How to Stand Your Ground When the Enemy Tries to Wear You Out
In this devotion, Dianna Hobbs shares Word-based encouragement for anyone feeling beaten down by life’s spiritual battles. She shows how you can stand your ground—not by willpower alone, but by putting on the full armor of God and trusting in His promise of victory and joy.
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For more than a decade, I’ve been under attack. Relentless health battles, surgery complications, new diagnoses, shifting medications, chronic pain, and the kind of uncertainty that frustrates.
For a while, it wore me down.
Some days, I honestly wondered if I’d make it. The fatigue cut deeper than just feeling tired. It was a heaviness in my mind, my emotions, my spirit. A kind of exhaustion that made me want to give up and hide from the world.
But somewhere along the way, something shifted. Not in my circumstances necessarily, but in the way I saw them.
I drew a line in the sand: No more pity parties. No surrender. Whether I’m sick or well, I will press on, hold my head high, and boldly declare the goodness of the Lord.
“God shifts your mindset before He shifts your circumstances. Your perspective has to change before your situation does.”
Even when pain threatens to take center stage, my confession stays the same: God is my healer, my defender, my source of favor.
If I don’t anchor myself in this truth, these attacks will chip away at my faith until there’s nothing left. And I refuse to let that happen.
I’m reminded of Daniel 7. In this chapter, the prophet sees a series of beasts rising from the sea—symbolic of oppressive world powers. The bear-like beast (v. 5) is feared because of its hunger and strength. It devours without mercy.
But then comes the terrifying “little horn,” whose speaking “wears out the saints” (v. 25). This verse describes a figure who speaks against the Most High, oppresses His children, and seeks to change times and laws.
The "wearing out" (bālāʾ) of the saints suggests a deliberate, sustained effort to break their resolve, faith, or identity.
“The verb bālāʾ primarily means ‘to wear out,’ ‘to waste away,’ or ‘to consume.’ It is used in contexts that suggest deterioration or depletion, often through persistent pressure or affliction.”
Bālā isn’t just about getting tired. It’s a soul-grinding, mind-numbing kind of pressure that aims to break your resolve.
That’s the enemy’s playbook: not a single knockout blow, but a slow drip of discouragement. Relentless anxiety. Doubt. Despair. One setback after another, until you feel like you’re being squeezed from every side.
Are there any bold believers out there ready to say, “Satan will not wear me out!”?
If that’s you, don’t let it be just words—there’s action behind this kind of resolve. Paul tells us to put on the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11-18). This isn’t about partial protection; it’s about covering every part of who we are, inside and out.
The shield of faith blocks every dart Satan throws—doubt, fear, temptation, guilt—because our trust is anchored in God. The helmet of salvation guards our minds, reminding us who we are and whose we are, so lies can’t take root. The sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, is our weapon, sharp and sure, cutting through every attack when we hold tight to it in faith.
But none of this works without prayer. Persistent, Spirit-led prayer is what keeps the whole armor in place. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, Scripture, and prayer—these aren’t just ideas, they’re our daily gear. When we wear this armor on purpose every day, Satan has nothing that can break us.
So when you suit up every morning, you’re not just hanging on. You’re standing firm. You’re declaring, with every breath, that Satan won’t wear you out—because you’re standing in the strength of the One who’s already won.
Here’s the good news: suffering is not the end of your story. In fact, it leads to glorification. Peter puts it plainly in 1 Peter 4:12-13 (KJV):
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
Therefore, there’s no need to be surprised when life gets tough. Don’t think you’ve been singled out or forgotten. You’re not alone. In fact, you’re simply sharing in what Christ Himself endured. And here’s the promise: every bit of pain, every trial, every “fiery” moment is turning into a blessing.
When Christ’s glory is revealed—and it absolutely will be—your joy will overflow, your breakthrough will encourage others, and your faith will reach a whole new level.
You’ll look back and realize none of it was wasted. And what the devil meant for evil—to wear you out—God used for good, to lift you up.
Now pray this prayer with me.
Lord, thank You for reminding us that our trials are never wasted. You see every tear, every struggle, and You promise that suffering leads to something greater: Your glory being revealed in us. In the meantime, please give us strength to stand firm, to wear Your armor every day, and to trust You even when the fire feels hottest. Remind us that we are never alone, that Jesus has walked this road before us, and that joy is waiting on the other side of every test! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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