3 Devices of Your Enemy

When Satan sets out to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, He uses the same proven tactics he's been using for generations. And, for the most part, it has worked until now. Satan isn't all-powerful or all-knowing, and he doesn't have unlimited resources, but what the Bible does tell us is that he has "fiery darts."  

Ephesians 6:16 (KJV)

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

There are three primary categories of fiery darts:

1) DISTRACTIONS

2) DESTRUCTION

3) DEVOTION (YES, EVEN DEVOTION)

1) DISTRACTIONS

- PLACING TOO MUCH ATTENTION ON THE IMMEDIATE

 - "TURN STONES INTO BREAD" – MT. 4:3-4

Matthew 4:3 (KJV) 

"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." 

"Turn stones into bread."

Forget why you left Heaven. Forget what you're here to accomplish, and forget your Father's will. Satan would've loved for Jesus to become consumed with the feelings and discomforts of the moment and forget the eternal implications of his decisions. Remember, Jesus had been fasting for forty days. 

Our enemy still uses this same tactic today. The only difference is that he seems to have many more opportunities in our modern culture. Too often, we are absorbed with the immediate discomforts pressing on us to even care about more important issues. 

John 4:32-35 KJV

"32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." (emphasis mine)

In John chapter four, Jesus gives further insight into His previous conversation with the Tempter. He hadn't come to earth to seek to satisfy Himself. Instead, he was on a specific mission. To "do the will of Him that sent me." Nothing else could interfere. He must not be distracted. 

Distraction is one of Satan's primary tactics because it keeps us bound with earthly things and sidetracked from the eternal. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV 

"1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

In Psalm 2:7-8, we glimpse a sacred conversation between the Heavenly Father and His Son. 

Psalm 2:7-8 KJV 

"7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession."

In verse eight, pay careful attention to the Father's promise to His Son. "I'll give you the heathen for your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession." 

Now consider Jesus' words to His disciples, and by extension us, just before He ascended.

Acts 1:7-8 KJV

"7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

"Ask of me...I will give you the uttermost parts of the earth..."

"Witnesses unto me... unto the uttermost part of the earth."

The Father promised His Son the "uttermost parts of the earth" if He would ask. Jesus has completed the "asking" through His sacrificial death. Jesus then commands us to be His witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth. Did you notice the direct correlation? We are now sent forth as His laborers to gather Jesus' inheritance. What a privilege!

Remember the passage in John four? Jesus linked His Father's will with the harvest ready to be gathered. He also emphasized the limited time left to accomplish this and stressed the importance of fulfillment. If we allow Satan to distract us, we risk losing out on the purpose of God for our lives and losing the souls The Lord intended for us to reach.

1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV

"9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Galatians 1:15-16 KJV

"15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen;..."

Hebrews 3:1 KJV - 

"1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;" (emphasis mine)

DO THIS

One way to combat distraction is to obey God's Word.

Psalm 63:1 KJV

"1 ...O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;" (emphasis mine)

Matthew 6:33 KJV 

"33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (emphasis mine)

Start each day with The Lord. I know that seems simple, but it's true. The principle of the tithe isn't solely about money. It applies to everything. At least give the Lord the tithe of your day. 

There is power in priority! Make The Lord and His Word your primary focus, and set yourself up for success.  

2) DESTRUCTION

- HE WILL SEEK TO DESTROY YOUR FAITH AND LIFE

- "CAST THYSELF DOWN" – MT. 4:5-7 

Matthew 4:5-6 (KJV) 

"5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."

"Cast thyself down."

Here is a fun fact about the devil: he cannot destroy you alone! He may want to, but you belong to God if you are a faithful follower of Christ. 

Remember, in the book of Job, the devil had to get God's permission to torment Job. But, strangely enough, it was God that suggested it. He also only allowed the enemy to go so far. The devil was never able to take Job's life. 

So, satan's only option is to tempt you to do it. Spiritual suicide. "Cast thyself down." He will pressure and push until we feel out of options and eventually throw in the towel. He wants you to quit. He wants you to walk away. He would love nothing more than to see your faith destroyed and your life ineffective for God. 

John 10:10 KJV

"10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly."

In the book of Genesis, we learn the story of a man named Joseph. God had blessed him from a young age. God had given him visions and dreams of how his future would look. Only one problem. His brothers hated him for it. Eventually, they would seize the opportunity to get rid of him by selling him as a slave. (That was better than their original plan to murder him!) 

Fast forward thirteen years, and Joseph is second in command in the most powerful empire on the planet - Egypt. When his brothers are brought face to face with him through the trial of a great famine, he finally has a chance to share what God has been up to. 

Genesis 45:5 (KJV)

"Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life."

Genesis 50:20 (KJV)

"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive."

Satan may have destruction in mind, but God has the final say!

3) DEVOTION

- YES, EVEN DEVOTION

 - "BOW DOWN & WORSHIP ME" – MT. 4:8-10

Matthew 4:8-10 (KJV) 

"8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

"Fall down and worship me."

Satan's ultimate goal is worship - of him.

In the book of Isaiah, we get a glimpse into his motivation.

Isaiah 14:12-15 (KJV) 

"12 How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

He desires devotion that belongs only to God. He'll even attempt to make a bargain with you to get it. He tried to convince Jesus that he could grant him all these kingdoms if only He would bow to him. You might think you would never bow to the devil, but what do you bow to? If you're not worshipping Jesus Christ, the devil has what he wants. That's because whatever doesn't glorify God serves the cause of satan! 

Take note of precisely what Jesus said. Matthew 4:10 (KJV) "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

He interchanged the words worship and service. What we worship, we serve, and what we serve, we worship. So what or whom do you serve? 

Examine your time, your treasure, and your talents. We are constantly investing in something in the various areas of our lives. What consumes your thoughts? What has your emotional attention? 

Worship is worth-ship. It means that something has worth or value. When we worship the Lord, we demonstrate He is worthy of our affection and admiration. By the way, worship isn't singing songs. We may sing as an expression of worship, but true worship is all-consuming. It's a lifestyle. I worship Christ through my obedience to His Word, my relationships, and my life. 

What earthly things could the enemy be using to distract you from your "Heavenly calling"? 

Begin to think about this in terms of your daily habits and choices.