The devil gets a "D"

It looked like the devil won. The Son of God bleeding, dying, disbelieved and mocked for who He said He was. He could have saved Himself, but He didn't, He chose instead to save us. He emptied Himself, gave Himself away, and felt the pain that was prophesied about Him a thousand years beforehand (Psalm 22).

In what looked like defeat, Jesus won the war. Christ took back the keys to death, the keys to the nations, and immortality for anyone who would look to Him to save them. It's in the footsteps of Christ that we are called to follow. To take up our cross daily, to deny ourselves, and follow Him (Mark 8:34).

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Sometimes where it looks like the enemy has won, it is part of a bigger plan. When the devil tries to defeat us, God instructs us how to respond to lead to a greater victory. The enemy is predictable, and Scripture shows us how to resist him so that his schemes become ineffective. Whether it's collecting signatures to save people's lives, or sharing the gospel to save their souls, when we are on a mission for the Kingdom, it helps to recognize some common tactics of the enemy who tries to hinder the work. When we can recognize the enemy, resisting him becomes much easier.

1. Deceit. Jesus shows us how to defeat deceit. Deceit comes in many forms, including misquoting Scripture, misapplying Scripture, or mostly the truth with a little bit of lie mixed in. Someone once said that a little lie in a lot of truth is like someone offering you brownies and letting you know they mixed in only a little bit of manure. The way to deal with deceit is head-on. Whether it's in our own heart deceiving us, or someone we are speaking with, when we look at what Scripture says, we can speak the truth of God's Word to defeat the deceit (2 Timothy 2:23-26). Jesus gives us the example in Matthew 4:1-11. First, Satan appealed to Jesus' physical appetite. Then, Satan used Scripture to tempt Jesus to put God to the test. Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with an easier way of attaining His goal - the nations of the world - without the more difficult and painful obedience of the cross. Christ confronted the deceit by quoting Scripture. And He overcame the temptation through trust and obedience.

   
   

2. Division. Division is a common ploy the enemy tries within the body of Christ. While the truth will divide between truth and error, the kind of division the enemy causes is not between truth and error but between individuals, often involving preferences and pride. While we are not called to have unity with unbelievers, we are called to have unity with other believers (2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 4). As a pastor has said, "this does not mean you have to go on a road trip with them, but you learn to get along" (1 Corinthians 1:10). When we see that two believers who are working toward the same goal experience conflict, we know the little foxes have invaded the vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15). The little thoughts to cause division sound in the brain like: "She said this,...", "He really thinks that,...", "Their motive really is ...." When division threatens, it helps to draw all thoughts captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) and think only on that which is lovely and that we know is true (Philippians 4:8). The solution is love (1 Corinthians 13). By going directly to that person as Matthew 18:15 admonishes us, with the purpose of reconciliation, we prevent the issue from becoming larger and affecting more people. Just ask them. Start with what you know to be true about them that is good, not accusatory, and just ask. A mature Christian can take the question. And you can even clarify your own motives for them, because if demons are planting seeds of division in your mind, you can be sure the same is happening to the other person. Most conflicts are caused by assuming things we cannot know about another person, such as their motives or thoughts. We can only know their words and actions, and even then, we can misunderstand them. Scripture tells us to only judge others by the fruit if what they are doing is good (Matthew 7). When a wrong has taken place - whether the one causing the offense or the one who is offended - we are each responsible for going to the other person (Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15). So far as it depends on us, we are to be at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). Along the way, we practice not being easily offended. We learn not to take the bait of offense that the enemy dangles before us. And when we are wronged, we practice forgiveness. Bearing with one another and forgiving one another even as Christ has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13). Unity does not mean we all think and act alike. It means we all have the same goal under the headship of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). Uniformity is a counterfeit of unity. What the devil's attempt at division typically means is that, together, you would be a powerful force!

3. Distraction. If the devil cannot deceive, he will attempt to distract. There are a million wonderful distractions to choose from - social media, gaming, even another worthy cause that will keep us busy for awhile. Even just being busy is a great distraction from what we are called to do. Running kids from one sporting event to another can keep us from important conversations. When we feel ourselves running faster and faster and faster, it is time to stop! Take a breath. Take the time each morning to spend in prayer and God's Word and ask Him where He would like our day spent with the time He has given. He may focus on a few things, or He may throw the entire schedule out for something entirely different. Then, when interruptions come, they become Divine appointments, and we're not too busy to take the time to have a conversation that could lead someone to the Lord or help someone feel like they are truly loved and heard. It takes discipline and discernment to keep from distraction.

   
   

4. Discouragement. After Elijah called down fire from heaven and slayed the prophets of baal, he felt depressed! He was exhausted. And it didn't help that Jezebel had vowed to kill him! Sometimes when we are doing everything God has asked us to do and the results do not come as we expected, or we are on the other side of a victory, it is easy to feel discouraged. After his great statement, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) and baptizing the long-awaited Messiah where He could see the Holy Spirit descending like a dove (John 1:32), John the Baptist would ask of Jesus, "are you the one, or should we expect someone else?" (Luke 7:20) We can feel discouraged just after we have pushed against the gates of hell, or just before a breakthrough that we cannot see coming! Like Elijah, sometimes we just need to rest, eat, and become refreshed. The devil doesn't play fair and he will kick us when we are physically tired. Sabbaths, a good night's sleep, healthy meals, lots of water, exercise, and meaningful time with family and friends provide rhythms of rest and seasons of refreshment. Sometimes God leads us through quiet places. When facing discouragement or feeling depleted, we wait on the Lord and let Him renew our strength (Psalm 27:14).

5. Defamation. When the enemy wants to hurt the work, he goes after the leadership. When the cause is great, and he cannot tempt with deceit, division, distraction, or depletion, he will go for defamation. The devil tries to divert attention from the mission to the person. True or not, if the devil can attack the person, the attention gets off the mission. Biblical examples of false accusations include Joseph of the Old Testament, Paul of the New Testament, and Jesus. The devil is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). If someone talks badly about someone else, usually they are projecting their own faults. If you have a question, first look at the fruits of the person being questioned and your own experiences with them and ask God for discernment. If needed, go to that person directly and ask, "Did you do this?" (Matthew 18:15) When you hear someone cutting down the bride of Christ, or members in the body, prayerfully confront the person who is speaking, because they may not realize they are playing for the other team (Matthew 7:16).

6. Doubt. Like love, faith is a choice. To act in faith is a decision of the will. God strengthens our faith like a muscle; our faith gets stronger every time we use it. It is easy to believe when God is doing what we want from Him. When He's making our lives perceivably better. But when our faith costs us something, when there is sacrifice involved, that's not easy. To be led to green pastures and quiet waters, sometimes we walk through the valley of the shadow. When you do not feel the presence of God, you trust Him. When you know God is true, but you don't understand, you lean into Him harder, you ask Him more desperately, and you wait more expectedly. When the devil tempts with doubt, stay in the Word of God which increases faith (Romans 10:17). And do not entertain the doubts. Resist the devil so that he will flee (James 4:7).

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:10-20)