This devotion is a monthly ministry of the Pee Dee Baptist Association, comprised of 32 Southern Baptist churches in Dillon and Marlboro Counties. For more information call 774-8062.
Featured this month is Rev. Bert Petty, the pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Dillon.

Why are so many people being killed in our society today? Even our children are not safe in the womb or at the local high school. Why does it seem that many in our country want lawlessness to reign? Why is the drug epidemic out of control in our county and across the United States? Why is it that news channels are much more interested in getting their political opinion across than they are in telling us about the news?
I will tell you why: we are at war! From the time that Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, people are at war – whether they know it or not, whether they acknowledge it or not.
I want to take you to Genesis, chapter three, in the Word of God. Adam and Eve sinned because the serpent had tempted Eve, she had fallen into sin, and Adam her husband, who was with her, sinned with her. We are going to look at one verse:
Genesis 3:15. “Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Before we go on, we must first understand that the serpent is either Satan, who has demon-possessed the serpent, or Satan taking the form of a serpent. God is speaking to Satan and is telling him about the curse that will come upon him for his sin.
We see war going on “between you and the woman.” Yes, it is true that my wife will tell you quickly, “the only good snake is a dead snake!” But there is much more going on in this text. In the first phrase we see the word “enmity” which means to be enemies. Now, pay attention because it is between the woman and her Seed and the serpent and his seed. (Jesus is the Seed of the woman.)
The only woman to have a child without a man was Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jesus was born of Mary and of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). He is fully God and fully man. The war is going on between Jesus and Satan. The war is also against the followers of Jesus because, when believers of Jesus are persecuted, Jesus Himself is also persecuted. In Acts 9:4, this is what Jesus says to Saul: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul was persecuting believers in Jesus.
So, we have Jesus and all of is followers on one side and Satan and all of the fallen angels with him on the other. Let’s look at a couple of verses that confirm this.
Revelation 12:9 says, “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Matthew 25:41 says, “ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Quickly we notice that the Devil is the serpent of old or the serpent that deceived Eve and, also, we see that Satan was cast out of heaven with his angels.
This war that we are talking about is the ultimate battle between good and evil.
Genesis 3:15 even tells us about the outcome of the war. Notice the phrase “He shall bruise your head.” Now, remember that God is speaking to the serpent.
The serpent, or Satan, will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus and thrown into the lake of fire at the end of this battle. Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Just before the Lord makes a new heaven and a new earth, He will sling Satan into the lake of fire, therefore bruising Satan’s head with a fatal wound.
The bruising of the heel of the Lord Jesus took place on the cross 2,000 years ago when He died on the cross for our sins. But Jesus rose again on the third day in victory, winning the war. But the battle continues until the Lord Jesus comes back at the second coming to rule on this earth.
My question for you is this: which side are you on? I really thought I was a pretty good person: I had been baptized, I was on the roll of a church, and I had been raised in a Christian home. But I was on Satan’s side and had no clue that I was on Satan’s side. So is everyone who does not know the Lord as their personal Savior.
The other day I was trying to clean the windshield of our car with my sunglasses on, but I could not see the dirt because the sunglasses had dimmed my vision. My wife had to point out to me dirty places, and I still did not get all of them! But my point is that I was blinded by the sunglasses.
Before I was saved, I was spiritually blinded by Satan. Check out this verse:
2 Corinthians 4:3-4. “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded …” I had been blinded by Satan about my spiritual condition. In John 10:10, Jesus describes exactly what is going on. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Today, if you are on the wrong side, there is a right answer! You can believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you can believe that He was raised on the third day, and you can see that you are wrong, a sinner. Repent of your sins, place your faith in Jesus, and ask Him into your heart (Romans 10:9-10).
The orders for believers can be found in Matthew 18:18-20. Let us be like Paul as he was reaching the end of his life saying, “I have fought the good fight ….”
God bless you. Have a great week.