In my last blog I started talking about subtle, unseen ways Satan and his demons work against us. Direct attacks bring our response, but when we don’t even know it is an attack we can be defeated and not really know why. Here are some more of those tricks to watch out for.
We know Satan is slandering us to God in heaven, making all kinds of accusations against us. He points out our sins and failures to God (Revelation 12:10). He tries to get God to allow him to attack you in a very concentrated way and increase temptation to sin (Luke 22:31). So if you are going through a particularly difficult time and are struggling for victory even though it seems God isn’t helping you, it could certainly be that this is happening to you as it did to Job. Just stay faithful, keep your eyes on Jesus and remember that living for Jesus is a battle. Having demons single you out for concentrated attack shows you are doing something right which they want to hinder. Don’t let them! The more like Jesus you become, the more you will be attacked (Revelation 2:10), so don’t be surprised.
Satan and his forces can and will place counterfeit Christians in your life, your ministry or your church to deceive, mislead or cause disunity (Matthew 13:38-39; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). You assume they are a true believer but they are not, they are just there to disrupt and destroy. Because they become friends with you they can do much more damage than any stranger could ever do. It takes God’s wisdom to discern this trick. We aren’t to judge and decide who has salvation and who does not, but if someone does not produce the fruit of salvation and if the things they say or do do not line up with Scripture, no matter how godly or sincere they seem, make sure they don’t influence you or others. Even if an angel gives us another gospel we aren’t to believe it (Galatians 1:8).
One of Satan’s forces most effective tools against Christians who are striving to serve God and grow closer to Him is bring confusion, discouragement or despair into their lives or ministry (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Everyone who faithfully serves God faces this. When things are going well in life and ministry then he uses pride (1 Peter 5:6-8). These things can be very subtle and dangerous!
How can you stand firm and resist the devil so that he will flee? The Bible exhorts believers to war against the enemy of faith by not remaining ignorant of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11); by submitting to God (James 4:7), being sober and alert and resistant to him (Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8), and by not speaking lightly of him (Jude 8; 2 Peter 2:10).
Be alert for these as well as the ones we talked about in the first blog. (continued in next blog)
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 4:27 do not give the devil a foothold.
Ask God to show you if any of these tricks and traps are being used against you. If so, confess any sin you may have because of them and ask God to show you how to have victory over them.
Jerry Schmoyer
Christian Training Organization