Satanic Devices… Don’t Get Distracted

We cannot let “Satan … take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). 

The modern church has forgotten something.  She’s forgotten that she has an enemy…  Many believers walk through life thinking that every thought they have is their own thought, thinking that every event is random, thinking that every distraction or offense is simply “status quo,” but we must, must, must remember something, there is a devil, and he seeks to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10) the people of God. 

This enemy is NOT omnipresent.  Satan is a fallen angel.  Like all other angels, he can’t be all places at once.  He is not like God.  However, he has multitudes of soldiers under his command, demonic forces that fell with him from heaven during his rebellion.  These principalities, powers, and rulers of wickedness in heavenly places have been assigned to us, and they know what sets us off.  They know what hurts us, gets us angry, offended, discouraged… oh they know us well. 

Why is all this important?  Because it is the enemy’s primary strategy to distract us from the mission of Kingdom work.  Satan’s kingdom of darkness is at war with Jesus’ Kingdom of light (Col. 1:13).  The good news is Satan has already been defeated by Jesus on the Cross (Col. 2:14-15).  However, the warfare is now over individual’s destinies.  Satan’s devices or strategies are always geared toward getting you “Off track,” distracting you from who God has called you to be and doing what God has called you to do – all of which is focused around the impact of the Kingdom of God on earth. 

The Lord wants His Kingdom manifesting on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). 

Here is a scenerio of Satan’s strategies – God wants His Kingdom manifesting in your workplace.  Satan wants to stop that expansion of the Kindom into your workplace.  So, what does Satan do?  He assigns demonic forces to torment you at work using any coworker, meeting, policy, etc that he can.  He attempts to keep you from smiling, laughing, and experiencing God’s life and joy at work.  He plays on your emotions and thoughts – “I’d rather be on the beach than here right now…” “Uh, if my boss would just quit, this place would be awesome…”  “Yuck, another customer…”  Satan torments with thoughts and feelings that tear at the fabric of why God has put you into the place you are in, until you become paralyzed spiritually and drained to the point of having no impact.

When we become aware of these devices of the enemy, we can begin to shut them down.  How?  By the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.  Your Bible is the most important physical possession you have.  It is God’s Logos (logic, thoughts, words) in printed form.  When Jesus was about to enter into His ministry, Satan came against Him and began to play on Jesus’ needs and desires (see Matthew 4).  Every time Satan brought a distraction up before Jesus, Jesus simply responded with “It is written…” and Jesus would drive back Satan by the Word of God.

Today, become aware of Satan’s distractions in your life.  Has he tried to steal from you?  Has he tried to rob you of spiritual blessings?  Has he taken relationships from you?  Whatever Satan has done or is trying to do, it is all about getting you distracted from the Kingdom and Presence of God.  Don’t let him cause you to stumble or fall away.

Pray with me:  “In the Name of Jesus, Father, thank you that you have given me authority over the enemy by the blood of Jesus, the name of Jesus, and the Word of God.  Right now, I declare that I am aware of satan’s devices and strategies, and I will not give in to those.  Father, thank you for discernment and for protection, In Jesus name.  Amen.”