HERE ARE FOUR BASIC ATTACKS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AND WATCHFUL:
ATTACK NUMBER ONE: DOUBT GOD’S WORD – GENESIS 3:1A.
DOUBTING GOD’S WORD IS THE GOAL OF THE DEVIL. IF HE CAN GET HIS FOOT IN THE DOOR BY MAKING US DOUBT, THE REST OF HIS PLAN QUICKLY CAN FOLLOW. WITHOUT THE FOUNDATION OF GOD’S WORD BELIEVERS ARE ADRIFT AND FALL PREY TO EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE AND GET TOSSED TO AND FRO.
WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FIRST EXPOSED TO SCIENTIFIC SECULAR THEORIES (WITH THE GOD OF SCRIPTURE LEFT OUT) SATAN ALWAYS PLANTS HIS SEED OF DOUBT IN THEIR MINDS. “HAS GOD INDEED SAID…? GENESIS 3:1 A. SINCE LISTENING TO THE WORD OF JESUS ALWAYS INVOLVES THE BIBLE; SATAN TRIES TO PERSUADE US THAT GOD’S WORD IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BOOK. “OH, HE SAYS, THE BIBLE IS NICE, PERHAPS HELPFUL, BUT IT IS NOT ABSOLUTE.”
SATAN’S ULTIMATE PLAN IS TO KEEP US FROM REGULAR CONTACT WITH THE LORD BY ANY ONE OF A VARIETY OF TOOLS HE EMPLOYS; QUESTIONING THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD, AVOIDING THE TEACHINGS OF GOD’S WORD, OR NEGLECTING THE READING OF GOD’S WORD.
YOU DOUBT GOD WHEN YOU DOUBT HIS WORD, THINK ABOUT IT!
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHAT JESUS SAID TO THE DEVIL IN THE WILDERNESS WHEN TEMPTED, WHAT DID HE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN, THE WORD FOR HE SAID IN MATTHEW 4:4 “IT IS WRITTEN, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD”.
DO YOU DOUBT BY NEGLECT, THAT GOD’S WORD IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVEN EATING?
JEREMIAH SAYS IN 15:16, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS. “THY WORDS WERE FOUND AND I ATE THEM, AND THY WORDS BECAME FOR ME A JOY AND THE DELIGHT OF MY HEART; FOR I HAVE BEEN CALLED BY THY NAME, O LORD GOD OF HOSTS.”
ATTACK NUMBER TWO: DOUBT GOD’S GOODNESS – GENESIS 3:1B
SATAN PLANTED SEEDS OF DOUBT IN EVE WHEN HE SAID, “DID GOD REALLY SAY, YOU SHALL NOT EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN? (GEN, 3:1 B) HE WANTED HER TO DOUBT GOD AND HIS GOODNESS. HE LIKEWISE BOMBARDS’ EACH OF US BY WHISPERING; LIES SUCH AS; GOD IS TRYING TO HOLD OUT ON YOU…HE IS ROBBING YOU OF SOME GOOD TIMES…HE IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH YOUR NEEDS…HE MISSED THAT DISASTER YOU JUST WENT THROUGH…HE MESSED UP ON HOW HE MADE YOU…HE MEANS WELL, BUT SINCE HE DOESN’T QUITE HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL;, THAT MAKES HIM NOT GOOD.
SATAN’S FIERY DARTS OF LIES ARE RESERVED FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE MOMENTS. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A BABY IS BORN WHO IS NOT FULLY FUNCTIONING, OR A YOUNG PERSON’S LIFE IS CUT OFF IN WHAT SEEMS TO BE A TRAGIC AND UNTIMELY DEATH. A NORMAL REACTION IS TO CRY OUT, “WHY LORD?” THINGS LIKE THIS MAKE NO SENSE TO OUR FINITE MINDS, SO WE MAY BE TEMPTED TO DOUBT GOD’S GOODNESS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS WE IDOLIZE WHO GRACES’ THE MAGAZINE COVERS, OR ARE OTHERWISE IN THE SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT. AT SOME POINT, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT WE WILL NEVER LOOK LIKE THOSE PEOPLE. SO THE REALIZATION CAN LEAN A PERSON TO DESPISE THEIR FEATURES AND QUESTION GOD’S GOODNESS BY THINKING; WHY DID GOD MAKE ME THIS WAY?
WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE AT THEIR FIERCEST, DON’T GIVE IN TO THOUGHTS LIKE THIS THAT CHALLENGES YOUR FAITH. IS GOD REALLY IN CONTROL? WHY IS HE LETTING THIS HAPPEN TO ME? WHERE IS HE? IS HE REALLY GOOD?
AT SUCH TIMES, WATCH OUT BECAUSE SATAN ACTS LIKE A PROWLING LION (1 PETER 5:8), AND YOU MUST NOT GIVE THE DEVIL A PLACE TO LAND IN YOUR LIFE (EPHESIANS 4:27).
IN EPHESIANS 4:25131, LOOK AT ALL THE SINS PAUL LISTS THAT CAN OPEN UP A “LANDING SPOT” FOR THE DEVIL, WHICH OPENS OUR MINDS AND LIVES TO SATAN’S INFLUENCE. THESE AREAS WILL ALWAYS HINDER OUR WALK IN CHRIST. SATAN LURKS AT THE DOOR OF YOUR MIND, SO DON’T LET HIM IN!
NEXT: DON'T MISS: THE ATTACKS PART 3-4.
PASTOR JOHN
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