick believers. His avenue of attack is through our sinful natures passed down to us from Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. These natures are a reflection of Satan's own evil nature.

Even though believers have a new nature, it is still possible to let the thinking of our old sinful natures gain control of our minds. This is evident when we allow a flood of destructive emotions such as fear of the future, poor self worth, depression and bitterness to gain control. We who have experienced a serious disease such as cancer can understand the battle between our two inner natures that can bring out the worst in us. Our thoughts are a reflection of either our old nature or our new nature. How do we cope with this spiritual warfare within us?

When Satan attacks our rest through a tough circumstance, we should pray, "Lord, I'm facing a difficult situation. The devil is trying to defeat me. I praise You that I already have the victory."

Thought: "Praising God during tough times controls our minds and defeats Satan."

Print this devotional and meditate on it. For more help buy a copy of Confronting Life-Threatening Illness by Dr. John E. Packo. Fill out the order form in the Web site and save 20%! Thank you.