Youssef - Conquer: Your Battle Plan for Spiritual Victory

In a day and age when our sophisticated culture mocks the very thought of a personal devil, Michael Youssef exposes him for what he isa liar, deceiver, and accuser of believers. The very fact that so few give any thought to him today is testimony to his clever and sinister tactics. In Conquer we find that he is indeed a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. But Dr. Youssef reveals that the devil is only able to roar because he has no teeththe conquering Christ has already defeated him. Devour this book and you will begin to live in the victory that is already yours in Christ.

Dr. O.S. Hawkins, president/CEO, GuideStone Financial Resources

Dr. Michael Youssef has written an amazing book that helps us to know who our real enemy is. When we are tempted to judge one another or focus on those who have hurt us, Michael shows us not to take things personally from enemies or friends but to know the real culpritthe devil. This book will make you want to pray more, read the Bible more, and know God better. This is Dr. Youssefs best book yet.

Dr. R.T. Kendall, senior minister, Westminster Chapel (19772002)

The war is raging, the enemy is real, but I am grateful that the Bible gives clear truth concerning how we can win the victory. I encourage you to read Michael Youssefs Conquer and to understand that we are indeed more than conquerors through Jesus Christ.

Dr. Johnny Hunt, pastor, First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Georgia

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Cover design by Dual Identity, Inc, Whites Creek, Tennessee

Cover photos Anne Greenwood, apiguide, aquariagirl1970 / Shutterstock

Published in association with Don Gates of the literary agency, The Gates Group, www.the-gates-group.com

CONQUER

Copyright 1997, 2015 by Michael Youssef

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Youssef, Michael.

[Know your real enemy]

Conquer / Michael Youssef.

pages cm

Previously published: Know your real enemy. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, c1997.

ISBN 978-0-7369-5463-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-5464-8 (eBook)

1. DevilChristianity. 2. Spiritual warfare. I. Title.

BT982.Y68 2015

235'.4dc23

2014024349

All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of authors and publishers rights is strictly prohibited.

To Phil Cave

whose partnership made it possible for untold numbers of people around the world to be set free from Satans clutches.

I am grateful to Don Gates and Lauren Settembrini for using their gifts to help make this book more relevant and practical.

Special thanks to the entire team at Harvest House Publishersand especially to Bob Hawkins Jr., LaRae Weikert, and Rod Morris, who shared my dream and helped to enlarge the vision of this book.

Finally, thanks to the people of The Church of The Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, for their constant encouragement and support. They were the first audience for this message, and they helped me to refine the message with their questions and helpful comments.

CONTENTS

B ob (not his real name) struggled with sexual sin. He had a successful ministry, his wife loved him, and hundreds of others were influenced by his ministry. But he could not resist the lustful glance, could not keep sexual fantasies out of his head.

Carnal desire had gripped him for so long that secretly he had accommodated it. Bob started to pretend it wasnt his fault. He blamed his upbringing. He blamed his psychological makeup. In effect he said, I dont want to be like this, but what can I do? This is the way I am. Eventually he lost his position after his addiction to pornography was exposed. His ministry was ruined by his failure to overcome sin. He knew it. But he was powerless to stop himself.

At times I am overwhelmed at the number of church people who are addicted to pornography. My friend, Tal Prince, has dedicated his life to helping people who, like himself, were trapped in this modern-day slavery to sin. But that is only one area in which the enemy of our soul has succeeded in invading Christian minds and holding them captive to his powers.

There are other areas of behavior and personality over which some Christians seem to be unable to wrest control back from Satan. As a result, they live second-class lives, dogged by ineffectiveness and guilt. They go around in circles. Typically, they blame their failures on other people or upbringing or circumstances, and they try to fight failure using psychological methods, as though sin could be solved with therapy.

Does it work? Of course not. And for one simple reason. The real enemy in sin is not the influence of temperament or other people. The real enemy is the devil.

The same goes for relationships. If youre married, think for a moment about that last tiff you had with your spouse. Probably you felt your partner was in the wrong and felt wounded by your partners lack of sensitivity and care. At first, arguments like that do little damage because the hurt is more than offset by mutual love and commitment. But it may not stay that way. Have enough arguments and you will find the battle lines being drawn. You begin to anticipate conflict and to see your partner as responsible for your grievances. Sooner or later one of you begins to think, If only I could get away from this person, my life would be so much better.

But again, who is the real enemy? Whose interests are really served when husband and wife start to fight? Not those of the marriage partners, still less those of their children. Only one person wins when marriages break down, and that is the devil. So much hangs on a marriage: the health and security of children, management of the household, effective witnessing, your example to others. All these things Satan can seize and disrupt if he destroys a marriage. Thats why marriages are under so much pressure.