John Wesley once wrote, “As the most dangerous winds may enter at little openings, so the devil never enters more dangerously than by little unobserved incidents, which seem to be nothing, yet insensibly opens the heart to great temptations.”
Satan is known for his subtle schemes. He started that in the Garden of Eden, went on to tempt Jesus in the desert, and continues even till this very day. The devil is still actively practicing the exact same schemes and strategies. This is why Paul warned us in 2 Cor 11:3, “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
Countless verses in Scripture warn us of the schemes of the enemy. When we are filled with the knowledge of His Word, we are able to discern and know what to resist. 2 Cor 2:11 reminds us that “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.” When we do not get rooted in the Word and remain ignorant, we give the devil the upper hand. This is why it is important to know and understand how the devil works. I like how the NLT describes 2 Cor 2:11. It reads “so that Satan will not outsmart us, for we are familiar with his evil schemes.”
I am certain that we all do not want to be outsmarted by the Devil, so take a few minutes and continue reading as we outline 5 schemes of the enemy in our lives. Let’s understand the need to be forewarned to be forearmed because “The Devil wears PRADA!!”
His first strategy is to drive us into PANIC. Panic is a sudden uncontrollable emotion causing wild behaviour. In any army, there is one person that does not carry a rifle or a weapon. He does not go head-on with the enemy like all the others. Instead, he carries a trumpet!! That’s right… he is the bugler. He is the one who plays the bugle to send signals and orders. His job is to communicate when it’s time to assemble, attack, and most of all to warn when the enemy is approaching.
In 1942, during World War 2, when the Japanese attacked Singapore, they knew the most cunning strategy to use. The first thing they did was capture the bugler Arthur Lane. The minute they did this everyone else was driven into panic because they did not see the enemy coming. Satan does the same thing. He is aware of our weaknesses and knows exactly what to attack in our lives that will drive us into panic and cause us to react without thinking. In a situation of panic, stay calm and seek God for direction.
The second scheme of the enemy is to place within us a spirit of REBELLION. The wrong spirit will cause us to rebel against God or man or even both. In the world we live in today, rebellion is seen when people say, ‘It is right when it is right for me!or ‘There is no right or wrong,to each his own’. Some people rebel with their looks like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Some rebel with their lips through their choice of words and other rebels with their lives by their action. All of this is the work of the enemy. Let’s all take stock of how we respond. Check our looks, our lips, and our lives so that it is always pleasing to God.
The third scheme of the devil causes us to focus on our fear. He makes us AFRAID. What is a phobia? A phobia is actually an irrational fear of something that is unlikely to cause us any harm. Our mind takes over and tends to overthink things to the point that we start believing things that are not even there. That’s why fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Never allow the devil to cause you to fall into the trap of fear. Paul reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. Don’t let fear control your actions and choices in life.
The next scheme of the enemy is that the devil rises up as the DECEIVER. Deception is an act where the devil will mislead you and hide the truth which causes you to believe the lie as a truth and the truth as a lie. Is the devil still deceiving many today? Do these sound familiar?
- It’s alright if you miss church occasionally.
- It ok if you don’t tithe… God understands.
- Good works make you righteous, so focus on that.
- The world accepts sexual orientation and gender fluidity… so should you.
Don’t allow the enemy to deceive you with what the world says. Always go back to the Word which is the ultimate truth. We have all heard and read about the bombing at Pearl Harbour in 1941. Did you know that the scheme used was one of deception? The Japanese Ambassador called for countless meetings with President Roosevelt on the pretext of a resolution. They deceived them into thinking that they were working towards a conflict resolution. So much so, that when it came to Dec 7th 1941, and the attack occurred, they were caught unaware. The message sent at the end of it was ‘Surprise Attack Successful!!’ That is how the devil works. He makes you think that all is well and gets you to let down your guard. Be discerning in all things that you will not be deceived by the enemy.
The final scheme which is so evident in the world today is ADDICTION. Now you may think… well that is not me. I am not an addict!! Well, addiction is not only confined to drugs or alcohol. Any repeated involvement with a substance or an activity that brings you pleasure but may cause long-term harm is an addiction. Allow me to list down for you the top 10 addictions in the world today – coffee, smoking, alcohol, sex, food, work, medication, money, online games and social media. Do any of these control your lives? Has the devil lured you into one or more of these traps?
James 4:7 clearly tells us “Submit yourselves to God and resist the devil.”John 10:10 is a reminder that “The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but God has come to give us life and life in all its abundance”. Do not open the door and give room for the enemy to steal, kill or destroy anything in you. Be rooted in the Word and walk in His ways. You have been forewarned and so now be forearmed!!
About the Ryans: Ps. Justin Ryan & his wife Ps. Jacquie are the founders of One Voice Ministries, established in 2008. It is a missions and training ministry focused on reaching the 10/40 Window. To date they have ministered in 9 nations, teaching and training pastors and leaders as well as evangelising many of the unreached peoples groups. Here in Malaysia, One Voice has an established work with the Orang Asli.
In 2013, the Lord has led them to found Issachar Academy where they provide training specifically for missions in a hospitable environment. Through the academy, the Ryans also help Christians recognise and move in their seasons with God.For more details please visit them at www.onevm.net
|Share The Good News|
Leave a Reply