SATAN’S STRATEGIES

TO KEEP YOU DEFEATED

DO YOU HAVE A BATTLE PLAN
TO COUNTER ATTACK THE
STRATEGIES THE ENEMY USES
TO KEEP YOU DEFEATED?
IF YOU EVER SERVED THE
MILITARY UNIT, NO MILITARY UNIT
WOULD EVER DREAM OF GOING TO
WAR WITHOUT A BATTLE PLAN.
IT’S A STRATEGY TO EXPLOIT
YOUR ENEMIES’ WEAKNESSES AND
TO MAXIMIZE YOUR STRENGTHS
SO YOU CAN WIN.
IF YOU’RE NOT IN THE MILITARY,
PERHAPS YOU’VE NEVER
THOUGHT YOU NEEDED A BATTLE
PLAN. BUT YOU DO BECAUSE YOU
HAVE A SPIRITUAL ENEMY, SATAN,
WHO HAS WAGED WAR AGAINST
YOU.
AS CHRISTIANS, WE KNOW JESUS
HAS ALREADY DEFEATED SATAN
FOR US (COLOSSIANS 2:15) BUT
THAT DOESN’T MEAN SATAN IS NOT
GOING TO USE CERTAIN
STRATEGIES TO TRY TO TRICK US
INTO BELIEVING OTHERWISE. HIS
STRATEGIES ARE INTENDED TO
KEEP US DEFEATED AND TO TAKE
EVERYTHING THAT IS RIGHTFULLY
OURS.
THIS IS WHERE MOST CHRISTIANS ARE
DECEIVED. THEY SAY THE ENEMY IS
ALREADY DEFEATED, THEN LIE DOWN
AND TAKE A WHIPPING. IF WE HAD NO
RESPOSIBILITY TO STAND OUR
GROUND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S
SCHEMES, THEN GOD WOULD NOT
HAVE TOLD US TO “RESIST THE DEVIL”
(JAMES 4:7) OR TO “USE THE WEAPONS
OF OUR WARFARE” (2 CORINTHIANS
10:4).
AND HE WOULD HAVE HAD NO
NEED TO GIVE US “AUTHORITY
OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE
ENEMY.” (LUKE 10:19)
“HE WHO EXERCISES NO
FORETHOUGHT BUT MAKES
LIGHT OF HIS OPPONENTS IS
SURE TO BE CAPTURED BY
THEM.” (SUN TZU, ART OF WAR)
HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING AND
PLANNING AHEAD FOR THE
DEVIL’S ATTACKS? OR ARE WE
SHOCKED AND DISMAYED WHEN
HE USES HIS STRATEGIES TO TRY
TO STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY?
ARE WE TAKING OUR ROLE
SERIOUSLY OR ARE WE MAKING
LIGHT OF OUR OPPONENT?
WE NEED TO HAVE A BATTLE PLAN
SO THAT SATAN WILL NOT
OUTSMART US AND WE DO THIS BY
BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH HIS EVIL
SCHEMES. (2 CORINTHIANS 2:11) IT
IS WHAT THE MILITARY CALLS
INTELLIGENCE.
GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL THE
INTELLIGENCE WE NEED TO
KEEP THE DEVIL UNDER OUR
FEET. PSALM 144:1 SAYS “HE
TRAINS OUR HANDS FOR
WAR, HE REVEALS THE
ENEMY’S STRATEGIES” THEN
TELLS US THE PLAN OF
CONTERATTACK.
DON’T LET THE DEVIL
CATCH YOU OFF GUARD.
BE PREPARED!
FOUR STRATEGIES THE
ENEMY USES TO KEEP
YOU DEFEATED
1. THE ENEMY INSTILL
FEAR. (2 TIMOTHY 1:7)
FEAR IS SATAN’S PRIMARY
WEAPON. IT’S A SPIRITUAL
FORCE THAT BEGINS INSIDE OF
YOU AND IT IS TOTALLY
DESTRUCTIVE BECAUSE IT
ROBS YOU OF YOUR FAITH AND
PEACE. IT KEEPS YOU FOCUSED
ON CIRCUMSTANCES INSTEAD
OF THE PROMISES OF GOD’S
WORD.
THAT IS WHY THE BIBLE COMMANDS
110 TIMES “TO FEAR NOT.” IT’S WHY
JAIRUS NEEDED HEALING FOR HIS
DAUGHTER AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES
DIDN’T LOOK GOOD, JESUS WAS QUICK
TO INSTRUCT HIM, “DON’T BE AFRAID.
JUST HAVE FAITH.” AND SHE WILL BE
HEALED (LUKE 8:50) JESUS WARNED
JAIRUS OF THE GRATEST ENEMY TO
HIS DAUGHTER’S HEALING – FEAR.
THE ENEMY INSTILL FEAR BY
CHALLENGING THE PROMISES
OF GOD. AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF THIS IS FOUND IN
MATTHEW 14 WHEN JESUS
INVITED PETER TO COME TO
HIM ON THE WATER.
“BUT WHEN HE (PETER) SAW
THE STRONG WIND AND WAVES,
HE WAS TERRIFIED AND BEGAN
TO SINK. ‘SAVE ME, LORD!’ HE
SHOUTED.” (MATTHEW 14:30)
WHAT ENABLED PETER
TO WALK ON THE
WATER? HIS FAITH IN
THE WORD OF JESUS.
WHAT CAUSED PETER TO
SINK? HE SAW THE STRONG
WIND AND WAVES, AND HE
WAS AFRAID. IT WASN’T THE
WIND AND THE WAVES THAT
DEFEATED HIM; IT WAS HIS
FEAR OF THEM.
THE COUNTER
ATTACK OF FEAR
A. MEDITATE ON
GOD’S WORD.
THIS IS HOW FAITH THAT
DRIVES OUT FEAR IS
DEVELOPED. THE WORD
OF GOD IS THE SWORD OF
THE SPIRIT.
B. SPEAK THE WORD
OF GOD.
USE IT TO FIGHT SATAN
EVERY TIME HE COMES
AGAINST YOU. HOLD UP
YOUR SHIELD OF FAITH
AND QUENCH ALL HIS
FIERY DARTS. SPEAK
WORDS OF FAITH AND
FEAR WILL DEPART.
C. REBUKE FEAR.
WHENEVER YOU FEEL
FEAR TRYING TO COME
ON YOU, DON’T STAND IT
FOR A MOMENT, SAY,
“FEAR I REBUKE YOU IN
JESUS NAME. NOW GO!”
D. PRAY IN THE
SPIRIT.
WHENEVER YOU’RE
TEMPTED TO BE IN FEAR,
ANXIETY, OR WORRY,
BEGIN IMMEDIATELY TO
PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. IT
WILL EDIFY YOUR INNER
MAN AND BRING
SUPERNATURAL PEACE.
2. THE ENEMY LIES TO
YOU. (JOHN 8:44)
DO YOU EVER HAVE
NEGATIVE AND
DISCOURAGING
THOUGHTS THAT COME
OUT OF NOWHERE?
SOMETIMES, THEY CAN BE
HARD TO RECOGNIZE AS THE
ENEMY’S LIES BECAUSE THEY
SOUND LIKE THEY COULD BE
TRUE. HOWEVER, IF YOU
ACCEPT THEM AS TRUTH
(BELIEVE THEM EVEN FOR A
MOMENT), YOU’VE FALLEN FOR
HIS SLY TACTIC, GIVING HIM
THE UPPER HAND.
THE ENEMY KNOWS YOUR
INSECURITIES, AND HE PLAYS
ON THEM. HE KNOWS THE
FEARS YOU FIGHT AGAINST AND
HE TRIES HIS BEST TO FEED
THEM BY TELLING YOU LIES.
NOW THE QUESTION IS: WHY
DOES HE LIE TO YOU?
THE ANSWER IS THIS: ACCESS
TO YOUR LIFE. HE HAS COME TO
“STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY”
(JOHN 10:10), AND IF HE CAN
GET YOU INTO WRONG
THINKING, WRONG BELIEVING,
WRONG SAYING, AND WRONG
ACTING, THE DOOR TO YOUR
LIFE IS WIDE OPEN TO HIM.
SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS
THAT ARE OPPOSITE OF WHAT GOD
SAYS - THOUGHTS THAT YOU ARE
NOT GOING TO BE HEALED,
DELIVERED, SAVED, PROPEROUS,
FULL OF JOY, FULL OF PEACE, FULL
OF HOPE OR POWERFUL IN THE
KINGDOM OF GOD - KNOW THEY
ARE OUTRIGHT LIES STRAIGHT
FROM THE PIT OF HELL ITSELF.
WE CANNOT AFFORD THE LUXURY
OF ENTERTAINING THE ENEMY’S
LIES. THERE’S TOO MUCH AT STAKE
– OUR HEALTH, FAMILY,
RELATIONSHIPS, AND MONEY.
DON’T LET THE DEVIL BECOME OUR
COUNSELOR IN THE AREAS OF LIFE
THAT MATTER MOST. HE’S THE
FATHER OF LIES AND OUR
GREATEST ENEMY.
THE COUNTER
ATTACK OF THE
ENEMY’S LIES
A. TAKE EVERY
THOUGHT CAPTIVE.
(2 CORINTHIANS 10:5)
TO DO THIS, START LINING UP
EVERY THOUGHT WITH THE
WORD OF GOD. JOHN 10:27
SAYS, “MY SHEEP KNOWS MY
VOICE.” WHEN YOU HEAR
ANOTHER VOICE SPEAKING
LIES, TAKE THOSE LIES CAPTIVE
AND THROW THEM TO THE
GROUND BEFORE THEY EVER
GAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE ROOT.
B. RESPOND WITH
THE TRUTH.
YOU CAN’T FIGHT THOUGHTS
WITH THOUGHTS, SO IT’S
IMPORTANT TO SPEAK OUT
GOD’S TRUTH WHEN THE
ENEMY LIES.
3. THE ENEMY TEMPTS
YOU TO SIN. (JAMES 1:13)
GOD WILL NEVER TEMPT YOU
TO DO ANYTHING WRONG. IN
FACT, HE HAS GIVEN YOU
EVERY TOOL TO RESIST THE
DEVIL SO HE WILL FLEE AWAY
FROM YOU. (JAMES 4:7) THE
ENEMY TEMPTS YOU TO SIN
AND NO ONE IS EXEMPT.
HOW DOES SATAN TEMPT US?
TEMPTING YOU TO LIE OR
COMMIT ACTS OF IMMORALITY
IS ANOTHER SIN CLEARLY
DEFINED AS SUCH IN GOD’S
WORD. BUT A LOT OF TIMES,
HE’S SUBTLER THAN THAT.
HOW DOES SATAN TEMPT US?
HE MAY TEMPT US TO THINK WE ARE HOLIER
THAN OTHERS OR THAT WE’RE DOING
OTHERS A FAVOR OR OUR “CHRISTIAN DUTY”
IS BY JUDGING AND EXPOSING PEOPLE. WE
MIGHT EVEN START THINKING MORE ABOUT
OUR OWN FEELINGS, NEEDS AND DESIRES
THAN THOSE OF OTHERS. THIS IS HOW THE
DEVIL TRIED TO TEMPT JESUS IN THE
WILDERNESS.
HOW DOES SATAN TEMPT US?
THE DEVIL PULLED OUT ALL
THE STOPS TO GET JESUS TO
ABANDON THE PATH OF
OBEDIENCE AND KEEP HIM
FROM WHAT GOD HAS SENT
TO ACCOMPLISH.
WHEN JESUS WAS IN THE
WILDERNESS, AFTER 40 DAYS AND
40 NIGHTS, HE WAS HUNGRY. THE
TEMPTER CAME TO HIM AND SAID,
“IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, TELL
THESE STONES TO BECOME
BREAD.” (MATTHEW 4:2-3) SATAN
CAME TO JESUS WHEN HE SENSED
WEARKNESS AND TRIED TO PREY
ON THAT WEAKNESS. AND HE’LL SO
THE SAME TO US.
THE GREATEST DANGER IN THE
BELIEVER’S LIFE IS TO EVER THINK
THAT YOU ARE ABOVE TEMPTATION
THAT’S WHY WE LET OUR GUARD
DOWN, TAKEN OFF OUR ARMOR, AND
ASSUMED OUR WORK IS DONE. BUT
THE TRUTH IS THAT THE ENEMY, THE
DEVIL, ROAMS AROUND LIKE A LION
ROARING (IN FIERCE HUNGER) SEEKING
SOMEONE TO SEIZE UPON AND
DEVOUR. (1 PETER 5:8)
THE COUNTER
ATTACK FOR THE
TEMPTATION TO SIN
A. RECOGNIZE
THERE’S A WAY OUT
OF IT. (1 CORINTHIANS 10:13)
THERE IS NOTHING NEW.
SATAN REPEATS THE
SAME OLD TRICKS BUT
GOD PROVIDES AN
ESCAPE.
B. ANSWER THE
TEMPATION WITH
GOD’S WORD.
(MATTHEW 4:4)
JESUS DID NOT PONDER
SATAN’S SUGGESTION OR
ENTERTAIN IT. HE
IMMEDIATELY SHUT IT
DOWN WITH THE TRUTH
FOUND IN THE WORD.
WE CAN DO THE SAME WHEN
THE ENEMY TEMPTS US TO
SIN. SHUT HIM DOWN. MAKE
HIM TURN TAIL AND RUN THE
OTHER WAY. IT’S A COUNTER
ATTACK HE CAN’T DEFEAT.
4. THE ENEMY STIRS UP
PRIDE. (PROVERBS 13:10)
ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES THE ENEMY USES
TO KEEP US DEFEATED IS TO
STIR UP PRIDE. SATAN FELL
BECAUSE OF PRIDE AND HE
WANTS TO TAKE US DOWN WITH
HIM BY GETTING US PRIDEFUL
DON’T FALL INTO IT!
WHAT IS PRIDE? PRIDE IS DEFINED
AS “AN OVER HIGH OPINION OF
ONE’S SELF; EXAGGERATED SELF
ESTEEM OR CONCEIT
NAUGHTINESS OR ARROGANCE;
SELF ESTEEM ARISING FROM ONE’S
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR
POSSESSIONS; AN EXAGGERATED
IDEA OF ONE’S OWN DIGNITY OR
IMPORTANCE.
THE BIBLE GOES EVEN FURTHER
IN ITS DESCRIPTION OF PRIDE BY
IDENTIFYING IT AS ONE OF THE
SEVEN THINGS THAT GOD
HATES. PROVERBS 6:16-17 CALLS
IT AN ABOMINATION TO HIM.
SATAN KNOWS PRIDE IS THE
PATH TO DESTRUCTION AND
SHAME. (PROVERBS 11:2; 18:12)
SO HE WILL DEPLOY TACTICS TO
GET YOU PRIDEFUL. HE’LL START
WHISPERING ALL KINDS OF
THINGS WE WANT TO HEAR IN
HOPES THAT WE WILL BECOME
PUFFED UP.
“YOU’RE MUCH BETTER THAN
THOSE OTHER CHRISTIANS.”
“YOU HAVE MORE MINISTRY
SKILLS AND LIVE HOLIER.”
IF WE FALL FOR THIS TACTIC,
BEFORE WE KNOW IT, WE’LL BE
HAVING AN EXTRA HIGH OPINION
OF OURSELVES. WE’LL BE
WALKING IN PRIDE.
“GOD RESISTS THE
PROUD BUT HE GIVES
GRACE TO THE
HUMBLE.” (1 PETER 5:5)
THE COUNTER
ATTACK FOR PRIDE
A. HUMBLE
YOURSELF.
(1 PETER 5:5-6)
BEING TRULY HUMBLE
MEANS TO SUBMIT TO GOD
AND HIS WORD. THAT MEANS
WHEN GOD SAYS
SOMETHING, WE BELIEVE IT
NO MATTER HOW FOREIGN IT
IS TO OUR OWN THINKING.
WHEN GOD SAYS
SOMETHING, WE DO IT.
ROMANS 12:16-19 GIVES INSTRUCTIONS
ON HOW WE CAN BE HUMBLE BY OBEYING
GOD. “LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE
ANOTHER. DO NOT BE HAUGHTY BUT
ASSOCIATE WITH THE LOWLY. NEVER BE
WISE IN YOUR OWN SIGHT. REPAY NO ONE
FOR EVIL, BUT GIVE THOUGHT TO DO
WHAT IS HONORABLE IN THE SIGHT OF
ALL. IF POSSIBLE, SO FAR AS IT DEPENDS
ON YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL.
BELOVED, NEVER AVENGE YOURSELVES,
FOR IT IS WRITTEN, ‘VENGENANCE IS
MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ SAYS THE LORD.”
B. BE GRATEFUL.
KEEP WATCH ON YOURSELF
AND WHEN YOU CATCH
YOURSELF GETTING PUFFED UP
WITH YOUR OWN GREATNESS,
REPENT AND REMEMBER THAT
EVERY GOOD THING YOU ENJOY
AND EVERY BIT OF SUCCESS
YOU’VE HAD HAS COME BY THE
GRACE OF GOD AND HIS POWER.
C. DON’T JUDGE
OTHER CHRISTIANS.
THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY
ABOUT JUDGING OUR BROTHERS
AND SISTERS IN CHRIST BECAUSE
WE CAN END UP BEING
HYPOCRITICAL. WE ARE TOLD
REPEATEDLY NOT TO JUDGE OR
CONDEMN OTHERS SO THAT WE
WILL NOT BE JUDGED OR
CONDEMNED. (LUKE 6:37)
JAMES 4:12 SAYS, “THERE IS
ONLY ONE LAWGIVER AND JUDGE,
HE WHO IS ABLE TO SAVE AND TO
DESTROY? BUT WHO ARE YOU TO
JUDGE YOUR NEIGHBOR?”
WHEN WE STOP JUDGING
OTHERS AND START JUDGING
OURSELVES INSTEAD, PRIDE
GOES OUT OF THE WINDOW.
ARE YOU READY TO GO TO
WAR AGAINST THESE
FOUR STARATEGIES THE
ENEMY USES TO KEEP
YOU DEFEATED?
NOW YOU KNOW THAT
THE ENEMY INSTILLS
FEAR, THE ENEMY LIES TO
YOU, THE ENEMY TEMPTS
YOU TO SIN, AND THE
ENEMY STIRS UP PRIDE.
PRACTICE IDENTIFYING
HIS STRATEGIES
EVERYDAY AND USE GODS
BATTLE PLAN TO
COUNTER ATTACK AND
WIN.