Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Spiritual warfare isn’t only about casting the enemy out—it’s also about keeping him out. Scripture warns us that certain attitudes, sins, and unresolved issues can open a door for the enemy to operate in our lives. Ephesians 4:27 calls this “giving the devil a foothold.”

 

One common foothold is unresolved anger. Anger itself is not always sinful—Jesus showed righteous anger at injustice—but when anger lingers, it can harden into bitterness, resentment, and even hatred. That’s why Paul warns, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” When we hold onto offense, we are not just hurting ourselves—we are giving the enemy permission to whisper lies, stir division, and erode our peace.

Another foothold is unrepented sin. James 4:7 gives us the pattern for victory: submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. Notice the order—resistance only works when we have first surrendered to God. That surrender comes through repentance—turning away from sin and turning toward obedience.

 

Practical Steps to Close the Door to the Enemy:

  1. Repentance – Turn away from any known sin and submit that area of your life fully to God.
  2. Confession – Bring hidden struggles into the light through honest prayer and, if necessary, a trusted believer.
  3. Dealing with Anger Quickly – Refuse to let unresolved offense linger. Seek peace the same day if possible.
  4. Forgiveness – Release anyone who has wronged you into God’s hands. Forgiveness is not excusing their sin—it’s freeing yourself from the chains of bitterness.
  5. Resisting the Enemy – Once the doors are closed, stand firm in faith and use the authority of Jesus’ name to reject the devil’s lies and temptations and command him to leave.

 

Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, what areas of my life are not fully submitted to you? Have I given any place in my life to the enemy? Are there any sins I need to confess and repent of? 

 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me the areas in my life where I may have given the enemy access. I confess before You that I have sinned by [name the sins] and ask You to cleanse me completely. I choose to forgive those who have hurt me, releasing them into Your hands.  Thank You for Your forgiveness and cleansing me of all unrighteousness. Holy Spirit, work in my life that I may bear fruit of the Spirit. Amen.

Resources: Bible verses on Closing the Door to the Enemy

Repent and Confess:

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Remove and Destroy Idols and Occult Objects:

Acts 19:18-19

Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Forgive 

Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

 

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