This week we continue to answer the following question: How does God’s enemy come after His people and His leaders for the sole purpose of distracting, disrupting and derailing them from being involved in God's great mission?
As we survey Pauline literature we will discover fourteen tactical strategies that the enemy will use to come after God's people along with specific antidotes in addressing that problem. See the introduction to this series to receive an overview of this subject.
8. Lies, Half Truths & Unreliable Perspectives
Text: Ephesians 6:10-20 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Problem: "Satan uses lies or half-truths to trick believers and give unreliable perspectives on their lives and situations." (J. Robert Clinton)
- Satan uses lack of righteousness (on-going unrighteous things in a believer’s life) as an inroad into their life.
- Satan uses lack of presentation of testimony in a believer’s life to weaken that believer’s stand.
- Satan causes a believer to doubt God (character, dealings, truth, etc).
- Satan robs believers from the impact of salvation in their lives.
- Satan keeps believers from using the Word of God in their lives and in combating his tactics.
- Satan keeps believers from praying in the Spirit as they confront him in his tactics.
- Satan keeps people from being alert to his tactics and from discerning his involvement.
Antidotes: See the imperatives in Ephesians 6:10-20. (J. Robert Clinton)
- Be strong in the Lord - vs 10
- Put on the full armor of God - vs 11, 13
- Stand firm - vs 14
- Take up the shield of faith - vs 17
- Be alert - vs 18
- Keep on praying - vs 18
Reflective Questions:
- If Satan were to attack your life what area would he go after?
- If Satan were to attack your church what segment of the church would try to penetrate?
- What half-truths has Satan used to attack your church?
- What lies has Satan uses to attack your church?
- What false or unreliable perspectives has Satan used to attack your church?
- What unconfessed sin exists both individually and corporately in your church?
- How are you educating your church and church leadership on the tactics of our enemy?
- How is the gospel playing a transformative affect on the lives of new and old believers? (Titus 2:11-14)
Prayer: Father in heaven, help us to be lovers of the truth, to live in the strength of the Lord and to actively put on the armour of God. Father, teach us how to stand firm by daily applying the truth of God into our lives, by embracing the righteousness of God in our hearts and by being ready to engage in spiritual conversations at a moments notice. Righteous Father, teach us how to take up the shield of faith so that we can be ready defend the attacks of the enemy. Holy Father, teach how to use Your Word as a sword to defeat personal assaults of the devil. Loving Father, just as you have stood with the saints of the past, we know that you are standing with us and for that we give thanks, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Next Post: Closed Doors
To view the entire series of posts on Spiritual Warfare
