How do I battle the lying tongue of my enemy? The devil is called “the father of lies,” and he deserves the title. Here’s how Jesus dealt with this threat and I can model his strategy.

“Be quiet!” (Mark 1:25)

Where is the devil attacking you?

Your enemy talks. What will you do? His imps poison the air with white lies. “Loser!” one sneers. “Look, they’re laughing at you…” “She always gets her way…” “Go ahead, no one is looking…” “Why not, you deserve it….” “This will never work for you!” “Make him live to regret that….” Today will be noisy, inside your head and out. But what else do you expect in your war of words? Say something!

Jesus faced noisy days. In chapter one of Mark’s Gospel, a demon with no tongue of his own used a broken man to blaspheme. “What do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us?” it squealed. Jesus showed no tolerance. “Be quiet!” he said. “Come out!” The demon gagged, winced, and fled. Jesus turned and gave the man a new life.

“Be quiet” was enough. Just two words fired this shot heard round the universe. Jesus faced-down his foes directly, simply, and violently: “Let there be quiet!”

Your enemy is talking. What will you do? Talk back! Today you face noise. Your enemy intends to dismantle the world this way. “Let there not be…” he says. But you will not remain silent. You will not show mercy. You will borrow Jesus’ words in Jesus’ name and shut down the nonsense.

Answer envy: “Be quiet!” Answer suspicion: “Be quiet!” Answer distrust and fear and self-pity and lust and anger and gluttony and pride: “Be quiet!” Inside your own soul and on behalf of others, put these two words to work. Then rest easy.

Your mission: Listen carefully for the slightest deception. Listen for the inaudible, invisible source of the lies. When you identify your target, take aim. Then from under your breath let fly the borrowed words: “Be quiet!” Then rest as the racket dies away.

Question: “Where is the devil attacking?” Answer: “Be quiet!”

Explore more in the free ebook Fight Like Jesus at www.markherringshaw.com