In Genesis 3, after the fall, God pronounces this curse on Satan: “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

It is a prophetic picture of the future victory of Jesus through his cross and resurrection. This morning as I was praying this verse kept coming to me as a picture of the enemy’s tactic against God‘s people right now. He is biting our heels. It’s almost like a little yapping dog that never goes away. It’s not big enough to do significant damage but over time it just becomes exhausting, irritating and frustrating.

For a number of weeks now there have been lots of little attacks and small setbacks - nothing hugely significant, but just one thing after another. It could be difficult conversations, unexpected bills, silly misunderstandings, relational tensions, people gossiping or lying about you, minor health issues, cars and other things breaking down. One little thing after another has brought a weariness and a desire to retreat.

However, don’t forget the other part of the curse in Genesis 3: “he [Jesus] will crush your head.” Satan is a defeated foe, one day he will be completely destroyed, he knows his time is short and his ability to attack God’s people is limited.

Treat him like yapping dog. Don’t be afraid of him. Use your authority to remove him. Contain him. Silence him. Rebuke and renounce him from your life. Don’t give him any place or any area of your territory. He’s all bark and no bite. On the other hand, the mighty Lion of Judah is with you. He is about to roar and when He does, all of hell will shake!

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Genesis 3:14-15

“So the Lord God said to the snake, ‘Because you have done this, ‘Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’”

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Revelation 5:5

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’”

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Revelation 12:10-12

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.’”