“Either you destroy the power of Satan in your life by putting on the whole armour of God and keeping it on, or Satan will destroy you.”
“Satan is not challenging you to a mock battle; this war is a life-or-death struggle. If you do not believe me, look what he has done to God’s servants in time past. Charging full speed ahead at many a dear saint, he has battered their armour and the grace of God in them was almost unrecognisable. All this he does when he catches a saint off guard. Do you remember David? Oh, the battering he took by removing the breastplate of righteousness in the manner of Uriah! He sustained a dreadful wound, being shot right through the heart. This war is a spiritual holocaust. Either you destroy the power of Satan in your life by putting on the whole armour of God and keeping it on, or Satan will destroy you. The great saints of every century have been tried in the fires of temptation. And to a man they have been singed whenever Satan found the smallest chink in their graces. Do not disregard what history has repeatedly shown to be true”.
(William Gurnall in The Christian in Complete Armour)
As we study 2 Kings, we see one king after another, except for a few, in northern Israel or in southern Judah, destroyed spiritually by the evil one. Many were turned to idol worship and the worship of Baal. Other apparently good kings in Judah succumbed to the temptation of pride, arrogance and disobedience after initial success in their walk with God.
Surely, this should cause us to be on our guard in our spiritual walk and ministry. The enemy does not sleep and he is at work constantly, “prowling like a lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We need to consistently put on the whole armour of God by putting on Christ in our hearts and lives and always being open to the teaching, guidance and enabling of the Holy Spirit. Remember that we are not fighting against flesh and blood; our battle is a spiritual battle and we need Him every hour.