The devil is a tempter, deceiver, accuser and intimidator. These are the tactics that Satan uses to keep us from being victorious Christians and fulfilling our divine calling. Intimidation is a companion of fear. Paul reminded young Timothy, "God has not given us a spirit of fear" II Tim. 1:7. Fear is a spirit but not of God! Fear (Greek: delia) denotes cowardice and timidity. The devil will do everything he can to knock us out of the battle, and intimidation is one of his chief weapons. Timothy was in danger of being intimidated by potential persecution, for Paul was already imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. So, Paul went on to say, "Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me the prisoner" v.8.

Satan often works through other people to intimidate us. When Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the devil used Sanballat and Tobiah to mock and intimidate the Jews. Tobiah snarled, "Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall" Neh. 4:3. But Nehemiah could not be intimidated. He encouraged the people to build and to battle. They worked with a weapon in one hand, and the wall was finished, for "the joy of the Lord was their strength" Neh. 8:10.

When Peter and John healed a lame man by the power of the resurrected Christ, they were confronted by the Sanhedrian, the supreme council of the Jews. When this religious hierarchy saw the boldness of Peter and John they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13). Though forbidden to "speak to no man in this name", the disciples replied, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" Acts 4:20. These disciples were so confident of their call and commission in Christ they could not be intimidated. Oh, Lord, let this be true of us as well!

In Rev. 21:8, we are told of those who will have their part in the lake of fire. The first mentioned are "the fearful", the cowardly and intimidated, along with the "unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars". Over against these losers are the overcomers: "He who overcomes, shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son" v7.

The opposite of the spirit of fear is the spirit of the overcomer. To each of the seven churches to whom the message of Revelation was written, special promises are given to those who overcome. The word "overcome" is a military term that applies to victory through spiritual warfare. It denotes victory, supremacy or success.

Christian soldier, let not family, friend or foe intimidate you from standing strong in deliverance and spiritual warfare. The battle is on for our nation, states, churches, families and our very lives. Some contend that this warfare is too dangerous and there will be backlash. Jesus says, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing by any means shall hurt you" Luke 10:19.

We will either overcome or be overcome, "For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage" 2 Peter 2:19. Therefore, be bold, for the Lord your God is with you!