2 Corinthians 2:11 says:
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we
are not ignorant of his devices.(KJV)
This scripture makes us to understand that we
are in a battle. Once you are a Christian you have been listed as a soldier. This
means that satan want to take advantage of you. He has tools and weapons. Satan
does not observe rules that are given rather he observes the rules that are
enforced. If you don’t open your mouth and declare it, he will take advantage
of you. Satan attacks your identity in Christ, this is what sin brings. Man is
the only creature that is designed to function like God. Man was designed with a
spirit living in a soul. Take for instance homosexuality; satan tries to
destroy the identity of man to the point of doing even what animals are not
meant to do. If you a believer you need to know who you are and the tools that
are available for you. Insecurity is one of the dangerous things that can
happen to a man, when you know yourself insecurity will not be your problem
again. Another thing to know is your enemy. When you know your tools, you also need
to know who your enemy is. Your enemy is not a human being, it is the satan.
Ephesians 6:11says: Put on the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.(KJV)
The Bible tells us to put on the armour of God so as
to be able to stand the wiles of satan. What does wile stand for? Wiles mean
skills, methods, patterns.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SIX DEVICES OF SATAN
1. DOUBT: Satan uses doubt as a weapon. Doubt is a very powerful tool that he uses. He will cause you to doubt your identity in God. The first thing satan does is to introduce deception and that was what he did to Eve. He made Eve belief that if she eats the fruit, she will be like what God has already made her. He tries to remove the reality that God had deigned in her. It was the same case with Jesus. Satan has been a liar since from the beginning, lies is his native language. Nothing is yours until you know it. If you don’t who you are, satan will take advantage of you.
1. DOUBT: Satan uses doubt as a weapon. Doubt is a very powerful tool that he uses. He will cause you to doubt your identity in God. The first thing satan does is to introduce deception and that was what he did to Eve. He made Eve belief that if she eats the fruit, she will be like what God has already made her. He tries to remove the reality that God had deigned in her. It was the same case with Jesus. Satan has been a liar since from the beginning, lies is his native language. Nothing is yours until you know it. If you don’t who you are, satan will take advantage of you.
Genesis 3:1-5 says: Now the serpent was more
cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to
the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the
garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of
the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of
the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest
you die."' Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely
die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and
you will be like God, knowing good and evil."(NKJV)
Matthew 4:3 says: And when the tempter came to
him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made
bread.(KJV)
2. DISTRACTION:
Another D of
satan is distraction. He tries to introduce something that looks like
the real one. Satan is the master of imitation.
Acts 5:37 says: After this man rose up Judas of
Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also
perished; and all, [even] as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.(KJV)
Satan knew that God is going to bring a redeemer
to Israel. What satan does is to bring a counterfeit. Having the fake makes you
to understand that the original exists. He fakes everything that God has done
or plans to do.
3. DESIRE/GREED:
Greed the Bible said is equivalent to idolatry. Greed
is a mortal sin. People don’t give because of greed.
Colossians 3:5 says: Mortify therefore your
members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate
affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry :(KJV)
Ephesians 5:5 says: For this ye know, that no
whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.(KJV)
4. DREAD/FEAR:
Satan is the forerunner of fear. Fear is
negative faith. Fear is faith in satan, faith in your circumstances, faith that
your problems will get bigger. Whenever there is fear, know that satan is
around the corner. Fear is a demon that torments people. You need to know who
you are. The Bible says resist the devil and he will flee James 4:7.
2 Timothy
1:7 says: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind.(KJV)
1 John 4:18 says: There is no fear in love; but
perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is
not made perfect in love.(KJV)
5. DISCOURAGEMENT
Job is a good example of this. Job was a rich farmer,
he was a big industrialist. The donkeys were his implements of mechanized
farming. They were the things that made him reach.
Job 1:1 says: There was a man in the land of Uz,
whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared
God, and eschewed evil.(KJV)
The first way God defines prosperity is spiritual prosperity.
Job 1:2 says: And there were born unto him seven
sons and three daughters.(KJV)
This is Relational prosperity.
Job 1:13 says: And there was a day when his sons
and his daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's
house:(KJV)
In-spite of all the sufferings of Job, he did
not offend God. Job 1:1-22.
But satan came back and yet Job did not fail God.
Job 1:16-17: says: While he [was] yet speaking,
there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and
hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee. While he [was] yet speaking, there came also
another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the
camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge
of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.(KJV)
All the people that came all came alone and none
of them brought good news, all what they brought was sad news. In-spite of what
happened to Job, he did not disobey God. Job was a
Job 1:20-21 says: Then Job arose, and rent his
mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And
said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither:
the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the
LORD.(KJV)
Satan came back to God and God boasted with Job.
Satan brought disease upon Job that was so severe that even his wife asked him
to course God and die.
Devil always makes you feel that God has
forgotten about you. He brings discouragement.
Job got to the point of not even hearing from or
seeing God. Usually he interacts with God, but look at what he said:
Job 23:10 says: But he knoweth the way that I
take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.(KJV)
Even when
nobody encourages you, the Bible said David encouraged himself. Fight
discouragement. Stand and never be afraid.
Ephesians 6:13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand.(KJV)
Stand means to stand in defense of what has
already been given to you.
Don’t complain, don’t murmur and tempt God.
Don’t doubt God. If you ever doubt him, look carefully the great things he has
done for you in the past. As you thank him you obligate him to do more.
Psalm 78:40-41 says: How oft did they provoke
him in the wilderness, [and] grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back
and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.(KJV)
