A few days ago, I was doing my bible reading and studying, and a thought and revelation hit me between the eyes.
We are called to live a life that is God-honoring and glorifying to Him. (That wasn’t the revelation.)
Each action we take in our daily life is a choice. It is a choice to either align with God in obedience and love or not.
What struck me, though, was the “or not” part. Often we think of it as giving in to our selfish desires, our willfulness, and our pride.
But let’s take a broader view.
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
So really the choice of “or not” is a choice of evil. I know that sounds extreme, but we are part of something bigger. We are part of a spiritual battle.
I can get caught up in my own life, obligations, schedules, and to-do lists that it can be hard for me to look at the world larger than myself.
And that is precisely what Satan wants me to do.
[ctt template=”9″ link=”9GkTg” via=”yes” ]I can get caught up in my own life, obligations, schedules, and to-do lists that it can be hard for me to look at the world larger than myself. And that is precisely what Satan wants me to do. [/ctt]
Satan’s Schemes: Who is he?
Revelation 12:7-9 (NIV)
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Satan goes by many names, but all definitions boil down to a slanderer; a false accuser; unjustly criticizing to hurt and condemn, to sever a relationship.
And the relationship he most wants to sever is between God and us. And he does so by feeding us lies because that is who he is.
A passage from the book, Captivating by John and Staci Eldredge offers us another powerful insight into Satan.
Satan fell because of his beauty. Now his heart for revenge is to assault beauty. He destroys it in the natural world wherever he can…But most especially, he hates Eve.
Because she is captivating, uniquely glorious, and he cannot be. She is the incarnation of the Beauty of God. More than anything else in all creation, she embodies the glory of God.
…The Evil One also hates Eve becuase she gives life…Satan was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44)…And thus Eve is his greatest human threat, for she brings life. She is a lifesaver and a life giver. Eve means “life” or “life producer.”
~ John and Staci Eldredge (Captivating pg. 85)
Ladies, we are in Satan’s crosshairs.
Satan’s Schemes: His Tactics
John 8:44(NIV) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
There is no truth in him! But how easy, at times, it can be for us to believe the lies.
A passage from Lysa TerKeurst’s Made to Crave Devotional added to my thought process.
“Satan’s tactics are called schemes because they are well thought through plans specificially targeted to do three things:
- To increase your desire for something outside the will of God.
- To make you think giving in to a weakness is no big deal.
- To minimize your ability to think through the consequences of falling to this temptation.”
~ Lysa TerKeurst (Made to Crave Devotional pg.179)
So I go back to our choice of “or not.” When we choose not to obey and align our actions with God, we are choosing evil. We can justify the behavior. Minimize it. Rationalize it. But it all can be reduced down to the same thing.
That’s a hard truth to sit in because it’s uncomfortable. But it is the truth, and we are not to allow ourselves to be blinded.
[ctt template=”9″ link=”bkP8b” via=”yes” ]When we choose not to obey and align our actions with God, we are choosing evil. We can justify the behavior. Minimize it. Rationalize it. But it all can be reduced down to the same thing truth.[/ctt]
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Satan’s Schemes: How to Thwart Evil
The Bible offers us many insights so, as Paul states in 2 Corinthians 2:11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
As always, Jesus is the answer! He offers us a way and a different path!
John 10:10 (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
When we realign our focus on Jesus, He brings us life! He is the truth!
4 Ways to stay focused on Jesus and fight against Satan’s Schemes
- Follow the battle plan that is laid out in scripture from the Armor of God – Ephesians 6:12-18.
- Demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5
- Know and understand your temptations and weaknesses so that you can gain discernment in how to manage them – 1 Corinthians 10:13.
- Engage in Bible studies and books that help you to become stronger in all aspects of your life.
- Living the Word: A Therapist’s Guide to Becoming a Stronger Christian by Melissa Gendreau
- But God…Where the Story Changes by Rachael Smith
- Don’t Go Through Life Naked: How to Clothe Yourself in God’s Power by Susan B. Mead
- Battle Ready: Train Your Mind Concur Challenges, Defeat Doubt, and Live Victoriously by Kelly Balarie
I pray this post meets you right where you are and offers you the same thought-provoking truth!
God bless!
Melissa
p.s. Check out all of the beautiful sites where I link up!
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Hi Melissa, you know I have actually come to believe that he blinds the minds of believers as well, those who know very little Word, don’t rightly divide, deny spiritual gifts and healing, no wonder we are to be alert.
I agree Rebecca. It is so important that we continually work to spend time with God and know His word so that we can appropriately use our talents, and fight against Satan’s schemes. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Thanks for sharing your insights on “or not.” You’ve included four great disciplines to combat falling into the trap of losing focus on Jesus. Satan is so deceitful. He knows he can’t take away what Jesus did for us, but he can try to make Christians miserable by believing lies.
Yes, and unfortunately if we believe the lies we can feel far away from God and be miserable indeed. Being prepared is so essential. Thank you for stopping by Laura and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
The quote on Satan’s schemes being well-thought out plans resonated. We need to be intentional and not reactive in our walk with Christ.
Yes, when we are intentional we are able to guard our heart and mind in Jesus! We are then proactively locking the doors and sealing the cracks so Satan can’t get in. Thank you for stopping by Debbie!
Yes, Melissa, uncomfortable, but necessary.
And I’m learning that sometimes all Satan has to do to get me on his team is to keep me from doing anything at all about a need I’m aware of or a sadness that needs attention.
Yes, so necessary. Thank you for being willing to share your experience. I think each of us can struggle with this as well.
Great thoughts, Melissa! We really need to be aware of Satan’s plans and how we need to intentionally choose God on a daily basis. Thank you for linking up over at GraceFull Tuesday!
Thank you, Ronja! Yes, we need to intentionally choose God – everyday and on a daily basis.
This post is packed with so much truth. The “or not” really struck me this morning as I read this too. Thanks for sharing at #PorchStories.
Thank you, Kristin! I’m glad that you found the post beneficial. God bless!
Dear Melissa, what an insightful post! But not for the faint-hearted. As I read, I realized what an easy cop-out it is to admit I have succumbed to the flesh rather than Satan’s plan for my destruction. Thank you for taking me deeper, and drawing me closer to the Lord’s will.
It is not for the faint of heart indeed. I agree it can be an easy cop-out to believe we are just choosing something for ourselves (even though that shouldn’t be an easy answer either) but so important to keep our understanding on a broader plane. I’m glad that the post stretched you. God bless!
“I can get caught up in my own life, obligations, schedules, and to-do lists that it can be hard for me to look at the world larger than myself.” Wow. I so connect with this! Thank you for this conviction! Visiting from #DestinationInspiration today. 🙂
Thank you, Emily! I’m glad you found the post convicting and beneficial. God bless!
OH yes that enemy is such a sly whisperer of lies. Only Jesus has the truth that we need. Thank you for this reminder to keep my eyes ever looking upward to HIM! Blessed to be your neighbor at #Tuneinthursday this week.
Thank you, Bettie. Yes, the only way we are able to thwart Satan on a daily basis is to be ever persistent in our pursuit of Jesus! God bless!
It’s true Melissa. Most times we don’t think about the fact that when we don’t choose God we are actually choosing evil. Thank God He gives us the tools to defeat the enemy.
Thank God, indeed! It is so amazing that God provides us all we need in all situations no matter how big or small. It’s a matter of us knowing the tools and then choosing to use them. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Wonderful post, Melissa! As a believer diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, I am well acquainted with the devil’s schemes. But God’s perfect, pure light cleanses my mind, heals me, and banishes the darkness the enemy constantly tries to feed me. I think you might enjoy my personal testimony on living with depression. Please pop over if you have a minute and let me know what you think! https://o-susannah.com/can-a-christian-have-depression/
Thank you so much for your kind words, Susannah. Living with major depression is incredibly hard. I’m so glad that you are able to rely on God on a daily basis to help you through your days. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the link to your testimony. God bless!
Thanks for sharing this information packed post on the #LMMLInkup this week. It really reinforces how the Word of God and Holy Spirit gives us all we need to combat the devil and win for Christ.
Thank you for your kinds words, Mary. Isn’t is so overwhelming how God has provided for us in all situations?
Spot on, Melissa! Such a profound post, thank you. Every decision is either closer to Christ or away from him. It is a spiritual battle. Thankfully, we are not alone in this and we can fight the good battle. Thanks so much for shining bright in the dark world. Blessings upon blessings!
Thank you, Mari-Anna It is so comforting to know that we are never alone. Even when we make a decision that takes us farther away from Christ – it still doesn’t mean He’s far away from us! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Hi Melissa, Thank you for such an insightful post on Satan’s schemes. We are at war and Satan will use every weapon in his arsenal to take us down. Most of the time he uses distraction against me, but as I have learned to recognize his tactics he has turned to other weapons. I love your list of ways to focus on Jesus. That’s what it really is all about. Satan has no power over us if we belong to Jesus. Praying peace and blessings over you today. And that we will remain focused on the Savior always!
Unfortunately that is the case. When we find one way to fight evil there will be other tactics around the corner. It is a never-ending fight this side of heaven but we can always take comfort in Christ and be assured in Who wins!
Thank you for these reminders today. The “or not” in our choice got me thinking. It is true that we always have the choice and Satan wants us to chose the “or not”. Thank you for sharing this at #TellHisStory.
I’m glad you found the post thought provoking, Mary. Satan does indeed want us to choose the “or not” in every decision. Thankfully God is with us every step of the way. Even when we choose the “or not”, He is right there waiting for us to come back to Him once more. Thank you for stopping by and God bless!
Captivating is one of my favorite books – it is one that the Holy Spirit used to speak healing into my life through the words on those pages. I’m not sure if we will ever entirely grasp the hatred our enemy has for us. At least not here on earth. And maybe because of that, it is so easy to forget or overlook. Thanks for sharing on Grace & Truth – always a pleasure reading your posts!
Captivating is one of mine, too! It’s a book I recommend to all of my pre-marital couples and many other clients. I agree, we do easily forget that we have a very real enemy in this world. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts and kind words. God bless!
Melissa, this is SO TRUE! It is such a powerful reminder to walk in the light of Christ, rather than the realm of darkness. Thanks for the four ways we can stay focused on Christ! (and I LOVE the book Captivating!) Thanks for linking with #BVN!
Thank you, Christin. It is so essential that we start everyday with the intention of focusing our eyes on God and following His ways. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Thank you for sharing this. This is exactly what I needed to read.
Praise God! I’m so grateful and thankful that God guides people to places when they need it. And I am humbled that I can be a part of that needed message for you today. God bless, Lori!