The Reading Plan is designed to guide you through daily scriptures and reflections, helping you deepen your understanding and strengthen your faith. Simply follow the daily readings provided, meditate on the scripture, and reflect on how it applies to your life. You can revisit previous days or jump ahead to future readings at your own pace. Stay consistent, and watch your spiritual growth unfold as you engage with the Word daily.
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- The War Against the Soul
5Day Reading Plan
The War Against the Soul
Creflo Dollar
Christians live in a culture diametrically opposed to the way God designed them. We are spirit beings living in a carnal external environment filled with ungodly influences constantly pulling at us. These influences suggest that giving in to cravings and addictions—not the presence of God—will make us happy. The devil, who is behind those influences, attacks our thinking and tries his best to make us sin-conscious. However, being born again makes us innocent and righteous in God’s sight, which is something the devil does not want us to believe. This world is not our final destination; we are therefore warned against the spiritual dangers of indulging ourselves in any pleasure that is harmful to our souls. We maintain our peace and joy when we are aware of our identity in Christ and refuse to let go of it.
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Day 1Passing Through but Standing Strong
As believers, we’re under attack by a crafty, ruthless enemy. There’s a spiritual fight going on; it’s not just “out there” somewhere but happening right in our souls. This is where our minds, thoughts, and emotions live, and it’s the very place the devil tries to influence the most. We may be born again, but worldly desires are constantly trying to wage war against us. That’s why our thinking still needs to be renewed daily.
Satan’s strategy is subtle but consistent. He tries to convince us that we belong to this world, when in reality, we’re just passing through; heaven is our real home. We’re human but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not our own, and capture rebellious thoughts to teach them to obey Christ.
The moment we start embracing worldly thinking, we open the door for confusion, fear, and doubt to take root. Recognizing that we’re strangers and pilgrims here on the earth helps us focus on God; we then begin thinking and living differently. Even the Old-Testament men and women of faith saw themselves as outsiders because they knew their promise was beyond this world. We’re strangers and sojourners and our days on earth are like a shadow.
The good news is that we’re not defenseless in this fight. We have the authority to take control of our thoughts and refuse what doesn’t line up with God’s Word. When wrong thoughts try to build strongholds in our minds, we don’t just sit there and entertain them but open our mouths and agree with God.
As the redeemed of the Lord, we must say so. No weapon formed against us will prosper. We’re more than conquerors through Christ. These are the victory declarations we stand on.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 2:11, NLT
Philippians 3:20, NLT
2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NLT
Hebrews 11:13
1 Chronicles 29:15
Psalm 107:2
Isaiah 54:17
Romans 8:37
Day 2Winning the Invisible Battle Within
Not all fights can be seen on the physical level. Satan has declared war against us, just like he did with God, and he’s focusing on our minds; this isn’t something we can afford to ignore. As foreigners and exiles on this earth, we’re not defined by the fleshly lusts pulling at us and warring against the soul. Although we live in the natural realm, we don’t wage a military campaign employing human weapons; we instead use spiritual weapons energized with divine power.
We must be intentional about resisting everything that challenges who we are in Christ. The tempter tried that with Jesus in the wilderness and lost. Being in Christ means we share in His victory; we’re therefore facing a defeated foe. Our adversary walks around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, but we have authority over all the power of the enemy.
Satan wants to turn our hearts away from God by distracting us, but we’ve seen what happens when we allow outside influences to take root in our hearts. In the Old Testament, Solomon allowed his love for foreign women to turn his heart away from God. Small compromises became major distractions, and eventually his devotion was divided. This is a lesson for us: we must guard our hearts carefully, because whatever we entertain consistently will shape our direction.
Another danger is getting caught up in appearances while neglecting our inner life. Jesus took issue with the scribes and Pharisees, calling them hypocrites because they only paid attention to external things but were full of extortion and excess. The real victory comes when we allow God to cleanse us from the inside out. We defeat the enemy by staying ready, vigilant, and grounded in our identity.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 2:11, NIV
2 Corinthians 10:3, 4, TPT
Matthew 4:1-11
1 Peter 5:8
Luke 10:19
1 Kings 11:1-3
Matthew 23:25
Day 3Remembering Our Identity in the Midst of War
As Christians, we’re facing an intense fight against an enemy whose primary goal is to kill us. The day we got born again was the day that Satan declared war against us. This spiritual war against our souls is real, and we can’t afford to ignore it. We’re citizens of another kingdom simply passing through this world; this isn’t our home, and we’re warned against making ourselves cozy in it.
Every day, we’re dealing with pressures, temptations, and distractions designed to pull us away from our identity in Christ. The enemy wants us so focused on the natural world that we forget who we already are in the Spirit. He doesn’t want us to know that we’re God’s children, His masterpiece, and joint heirs with Christ.
Because of our identity in Christ, we don’t belong here on the earth, but in heaven. Old covenant law could only point out sin but never had the power to permanently free people from it. Thankfully, Jesus did what rules and regulations never could so that instead of struggling through self-effort, we can now depend on God working in us to make us want to please Him.
This focus on God requires a renewal of the mind; without it, we start thinking the way the world thinks. Paul warned the Ephesians not to go along with the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They refused to acknowledge God and lost the ability to think straight. However, understanding grace opens our eyes to the victory Jesus provided for us on the cross.
Our “hand-to-hand combat” isn’t against human beings, but with principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. The fight is fierce, but we’ve already won. Remembering this helps us maintain the proper mindset.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 2:11, MSG
Philippians 3:20, NLT
John 1:12
Galatians 3:26
1 John 3:1
Ephesians 2:10, NLT
Romans 8:17
Philippians 2:13
Ephesians 4:17, 18, MSG
Ephesians 6:12, TPT
Day 4The War Against Our Souls
We’re in a real fight against the forces of evil. Whether we recognize it or not, the devil has targeted us. This thief came to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us, but Jesus came and gave us abundant life. In the middle of an enemy attack, Jesus reminds us that in Him we have peace; in the world we have tribulation, but He has overcome the world.
This encouraging message—that we’re not fighting for victory but from victory—comes right when we need to hear it. The devil tries to scare and intimidate us, but greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. Because God has already won the fight, as His children, we have, too.
Satan wants to control our minds, and the struggle is grueling. He tries to make things look grim and tells us that there’s no way out. However, we walk by faith, not by sight. The devil has already been identified as the father of lies and has fallen from heaven like lightning.
As believers, we’re authorized dealers of the power God has given us. Therefore, we can stop trying to win spiritual battles with natural strategies and start using the authority we already have in Him. We do this by putting on the armor of God so that we can stand firm against the devil’s schemes. Submitting to God while resisting the devil is an effective strategy; when we do that, he has no choice but to back off.
This is how we fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of eternal life. God’s kingdom is not of this world, and neither are we. The war here may be intense, but we’ve been fully equipped to stay in the winner’s circle.
Scriptures:
John 10:10
John 16:33
1 John 4:4
2 Corinthians 5:7
John 8:44
Luke 10:18
Ephesians 6:11
James 4:7
1 Timothy 6:12
John 18:36
Day 5Staying Alert in Spiritual Warfare
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
Imagine walking through a battlefield in the enemy’s crosshairs and having to thread your way through a minefield. This is what happens in the life of a believer. God created us to serve Him and others in love, but the devil sets traps for us by trying to divide and conquer us. This shows up in our everyday moments of life.
We’re in spiritual warfare against the enemy of our souls. He brought the fight to us when he deceived and lied to Adam and Eve. The devil thought he had won when Jesus went to the cross but realized he had been defeated when Jesus was resurrected. However, he doesn’t want to admit it; that’s why we must stay alert.
One of the devil’s tricks is turning us against each other through strife and bitterness. The beginning of strife is like releasing water; we’re therefore warned to stop contention before a quarrel starts. Another tactic of the enemy is providing opportunities for us to be offended, but one sign of virtue is overlooking an offense.
Envy and jealousy are other strategies the devil uses. Although a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Envy is just as deadly; where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. This opens the door for Satan to enter in, because our God isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace.
We win this fight by depending on God, who trains our hands for spiritual warfare and our fingers for battle. When things get too intense, He’s our fortress and our tower; we can run into it and be safe. Leaning on God as our refuge and stronghold steadies us in the middle of war. This moves us from simple survival to victorious celebration.
Scriptures:
1 Peter 5:8, NLT
Proverbs 17:14, NKJV
Proverbs 19:11, TPT
Proverbs 14:30, NLT
James 3:16
1 Corinthians 14:33
Psalm 144:1, NKJV
To win the war against the soul, check out Creflo Dollar’s 4-message series, The War Against the Soul, or his 7-message series, The Importance of Renewing the Mind.
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