The Devil is a Bully

My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls; fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in (Psalms 22:12 NLT).

If you are familiar with astronomy, the constellation, Taurus the bull, is present now in our nighttime sky. The Lord is reminding us to take charge in our lives. We are to learn to seize authority this month over the devil and His bullying ways. How do we do this? Certainly not in our own strength but the strength we find only in the Lord. The Jesus in you is as strong as an ox!

The one characteristic of bullies, both male and female, is their love of oppression. They enjoy tormenting their target, whether by physical strength or emotional manipulation. Kids face bullies in pre-school through high school. Cyberbullying is all too common today through the Twitter universe and Facebook rants. The God of this world is satan, and oh how he loves to control our thoughts and actions.

The Messianic Psalm 22 tells of both David’s struggle with his warring enemies and Jesus our Lord’s torment on the cross. It is an insightful look into the spiritual realm of darkness. The “Bulls of Bashan” are unseen forces that press in and delight in our torment. If you are living for Jesus, you know far too well how the devil can oppose you. He aims to stop you from obeying the Lord and fulfilling His desires on the earth.

Like any bully, the devil wants you to give in to Him. You must stand your ground against Him in the Lord’s strength. When you call on the name of Jesus, you will receive the power to resist the devil, and he will flee. Do not believe his lies when he says, “Jesus is ignoring you” or “ God will not help you.” The best way to defeat any bully is to ignore him and put your thoughts toward higher aims. Submit to Jesus Christ, the author, and finisher of your faith. Don’t stop running your race in Him. His grace will not fail you!