Communion Sunday / The Invisible Fight | Pastor Shane Johnston | Resonate Church

May 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Lion at the Door

The disciples huddled behind locked doors, fear clinging like sweat. Jesus stood among them, scars visible. “Peace,” He said, breathing Spirit into their paralysis. Hours earlier, Peter had denied Him three times. Now the resurrected Christ served broiled fish, restoring purpose to their shame. [42:16]

Satan prowls like a lion, but Jesus walks through locked doors. The enemy studies your habits, your vulnerabilities—yet Christ’s resurrection power shatters every chain. Your alertness isn’t paranoia; it’s partnership with the One who holds all authority.

When lies whisper “You’re disqualified,” remember Peter’s restoration. What door have you locked against Christ’s redeeming presence? Where might He be waiting to breathe fresh purpose into your fear?

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
(1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one lie you’ve believed this week. Rebuke it aloud in His name.
Challenge: Write the lie on paper, then cross it out. Write Christ’s truth from Philippians 4:8 beside it.

Day 2: Beauty Turned Brutal

Lucifer shone like dawn, a guardian cherub adorned in jewels. Pride twisted his heart. God expelled him from the mountain, his splendor crushed like embers underfoot. Ezekiel’s prophecy unveils Satan’s origin: created, not eternal; fallen, not sovereign. [47:27]

The enemy’s power is borrowed. His rage stems from defeat at Calvary. When he whispers “This addiction defines you” or “Your past disqualifies you,” remember: he’s a dethroned pretender. Christ’s blood outshines his fading glory.

You’ve faced accusations in the mirror at 3 AM. How might declaring “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20) shift your perspective tonight?

“You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.”
(Ezekiel 28:15, ESV)

Prayer: Confess any area where pride has opened a door to darkness. Claim Proverbs 16:18 over it.
Challenge: Identify one “jewel” (talent/possession) you’ve prized above Christ. Pray over it for 2 minutes.

Day 3: Crushed Underfoot

Wyatt’s question hung in the minivan: “Why doesn’t God crush Satan now?” Paul’s answer thundered—the God of peace will soon trample the serpent under your feet (Romans 16:20). Jesus demonstrated this when He told the seventy, “I saw Satan fall like lightning” as they healed in His name. [01:01:40]

Authority isn’t a concept—it’s Christ in you. The same power that hurled stars into space dwells in believers. When you pray “In Jesus’ name,” demons flinch. Your words carry kingdom weight.

What situation feels immovable? How would praying with active expectation of Satan’s defeat change your approach?

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore…”
(Matthew 28:18-19, ESV)

Prayer: Declare Jesus’ authority over three specific areas: your mind, a relationship, and a future decision.
Challenge: Text one person: “I’m praying God crushes Satan’s plans over ______ today. Join me?”

Day 4: Mice and Mountains

Pastor Kendrick’s midnight mouse hunt mirrors our call: once you spot the enemy’s work, you can’t pretend it away. John wrote, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8). Flip the couch. Shine light in dark corners. [47:52]

Ignoring sin or oppression invites infestation. But Christ’s blood cleanses every shadow. Your proactive prayers act like holy mousetraps—not from fear, but confidence in the Exterminator’s victory.

Where have you tolerated “mice” (habitual sin, toxic thoughts) instead of evicting them? What first step will you take?

“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil…he was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
(Revelation 12:9, NIV)

Prayer: Walk through your home praying aloud: “Jesus’ blood covers this room. No foothold here.”
Challenge: Delete one app/media source that’s been a “mouse hole” for temptation.

Day 5: Blood-Sprinkled Confidence

The woman clutched her alabaster jar, tears mixing with perfume. Pharisees scoffed, but Jesus declared, “Her sins—many—are forgiven.” She left with heaven’s receipt: “Your faith has saved you.” The altar call echoed this—hands raised, guilt cleansed, assurance won. [24:27]

Satan’s greatest lie? “You’re unworthy.” Hebrews 10 screams otherwise: Christ’s single sacrifice perfected you forever. Walk boldly—not because you’re flawless, but because His blood speaks better things than your failures.

When shame whispers, will you rehearse your resume or His redemption?

“Let us draw near…with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.”
(Hebrews 10:22, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for three specific sins He’s forgiven. Name them aloud.
Challenge: Share your salvation story with one person today—by voice or text.

Sermon Summary

We gather to remember the cross and to live from what it accomplished. Communion anchors our identity: by a single offering we already stand justified and perfected before God even as God continues a work of sanctification in us. Because of Jesus we come boldly into God’s presence, not by our goodness but by the way opened through his body. Our hearts receive cleansing and assurance when we reflect on his sacrifice, and that assurance becomes the soil from which faithful resistance to darkness grows.

We face an invisible fight that requires clarity and a shift in daily living. Spiritual warfare does not belong to a remote myth or to paranoid obsession; it intersects our routines, decisions, relationships, and the small deceptions that accumulate into regret. Awareness and alertness carry moral weight: once we see the battle, we must change how we live. Scripture commands vigilance and exposes the enemy’s intent to devour, while also equipping us with the truth that Satan is a created, fallen being, expelled from heaven by God’s righteous judgment.

We must hold squarely to the theological facts. The enemy originated as a beautiful angel whose pride led to rebellion; a portion of angels followed him into darkness. That reality explains evil’s presence but does not place it on par with God. God alone remains sovereign, and Scripture promises a final defeat of the enemy. Meanwhile, the risen Christ entrusts authority to his people and walks with us by his Spirit, so we do not enter the struggle alone or by our own power.

Practical obedience begins with simple, disciplined habits. Daily engagement with truth exposes the lies that sound attractive and promising but deliver bondage. The Holy Spirit still moves to bring conviction, clarity, and rescue, turning moments of confusion into restoration. Our immediate task is to learn to recognize the enemy’s lies, call them what they are, and take our stand in the name and authority of Jesus. As we do this together, our homes, minds, and communities will bear evidence of God’s victory now and the ultimate victory to come.

Key Takeaways

1. We must be spiritually alert Being alert is not mere curiosity; it is a command that shapes our attention, choices, and rhythms. Vigilance sharpens discernment so that small deceptions do not root and multiply into spiritual defeat. Alertness turns passive frustration into strategic resistance grounded in Scripture and prayer. [42:16]
2. Satan is a created being The enemy began as a created angel whose pride led to expulsion, so evil never equals God in essence or authority. Recognizing his created status removes the terror that paralyzes and clarifies that our contest is with a limited, accountable creature. This truth frees us to confront deception without overstating its power. [48:41]
3. Jesus holds all authority All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus, and he remains present with us by his Spirit. That authority reframes every skirmish: we do not improvise tactics in fear but act under his name and power. Our confident obedience flows from his sovereignty, not our performance. [61:40]
4. Call lies what they are Identifying a thought as the enemy’s lie ends its covert reign over our minds and choices. Naming deception lets Scripture and the Spirit replace seductive half-truths with God’s clarifying truth. Habitual truth-telling reshapes our daily decisions and makes resistance normal. [62:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:02] - Communion invitation for seekers
[23:02] - The meaning of communion
[36:50] - Series introduction: Invisible Fight
[38:28] - Mouse story: awareness illustrated
[41:42] - Series goals explained
[42:16] - Biblical call to be alert
[47:27] - Who is the enemy
[61:40] - Authority of Jesus and application

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Observation questions

What specific command does 1 Peter 5:8 give believers, and how does the sermon describe the purpose of being "alert" in daily life? [[42:16]]
According to the sermon, what two extremes do people often fall into regarding spiritual warfare (e.g., disbelief vs. hyperfocus)? [[44:28]]
How does Ezekiel 28 describe Satan’s origin and downfall?

Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that Satan is called a created being in Scripture, and how does this truth affect our perspective on his power compared to God’s? [[48:41]]
The sermon says, “If you avoid the devil, he will leave you alone” is a lie. Why might this lie be appealing, and how does it contradict 1 Peter 5:8? [[46:34]]
How does Jesus’ statement in Matthew 28:18 (“All authority has been given to me”) reframe our approach to spiritual battles? [[01:01:40]]

Application questions

What is one recurring thought or lie you’ve recently believed (e.g., “You need this” about a harmful habit or decision) that aligns with the enemy’s tactics described in the sermon? How can you actively replace it with truth this week? [[56:34]]
The sermon emphasizes “calling lies what they are.” What practical step could you take to identify and verbally reject a deceptive thought the next time it arises (e.g., writing down lies vs. truth, praying aloud)? [[01:02:44]]
How might your daily routines (e.g., prayer, Scripture reading) shift if you treated them as “weapons to fight chaos” rather than optional spiritual tasks? [[59:00]]
The sermon says spiritual alertness turns “passive frustration into strategic resistance.” Where have you felt spiritually passive lately, and what intentional action could you take to resist darkness in that area?
Who in your life needs encouragement to walk in the authority of Jesus’ name, and how could you pray for or support them this week? [[01:03:50]]

Sermon Clips

38s

#FaithWithAction

“``I think the real issue for us as church people is not that we disbelieve that there's a spiritual battle and not that we're over here looking for a demon around every corner. I think that the place that most of us find ourselves deceived is to be in this place where we actually believe there's a spiritual battle, but it has zero implication on how you're living your life right now. And I believe the reason most of us end up there believing in it but wanting to avoid it is a simple lie of the devil that has worked far too well on Jesus' church, which is this. If you avoid the devil, he will leave you alone.”

35s

#JesusHasAuthority

“So he's got all authority, and he's with you always. So I'm in a moment like, are angels or or demons more powerful than humans? Yeah. And the bible this isn't this is why it was so hard to condense it down. One day, scripture says, we'll actually rule over them. But are they more powerful than humans? Yeah. And does that cause us to step back? No. Because all authority is Jesus', and he's always with me. So I don't need to back out from any fight. Right? It's like the way you act with a bit of a different swagger when your dad's around. You know?”

31s

#DiscernTheLies

“Simply to be alert and begin to notice the lies of the enemy and call them what they are. We're gonna talk more about how to pray and how to operate in the authority of the name of Jesus all throughout this series. But in week number one, just begin to notice, oh, yeah. That's a lie. Yeah. Like, that no. That's not true. I don't need to believe that is true. That's the enemy's desire for me. Know God's desire for me. Yeah. And Jesus is with me. Yeah. Let's stand together all over the room. We're gonna turn this into a house of prayer for a few minutes.”

31s

#DevilIsCreated

“Alright. That's a lot of that's a lot of stuff. Let's get out the key items from that text that I want us to see today. Number one is this, that the devil was created. Yeah. Right. He's not like god. He's not infinite. Satan is not omnipotent. He can't be everywhere at all times. We will use those terms interchangeably, the devil or demons or, more grandly speaking, the enemy. And so if I was to say to you, the the devil is against your life, it does not mean the devil is parked outside your home right now.”

43s

#SatanUnderYourFeet

“But here's what I do know and what I believe every seven year old needs to know and every person older and younger than seven needs to know this in in our hearts that god will crush Satan. Scripture is clear. Romans sixteen twenty says it very clearly. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under, read these last two words with me, your feet. Let me say that again. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under, say it again, your feet. Some of y'all are, like, afraid to say it. You think, like, if I say it, am I getting in the fight? Yeah. Read it again. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

31s

#RescuedFromDarkness

“And when I woke up, it wasn't like I had a memory of a dream. The atmosphere in the room had fully shifted. The atmosphere of my heart had fully shifted. I had clarity again to my thinking. And this is what the Bible says. I love this. I wanna give all the glory to the Lord in this. How many this is your testimony? For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves.”

35s

#HolySpiritDream

“And I went, and I got into bed, fell asleep. And in the night, God in his crazy mercy reached to me. And I had a spiritual dream, like a holy spirit dream. The Bible talks about this. In the dream, I was in a church service. I can still picture. That's how that's how much of a holy spirit dream it was. I can picture what the room looked like in my dream. I responded in worship all in with god. At the end of this of the message and the time with god, they opened the front for prayer. I went forward and received prayer, and it was like I was meeting with god as I slept.”

26s

#DontIgnoreTheEnemy

“And that's dumb. It's like saying, if there's a mouse in your house, stay in your room. It's gonna eat through your cupboard. You're gonna have sawdust on the floor. It's gonna find your cheese. It's gonna do things on the floor of your home that's gonna contaminate it for your children. If you ignore it, it doesn't go play outside. It just eats more. And so we're gonna deal with this. Are you ready?”

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