Banish the Devil

     “Avoid anxieties and worry with all your might. Otherwise, all your activities will have little success or be unfruitful. We know for certain that if our spirits are in turmoil, the attacks of the devil will become more frequent and direct. He always takes advantage of our weakness to achieve his intentions.”                                                                                                                                                                   St. Padre Pio



     Life is full of anxiety and worry. They start when we are children and continue until we leave this world. We look back at the things we worried about years ago, comparing them to our current concerns, and think they weren’t so bad – yet at the time – they seemed monumental!


     The devil has a way of making a mountain out of a molehill. A molehill we can handle. We easily stomp on it and it’s gone. But a mountain, we are not up to that climb. So he cons us into thinking our problem is insurmountable. It’s more than we can conquer. We feel overwhelmed, distracted, discouraged, and insecure. Our lack of trust in God is at an all time low. In fact, we may not even think about God, being overwhelmed by our anxiety. We want to get past this place of angst, but feel helpless against its power. We try to do the task set before us, but struggle to concentrate. We are tempted to give up!

     We must not! St. Pio tells us that we must fight against anxiety with all our might! God is here to help us, and allows anxieties in our lives so that we will exercise our spiritual muscles. We need to remember we are not alone. Stay in the presence of God. Stay in the present moment, where His grace is portioned specifically for our needs. We will then be able to deliver the “knock out punch” to overcome the devil. Our trust in God will increase and hopefully the next time, we will do a little better.

     So when you hear the voice of discouragement, relax. Take a deep breath and inhale the Holy Spirit of God. He is there with encouragement and strength. He is there to override the lies of the evil one. He is there to help us. God will give us the grace to handle all situations that come into our lives. When we cannot stand, He will then carry us. His support is all that is needed.

     “So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon Him because He cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to His eternal glory through Christ Jesus will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To Him, be dominion forever. Amen”
(2 Pt 5 vs 6-11).