“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
“[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].” (Colossians 2:15)
It is evident through Scripture that the enemy is very much real and is looking for who he can attack and take out. There will be times when we will have to face evil schemes from the enemy as believers. The devil hates the believer. Especially an effective one. His life mission is to discourage and harm those God has blessed. The Bible says that he has come to steal, kill, and destroy. But I want to emphasize this: HE IS A DEFEATED FOE! Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Colossians 2:16 says that God has stripped the enemy of its power. He made a public spectacle and put them to open shame by triumphing over them at the Cross! And God gives us the victory— making us conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 10:19 says that we have been given authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm us. But, the enemy, Satan, still roams around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Any small foothold we give to him, he’ll take it. There’s a quote that says, “The only power the enemy has is the power you allow him to have.” Even though he is defeated, he continues to employ tactics to deceive the believer to keep us from walking in the fullness of God’s will for our lives. I want to speak of a few I’ve seen that are prevalent in today’s church. Not to glorify the devil but to expose him. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says not to be outwitted by satan and not to be ignorant of his schemes and devices. We must stay alert and watchful so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
1. Deception
Deceptionis one of Satan’s key strategies. He is the father of lies (John 8:44). He distorts the truth of God’s Word. He seeks to confuse us. He causes believers to doubt who they are in Christ and their authority. He whispers lies, trying to convince us that we are powerless, not good enough, or defeated. But the Word of God says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). One of the examples of this tactic is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. In Matthew 4:3, we see that Satan challenged Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and what He could do. However, as we continue to read through it, we see that Jesus didn’t need to prove anything to the devil. He was fully confident in the Word, His identity as the Son of God, and His authority. The enemy will try to deceive you and lie about who you are, what belongs to you, and what you can do. But like Jesus, we must stand firm in what the Word says about who we are, that we are God’s children, and have His power in us. (Ephesians 1:19). We’ve been equipped with the greatest weapon— the truth, the Word of God. We must strive to know and understand the Word above knowing anything else. When we are full of the Word, the source of truth, we can discern the devil’s lies. With knowledge of the Word and the truth of Scripture, we can overcome every deception and walk in victory. Hallelujah!
2. Division
Division and offense are other common strategies that the devil uses against the believers. Ephesians 4:26-27 says: ”Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].“ In other translations, verse 27 says, “for anger gives a foothold to the devil”. The truth is that there will be things that make you angry, and there will be immorality and injustice in this world and even in ministry. However, Paul emphasizes that we shouldn’t harbor our anger or bitterness because it gives a foothold to the devil. Giving a foothold to the devil means providing territory to the enemy within our lives to cause strife and division and opens the door for him to cause evil and destruction within our lives. Not only that, but it also weakens our authority in Christ. Our authority as believers is most potent when we are in right standing with God and one another, walking in love as the body of Christ. (Mark 3:25 — if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Ephesians 4:2-3, says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Our love for God and people will keep us from allowing division and offense in our hearts. When we choose to forgive and to love, we overcome anger and bitterness.
3. Temptation
Temptation is a strategy the enemy uses to lead believers into sin, drawing them away from the path of righteousness. He studies our weaknesses and presents opportunities for us to act on them, hoping to stray us from God’s will and hinder our relationship with God. Temptation is enticing; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a temptation. It will appeal to our fleshly desires and ambitions. But praise God, we have the Holy Ghost living inside of us to help us and strengthen us! Prayer is vital in overcoming temptation. In Luke 22:36, Jesus spoke to the disciples and instructed them to pray so that they would not give into temptation. Through prayer, our spirit man is strengthened, and we can become stronger in resisting the devil. We must also keep the Word in our hearts and be sure to obey it. Psalm 119:9-11 says that a young person stays pure by obeying God’s Word. King David said that he hid God’s Word in his heart so that he would not sin against Him. The Word of God is our sword against the enemy’s schemes.
4. Fear, Anxiety & Depression
Satan tries to instill fear, anxiety, and depression in the hearts of believers. He uses circumstances, reports, and even our own thoughts to stir up fear, worry, and sadness. They’re like chains that bind us, holding us back from experiencing the abundant life that Christ paid for us to have. The enemy whispers lies, magnifies our worries, and tries to rob us of our peace and joy. Praise and thanksgiving are powerful remedies against these things. When we choose to trust in the Lord, when we are convinced that He is good and good only, that He is with us, and that He is faithful— fear, worry, doubt, and sadness will no longer have a hold over us. Philippians 4:6-8 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” I want to highlight two things from these scriptures: 1. Paul commands us to tell God what we need and thank Him for all He has done; when you pray, pray and believe that He has heard and answered you. Thank Him that whatever you asked for is done, and Thank Him for all He has done. THEN, the PEACE of God will guard your heart and your mind. And 2. FIX YOUR THOUGHTS. Many people’s problems would be gone if they fixed their thoughts. We are told to fix our thoughts on what is good, what is lovely, pure, and worthy of praise. It is difficult to be sad or worried when you put your faith in God and praise Him. The enemy will try to lie to your mind and convince you that life is not good, that you’re a failure, or that you won’t succeed. But, if you’re reading this today, you have something to praise God for. You have breath in your lungs, eyes to see, and legs to walk. He has saved you and rescued you! Praise God! Fix your focus on these things, and I can guarantee you’ll no longer be full of fear and doubt. Jesus didn’t come for you to live a life where you’re in constant sorrow and anxiety. Refuse to let the devil win in this area of your life.
We must understand the enemy’s schemes, for as Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness. We’ve discussed some of the enemy tactics—deception, division, offense, temptation, fear, anxiety, and depression. Yet, we’ve discovered that each one is powerless when we choose to walk in our authority as believers and walk in the Word of God. Through knowing and applying His Word, we overcome the tricks of the devil. As believers, we can stand on the victory that Christ has won for us. Colossians 2:15 assures us that God disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them at the cross and we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us! (Romans 8:37). Stand firm, hold fast to the Word, and refuse to be moved by the enemy’s schemes. For greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).