Unmasking Satan’s Strategies: Discernment Vs. Suspicion (Part 5)

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. (Hebrews 12:2)

The essence of the concept of spiritual warfare is not to go on a demon/devil hunting spree. It is not to see the devil in everything, but rather to see more of God, magnify God, and see less of the devil. We are not to be demon focused. We are to be God-focused, but with a peripheral gaze on what is happening around us. Your focus will determine the direction that your life will take. If you are constantly focused on the devil, you will eventually begin to follow him.

I know of folks who see the devil behind every tree and river. This is exactly what the devil wants. He wants great attention! Satan’s first attempt is to convince a man that he does not exists. If he fails to do so, he will take him to the other extreme and convinces him that he is everywhere(omnipresent) like our God. I know of folks who have even run away from their own homes, wives, parents, and children and isolated themselves because they have become hyper-demon conscious. They are exactly where the devil wants them. Let us be like Job who continues to see God in all his affairs despite what the devil was clearly doing. Eventually, Job became victorious.

One of the major rules of engagement in this battle is ‘walking in love.” Once you drift into revenge, bitterness, unforgiveness, grudge, and malice, you have given Satan the advantage over you. The major reason Satan could have no advantage over our LORD Jesus was that Satan could find nothing offensive in Him.

John 14:30 says: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Revenge, bitterness, and unforgiveness are all Satan`s carnal weapons. These weapons are inferior to our weapons in the Kingdom of God. The love of God flowing through our hearts and lives, living a repentant life, and walking in holiness, are all part of our superior kingdom weapons alluded to in 2 Corinthians 10:4. Unforgiveness, bitterness, grudge, and malice are all carnal and inferior weapons. They can never help us. In fact, they put us at a disadvantage.

Never forget this, discernment about a situation is given by God for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Whenever God gives discernment concerning a situation, it is to bring about a positive change in the situation at hand through prayer. It is always for our good and our benefit (Romans 8:28). The enemy knows this and uses suspicion to undermine the purposes of God by dividing churches and destroying the reputation of others.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan introduced the deadly device of suspicion in the relationship between Adam and Eve and God. Suspicion of others eventually erodes into suspicion of God. If I can trust no one, then I cannot trust God, either. Just as the serpent in the Garden of Eden caused Eve to sin by questioning God’s motives, he longs to get us to waver in our trust. Hebrews 10:13 (NLT) says, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” We must reject the voice of suspicion and ask God to grant us the gift of discernment.

Remain blessed as we continue to fight according to God`s wisdom and weapons.