Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
7/13/2021
Four Strategies that lead to Death
Ephesians 6:10 says "Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the devil". Tactics simply means deceptive strategies.
Honestly, up till now, do you think you’ve taken the deceptive strategies of Satan seriously enough? Have you thought about why? If Satan is the master of deception. How do you think you can be more effective in recognizing his tricks?
One of his main tricks is to cause you to miss the goodness of God. Remember Eve in the garden? He wanted her to question the value of all the trees God provided by getting her to focus on the one tree God said to avoid. Satan planted just a small seed of doubt and discontent, but that seed grows and grows in our hearts. I wonder when Eve recognized that the snake was really the devil in disguise?
As she took the bite? Was Adam there at that moment? Probably not. She probably wasn’t aware that the attack was underway until the attack was already over and the battle was lost. Satan is the ultimate magician operating not only with smoke and mirrors but by sleight of hand.
When was the last time you realized too late that you were under a spiritual attack? What might you have done to be more on guard against the attack in the first place?
Like any battle, warfare is filled with strategy from two sides. Good and evil. Part of any good battle plan involves discovering the strategy of the other side. Once we know that, we will be ready to counter his moves effectively.
Satan takes legitimate desires and corrupts them so that
we satisfy them through illegal means.
His second strategy is the use of deception and half-truths.
Again, that seed of doubt or uncertainty.
That opens the door to his third strategy of disobedience.
Deception almost always leads to disobedience.
Don’t you know that part of the Holy Spirit’s job in maturing his sons and daughters is managing our feelings, emotions and desires? But when we’re disobedient we take that away from him. We, in essence, do a temper tantrum. And say I want it my Way, I don’t care what you say. But there’s going to be a price to pay for that. And that Satan‘s fourth stage.
Sin and disobedience produce death in a variety of ways.
Every one of them bringing about the diminished ability to experience God‘s promises of abundant life. It could be the death of a dream, relationship, career, virtue, or any other area. But the biggest is a broken relationship with God.
Satan is so effective at this implementation that he’s trained the deceived to become deceivers themselves. He turns people into deception evangelist spreading his lies quickly and effectively among us. Sadly, you don’t have to look very far to see the casualties all around you.
BUT despite the strength and cunning of the enemy, there is good news for us. Because he has already been defeated. But we must believe in the victory. We must walk in it! Believe it. Act like it!
Dear Lord show us the areas of our lives in which death is reigning. Lord we trust in your ability to bring new life from death. Lord help us to choose you. Read Eph: 6 10-12 like it was the first time.
Andra Love Can Save it All
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBcVPsTmG5I&list=PL3oW2tjiIxvTstLS9GlgaT_mqONT0WVDw&index=9
