You know the enemy’s strategies and tactics of attack haven’t changed throughout the centuries! He is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet 5:8, Jn 10:10, Eph 6:11. Even more so when he sees us pursing God’s will, plan and purpose for our lives. He has a few pitfalls, traps, detours and out right attacks to get you to move off the right path and will try to get you to fall, be sidetracked or deceived, using unexpected tactics and people that you would never dream of!! All of these are designed to get you to lose focus[1], to take your eyes off Jesus and what’s important, the things that are eternal Col 3:1-3, 2 Cor 4:18, Heb 12:2, Prov 4:25. Here are just a few, we’ll start with the 3 D’s:-
1. Deception and Confusion – he will take partial truth and pervert it, twisting it, causing confusion and misunderstanding. Making you lose focus. You then become stagnant not able to move forward as you do not know which way to go James 1:6. Those walking in the Spirit are not easily deceived as “the Spirit of Truth will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth)” amp Jn 16:13.
2. Distraction and Detours – this is one of his favourites as it’s so simple yet so effective because if he can get you distracted for long enough you will totally miss God’s plan, purpose and destiny for your life!! Its purpose is to get you to move off the right path and to go in another direction – a detour around the mountain (e.g. the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years). He will tempt you with the “lust of the flesh and eyes and pride of life” i.e. something your flesh desires and would love to pursue (knowing it’s not God’s will for you). This could be the pursuit of money and worldly pleasures, power or fame, a career (that’s not God’s plan for you), the wrong people (people that will take you far off track), having too many commitments, being too busy and not being able to say no, allowing other people to control you or becoming too entangled in someone else’s problems. It ultimately always involves following our own ways and plans Prov 1:31, Ps 78:29, putting God in last place (this is idolatry) Isah 30:21-22. A word of warning here, Jesus said “anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God” LB Luke 9:62.
3. Depression – is another pitfall, or trap the enemy loves to use because he knows your strength comes from your joy Ne 8:10. If he can keep you here long enough all your strength will be drained away and you will be totally helpless like Samson was when his hair was cut Jud 16:19. This pit is a bottomless pit but it has different levels, when you first fall into it you are on one of the higher ledges – the longer you stay in it you will progressively fall to lower levels (this is when suicide becomes a constant thought). It is a pit you cannot get out of yourself – it is only the long arm of the Lord that can reach done and lift you up out of the deep miry clay Ps 40:2, 69:14, Isah 60:1. When you are in depression your natural tendency is to wallow in self pity and to isolate yourself – this is the worst thing to do!! Don’t be too proud to tell someone (someone who can stand for you in prayer), as soon as possible, that you are struggling with depression! The enemy’s favourite line is “God doesn’t love you, nor does anyone else, nothing good will ever happen for you! It’s too late, you’ve blown it, you will never make it!” It’s important to note that depression is a fruit[2], it is the result of something i.e. of failure, disappointment or the loss of something. It is also one of the fruit’s of sin, where there is anger, strife, bitterness, anxiety, worry, fear, unbelief and doubt, depression will surely follow! One of the keys to overcoming depression then is to find out what the root is (you cannot kill a weed without pulling up its root) then pull it up by dealing with the cause of the problem! If strife is the cause, make amends with that person, if fear is the cause counter attack with the Word of God Jer 29:11, Ps 139 etc. Then the next step is to take perspective on reality and begin to think of and focus on all the good things in your life – be grateful and thankful for so many blessings in your life!! Even things like having the use of your limbs, or living without pain!
4. Procrastination – knowing the right path but putting it off to a later date saying “not now I have too much to do – I’ll do it when I’m older”. Another time waster and detour! Just remember tomorrow never comes and which one of us has the guarantee of tomorrow?? Now is the time of salvation!!
5. Wounding and Offense – this brings us to a grinding halt!! Once again it will get us to lose focus and to now concentrate on our wound and hurt. We begin to look inward, wallowing in self pity, pride, jealousy, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment. This is deadly – it’s like falling into a trap of quicksand – the more you wallow (meditating on the wrong done to you) the deeper you sink and you will eventually suffocate!! Unforgiveness actually traps or locks you in time, in your past. Walking in Love and Forgiveness is the only way to get out of this trap. It’s not easy but essential to be able to move forward again towards your future!! It amazes me how some people can stay caught in this trap for over 40 years of their lives (or even more). What a waste and how foolish!!!!!!!
6. Fear – False Evidence that Appears Real. Well a whole chapter can be written on this subject alone! Just as the atmosphere God uses is faith – the devil’s is fear! It is his only access into our lives. Fear cannot penetrate the “Shield of Faith” Eph 6:16. God’s calling on our lives is always so huge and overwhelming in our eyes that it brings fear! There are many other types of fear to deal with as well. Learning to lean on and trust in God completely in every area and detail of our lives, is a life time process! Some people find this easier than others. It’s a total abandonment and surrender to God’s will. Extremely difficult or rather impossible if the flesh has not been crucified! We cannot trust Him if we do not know Him – again this is a life time process of learning more and more about Him and His love for us 1 Jn 4:18. If fear is not dealt with you will be totally immobilized, unable to move in any direction! Again when your focus is on God and how great, powerful and awesome He is, your problems and fears become minute in comparison!! (LB Isah 40:26, He even has pet names for all the stars!!! Think about this for a moment, astronomers estimate there are over a billion galaxies and our planet earth is just a pin prick in our galaxy!! How great is our God!!!)
7. Sin – all forms of sin, inward sins of the heart, pride, lust, jealousy, envy, hatred, anger, selfishness, unforgiveness etc. and outward sins, murder, adultery, stealing, gossip, slander, strife, lying, deceit etc. are all intended to make you stumble, slip and fall. Condemnation is then heaped on you to keep you down. “Though the righteous may fall, he shall rise again” Micah 7:8. Sin’s purpose is to get you to sow bad, corrupt seed so that you will reap a corrupt harvest. Repentance is the shovel you use to dig up the bad seed before it can produce its evil harvest Gal 6:8, 1 Jn 1:9, Ps 32:5, Ps 66:18, Isah 1:18. Confession and repentance (change of mind and direction) are the keys to get you back up on the right path and moving forward again!
8. Attacks in Trouble, Sickness or Persecution – this is to get us so overwhelmed and overtaken by problems that we are spinning out of control. It’s to keep us so busy and occupied that we have no time to focus on God. One of my favourite poems by Patience Strong is “Peace Be Still” it talks about the calm in the centre of the storm! There is a place of peace and calm in the centre of the raging storm around us. This is called the secret place of the Most High Ps 91:1 amp “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].” This secret place is God’s presence (no raging storm can come near). God’s presence is our Refuge and Fortress against the storm. Just as a deer goes into water to hide his scent, as we go into God’s presence our scent is hidden from the enemy and he cannot find us! Where God’s presence is, is where rest and peace are Ex 33:14, Isah 40:31. Often we stress ourselves out so much trying to find out the answers to our problems instead of seeking out His presence – this is where the answer lies and oh what peace and joy there is in His presence Ps 16:11, 31:20. Next time trouble hits you like a tornado, don’t seek the answers, seek His presence!!!
In fact here lies the solution to all of the attacks, traps and wiles of the enemy, staying in God’s presence, being filled with the Holy Spirit Eph 5:18. Walking in the Spirit is life but walking in the flesh is death Rom 8:13, Gal 5:16. Knowing and learning who you are in Christ (the King’s Kid) allows you to operate in authority over the enemy (remember your level of authority is subjective to the level of your submission to God) and knowing and understanding the enemy’s tactic gives you the ability to counter attack using the full armour of God Eph 6:11-18, 2 Cor 10:4, Luke 10:19.
There are many scriptures which talk about our path and our feet and how we are protected from stumbling, slipping or falling (Prov 2:8, 3:23, 4:12, 16:9, Ps 37:23, 55:22, 66:9, 121:3, Heb 12:13). The Word of God is our anchor that will keep us from falling!! The Word will keep you on track and in the right direction and Wisdom will guide you when the path is dark and obscure. It is our armour and a lamp unto our feet Ps 91:4, 119:105.
It is also very important to mention here that the Blood of Jesus (again, books have been written on this one subject) is our protection and our covering without it we are vulnerable and totally open to attack. Without the continual, daily cleansing of the Blood and the washing of the Word (Eph 5:26) the Holy Spirit presence is not able to abide with us and without the Holy Spirit we have no power over the enemy for it is He who fights our battles for us and it is He who warns us and protects us!!
In conclusion this summarizes the four areas in which we are able to defeat the enemy. The power is in the Name of Jesus (His authority), the Blood of Jesus (His covering), the Word (His armour) and the power of Holy Spirit (His presence)!
[1] “Our focus must not be on what we are going through but on what we are going to”. So we are not to be stuck in the past or dwelling in the present but our focus must be in the future (dreams and visions God has placed inside us), and on the finish line. A runner in a race does not have his focus on the people in the stands or the runners around him, but his focus is fixed on the finish line!
[2] Very important to add here that there are other causes of depression which are physical, caused through hormonal imbalances in woman going through menopause (or have had ovaries removed). Also chemical imbalances in the body caused through excessive intake of alcohol, most people don’t know this but alcohol is a depressant!! People partake of it when they are depressed to make them feel better (and it does momentarily) but then it takes you down into a deeper pit of depression. We then try to fix this imbalance with medication such as anti-depressants. I am no expert but have had 8 years experience with a chronic alcoholic. Be extremely cautious of anti-depressants, some of them are highly addictive and others once you come off them can make you suicidal. They should only be taken on the short term. I strongly suggest you seek advice before continuing such drugs. This of cause doesn’t apply to chronic diseases such as manic depression.
