What Is Faith?
Faith is a word that is commonly used but not always understood. Just so we’re all on the same page, I wanted to share the Biblical definition of faith. We see this in Hebrews 11:1:

Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.

So basically, although you don’t see it or haven’t seen it yet, you know it’s going to happen. When you read the rest of Hebrews 11, we can see plenty of examples of people who demonstrated their faith such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, and the list goes on.

Whenever God works in and through your life, it’s always in response to faith. We see this in Matthew 9:29:

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.

On the flip side, a lack of faith can hinder God’s ability to work in your life. We see this in Matthew 13:58:

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Now this raises an important question: as believers, how can we know that we are living by faith?

According to Warren Wiersbe, there are four practical tests that can help us determine whether or not we are living by faith.

Four Tests
Test #1: “Am I doing this for the glory of God, or just to please myself?”
If we look at Abraham and Sarah, we see that they were both way past the age of having children, and yet God promised them a son. Apart from God, it would have been impossible for them to have a son on their own. They trusted God, and He carried out his promise.

Let’s take a look at Romans 4:19-21:

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Keep in mind that Abraham’s motive in all this was to give God glory. So the next time you’re about to make a major decision especially as it relates to your Christian walk or ministry, ask yourself: “Am I doing this for God’s glory or my own glory?” Genuine faith will be motivated by the desire to glorify God.

Test #2: “Am I rushing ahead impulsively, or am I willing to wait?”
Faith and patience will always go together. We see this in Isaiah 28:16:

Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,

A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;

Whoever believes will not act hastily.

When we wait on God’s leading and His timing, we will never be disappointed or ashamed. If you find yourself impatiently rushing into something, you might not like the outcome. Genuine faith will not be in a hurry and will wait for God to make a way.

Test #3: “Can I defend what I am doing from the Word of God?”
True faith is always grounded in God’s Word. We can see this in Romans 10:17:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

No matter how reasonable something might seem, if it goes against the Word of God, then you cannot do it by faith. The Bible gives us plenty of precepts, promises, and principles, but if we violate any of these, then we are not acting in faith. God cannot bless us or use us if we disobey His Word and thus don’t act in genuine faith.

Test #4: “As I contemplate this move, do I have joy and peace within?”
Let’s take a look at Romans 15:13:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Where there is genuine faith, the Holy Spirit is at work; and where the Spirit is at work, He will produce the fruits of hope, joy, and peace. When you have God’s peace in your heart, this is a very good sign that you’re in the will of God. On the flip side, whenever you feel like you’ve lost God’s peace within, then it’s possible you might have detoured from the will of God.

There might be times when God asks you to do something that brings about some level of fear and anxiety such as preaching your very first sermon or leading a midweek service one Wednesday out of the month. In our own strength, fear and anxiety are natural feelings to have. But if we walk by faith and really trust in the Lord, then these feelings of fear and anxiety will eventually be overcome by a much deeper joy and peace.

Satan and the Four Tests of Faith
Now we all have four tests to help determine whether or not we’re walking by faith.

Test #1: “Am I doing this for the glory of God, or just to please myself?”

Test #2: “Am I rushing ahead impulsively, or am I willing to wait?”

Test #3: “Can I defend what I am doing from the Word of God?”

Test #4: “As I contemplate this move, do I have joy and peace within?”

If we go back to first four chapters, we’ll notice how the four tests of faith correspond to the experiences of the four individuals and their dealings with Satan.

In the case of David, he did not act in faith when he numbered the people because he did it for his glory and not for God’s glory.

In the case of Job, he was tempted to become impatient with God, but he was actually willing to wait on the Lord.

In the case of Eve, she disobeyed the Word of God when she ate that apple.

And in the case of Joshua, he had no joy and peace inside because he was suffering under Satan’s accusations.  

Background
Now you’re probably wondering: what exactly does it mean to give Satan a beachhead? It might help if we first define what a beachhead is.

A beachhead is actually a military term. It refers to the area of land near the sea or a river such as a beach shore where an attacking army would land and take control so that they can further invade the enemy country. In many cases, the military unit that lands will wait for more reinforcements to arrive, and after a large enough unit is assembled, then they will advance inland.

Just to give a brief historical example, during World War II on June 6, 1944, the US along with a few Allied nations landed at the coast of Normandy, France. According to Wikipedia, this was considered the largest seaborne invasion with almost 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers covering about 50 miles worth of shore. It’s my understanding that Adolf Hitler developed some fortifications and anticipated this invasion by covering the beach areas with landmines, wooden stakes, barb wire, and other obstacles. Thus, the US and Allied nations had a very dangerous and difficult mission since the beachhead was not so open and unguarded. In the end, although there were many casualties on both sides, the US and Allied nations accomplished their mission. One of the contributing factors to their success was the fact that Hitler’s fortifications were only partially finished, and since the coast of Normandy wasn’t fully guarded, the US and Allied nations were able to make their way in and accomplish their mission.

Therefore, when we talk about giving Satan a beachhead, it means to give him an opening which can be in your mind, your heart, or some other area of your life where he can invade and take over. In many cases, he’s not going to come solo but with other reinforcements of his own to really invade and do some damage. If you fail to completely fortify your mind, heart, and life in the same way that Hitler failed to completely fortify the physical beachhead of Normandy, then you’re giving the enemy an opportunity to come in and do some damage.

Now you might be wondering: is it really that bad if Satan and his demons come in and take control? According to an ex Satanist named John Ramirez, yes it is really that bad and nothing to take lightly. There’s an online Christian newspaper called the Christian Post, and on October 12, 2022, someone wrote about John Ramirez’s experience being deep in Satanism along with his eventual conversion to Christianity.

(source: https://www.christianpost.com/news/ex-satanist-warns-against-one-night-stands-with-devil.html )

In a nutshell, John Ramirez spent at least 20 years in a Satanic cult. He actually became a high ranking Satanic priest where he specialized in witchcraft, spells, curses, and astral projection. During his time in the Satanic world, he noticed that Christians were “spiritually anemic” and that although they had the anointing, the authority, and the power to destroy the kingdom of darkness, they didn’t know how to use it.

Then one day in 1999, he had a near death experience, and while he was in a “deep sleep”, he went to Hell. He felt a great amount of fear, but then God met him there, and when he came back to life, he committed his life to Jesus.

When he left Satanism and came to Jesus, he was actually tormented nonstop for 30 days. When he threw away at least $100,000 worth of idols, he was still being tormented. 

I’ll go ahead and read a direct quote from that online article:

“I had all these things in my house; these things are despicable, demonic and an abomination in the eyes of God. But they had that fear of the devil on you that if you leave [the occult], something’s going to happen to you. They engraft that in you. If you step out of line, punishment is coming,” Ramirez recalled of what occultists tell people to keep them in bondage.

The Lord allowed Ramirez to be tormented for 30 days in order to test his new faith after years of serving the enemy.

I’ll read one more direct quote from that online article. This is Ramirez speaking:

“After 30 days, it was gone. I was asking Jesus Christ, ‘What happened? Why did this happen to me?’ In the end, the Lord responded, ‘I wanted to see how much you trust me and how much you love me. They will never touch you ever again,’” he recalled Jesus saying.
“Sure enough, them devils never showed up and those devils never put their hand on me ever again because Jesus is Lord over my life. He’s my Lordship; He’s my Savior over my life,” Ramirez testified.

If you do a Google search for John Ramirez, you’ll find plenty of videos and articles about how passionate he is about exposing the enemy’s schemes. So bottom line: if you do give Satan a beachhead and let him and his reinforcements invade your life, you are asking for a life of bondage and misery.

Let’s now take a look at Ephesians 4:27:

27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity.

The word opportunity here actually means a place like a city or a building. So in other words, we don’t want to give Satan a place in our lives to take control and operate. Just ask John Ramirez or any other ex Satanist.

Beachheads
Now that we’ve established what a beachhead is, what are some examples of giving Satan a beachhead?

When we take a look at the passage surrounding the verse we just looked at, we can see six possible ways of giving Satan a place in our lives to operate. There are obviously more than six, but if I went over every possible way to give Satan a beachhead, we’d probably be here for hours. So rather than keep you here until midnight tonight, we’ll touch on the top six ways.

Let’s go ahead and take a look at Ephesians 4:25-32:

25 Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 Let no [b]unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification [c]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [d]by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, wrath, anger, [e]clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven [f]you.

As we just read, here are six possible ways to give Satan a place to operate in your life:

1. Lying
2. Anger
3. Stealing
4. Filthy Speech
5. An Unforgiving Spirit
6. Slander

Let’s go through them one by one.

Lying
Since Satan himself is a liar and the father of all lies, it should be no surprise that lying gives him an opportunity to work in our lives. When you believe the truth, then the Holy Spirit can work in your life. However, if you believe a lie, then the devil can work in your life.

We all need to keep in mind Paul’s words in Philippians 4:8

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [a]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

We also want to avoid deceit because we are members of one another. While God’s truth builds up the body, Satan’s lies tear it down. Since God is the God of truth, since His Word is truth, and since His Spirit is truth, it’s impossible to be in fellowship with God if you are harboring lies.

Let’s take a look at John 17:17:

17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Let’s now take a look at 1 John 5:6:

6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [a]with the water only, but [b]with the water and [c]with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Since His Word is truth, and since His Spirit is truth, I think it makes sense to avoid any falsehood so that we can enjoy ongoing fellowship with God and also with others.

Also keep in mind that hell is prepared for all liars in addition to Satan and his angels. We see this in Revelation 21:8:

8 But for the cowardly, and [a]unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and [b]brimstone, which is the second death.”

Let’s also take a look at Revelation 22:12-15:
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work [a]deserves. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

The 15th verse likes to describe deceitful people as “everyone who loves and practices lying.” This doesn’t refer to people who tell an occasional white lie but to people who enjoy lying and deceiving others. These types of people are like Satan and will end up in hell just like Satan.

You might be wondering: is lying really a big deal especially if I tell an occasional white lie? Keep in mind that lying and deception are part of Satan’s very nature, and even when we tell a little white lie, we are taking part in his nature. When we look at Eve in the Garden of Eden, we can see Satan’s nature of deceit in action.

If you’re someone who struggles with lying, there are ways to overcome this. First you have to ask yourself: why am I lying? Do I lie to try to impress others or to avoid certain consequences? After you get honest with yourself, realize that you cannot overcome lying or any other sin on your very own. You need to come to Jesus as you are and confess your sin of not trusting Him as your treasure.

Let’s take a look at two verses. We’ll start with Matthew 13:44:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from [a]joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field.

And now we’ll read John 14:21:
21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

When we trust Jesus as our all-satisfying treasure and rely on Him to change our hearts, eventually we’ll get to a point where we’ll want to keep His commandments and experience more of His presence in our lives.

(Also check out https://livingbyfaithblog.com/2012/05/16/how-can-i-stop-lying/ , https://brandoncoussenslmft.com/10-bible-verses-to-memorize-to-help-with-lying-2/ , and https://openthebible.org/article/put-away-the-sin-of-lying/ )

Anger
That was #1: lying. Now let’s go to #2: anger. Satan can be angry.

We see this in Revelation 12:12,17:
12 For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her [a]children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

When we harbor anger in our hearts, this is another way to give Satan a foothold. Since lying and murder go together, anger and murder can also go together.

Let’s take a look at Matthew 5:21-22:
21 “You have heard that [a]the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘[b]You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to [c]the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the [d]fiery hell.

Also keep in mind that there is such a thing as righteous anger. Jesus Christ demonstrated righteous anger when he drove the religious merchants out of the temple. We see this in Matthew 21:12-16:
12 And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He *said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” 14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “[a]Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

For the majority of us, it is often difficult to cultivate and exercise this truly righteous anger. Oftentimes when we get angry, we might do things or say things we’ll regret later. We also tend to make decisions that can be hurtful to ourselves and to others. Satan knows all this and will do what he can to encourage us to cultivate a sinful anger as opposed to a righteous anger.

While righteous anger is good for taking action against certain injustices such as seeing God’s house being defiled or sex trafficking, what can you do if you struggle with unrighteous or sinful anger?

Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 10:5:
5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

So in other words, whenever we become upset with someone or something, we can choose what we’ll think on and dwell on.

I remember last year when my car got broken into and stole while I was slowly but surely getting over my bout of COVID. While I did get angry at the fact that my car was stolen and messed with, I also chose to focus on the good like how the police found it before I even knew it was stolen. I was also able to take heart in Romans 12:19:
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [a]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Just as I surrendered my angry emotions to the Lord and trusted that in the grand scheme of things, He’s in control, I’d like to encourage you to take your thoughts captive and surrender any & all angry emotions to the Lord.

(Also check out https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/dealing-with-anger-gods-way , https://www.soulshepherding.org/jesus-way-of-dealing-with-anger/ , and https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/overcoming-sinful-anger-through-surrender.html )

Stealing
Now let’s move on to #3: stealing. Satan himself is a thief. We see this in John 10:10:
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and [a]have it abundantly.

In many workplace settings, employees might “borrow” things from their employers’ offices which can invite Satan to get a foothold in their lives. The person who steals a 15 cent pencil has the potential of stealing a $15 book.

I know of other online business owners who have overseas subcontractors on staff. There was one particular online business owner I met in this group of faith based entrepreneurs. He told me how he had a virtual assistant from the Philippines, and this virtual assistant eventually stole his database of customers and email subscribers. I don’t remember the exact figures, but the Filipino virtual assistant basically stole close to $100,000 from him.

I also have a few subcontractors of my own from the Philippines and from Pakistan who help with different aspects of my online business, and so far I’m grateful that nobody has stolen from me. Plus it really helps that my executive assistant in Manila is a God fearing woman (before she left in January 2023).

Let’s also take a look at Luke 16:10:
10 “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much.

In the second part of the verse, you’ll notice how it refers to someone who is already unrighteous rather than someone who will be unrighteous. If Satan can get you to commit a small theft like a pencil, then chances are he can get you to commit larger thefts such as an employer’s payroll or database.

Let’s supposed you struggle with stealing. What can you do?

We’ll start by revisiting Ephesians 4:28:
28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.

Stealing often stems from selfishness and laziness. It’s selfish because it’s all about desiring something that doesn’t belong to you, and it’s lazy because most thieves dislike work. The solution is to replace stealing with working. In this particular verse, the word “labor” refers to working to the point of exhaustion or wearing yourself out in your job. By working hard, you’re not only able to provide for your own needs but for the needs of others.

(Also check out https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-34-cure-thief-ephesians-428 , https://redeeminggod.com/sermons/ephesians/ephesians_4_28/ , and https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/i-wont-have-what-i-need )

Filthy Speech
Next we have #4: filthy speech. Paul also reminds us of this in Ephesians 5:4:
4 and there must be no filthiness [a]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

This is the kind of speech that tears people down. God wants our speech to edify others, not tear them down. Impure speech and humor can be signs of an impure imagination. Examples of filthy speech include: name-calling, ridicule, mockery, blaming, griping, profanity, and the list goes on.

If Satan can get us to think about sin and then talk about sin, eventually he’ll have an easier time tempting us to commit sin.

Some of you might be wondering: what can I do if I struggle with filthy speech? 

We first have to realize that what comes out of our mouths is often a representation of what’s inside our hearts. Christ mentioned this in Matthew 12:34:
34 You [a]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.

You might need to spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal anything in your heart that doesn’t belong there. 

We then have to remember that we are commanded to encourage one another and build each other up. We see this in 1 Thessalonians 5:11:
11 Therefore, [a]encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.

After praying to God and asking Him if there’s anything in your heart that doesn’t belond there, we should then ask God for help on how we can encourage one another.

(Also check out https://renner.org/article/corrupt-communication/ and https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-35-transformed-talk-ephesians-429 )

An Unforgiving Spirit
Next we have #5: an unforgiving spirit. The believer who harbors bitterness and unforgiveness gives Satan one of his most effective beachheads. 

We see this in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11:
10 But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

These unhealthy attitudes hinder the Spirit from working in our lives which then robs us of the power we need to detect and defeat the devil.

The only remedy here is forgiveness. If someone wrongs you, forgive them from your heart. Christ also cautions us to be reconciled with the other person as quickly as possible. We see this in Matthew 5:23-26:
23 Therefore, if you are presenting your [a]offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your [b]offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your [c]offering. 25 [d]Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last [e]quadrans.

The longer you harbor an unforgiving spirit, the more territory Satan will gain in your life.

Bitterness and unforgiveness can be very common struggles among many believers. If you are someone who struggles with unforgiveness, it might help to remember how much you have been forgiven.

We see this reminder in Ephesians 4:32
32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven [a]you.

If you’re dealing with any painful memories or current situations, I would encourage you to meditate on Christ’s love and forgiveness.

(Solution: check out https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/the-poison-of-unforgiveness , https://agairupdate.com/2021/02/23/the-self-destructive-sin-of-unforgiveness/ , and https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-7-disease-called-unforgiveness) 

Slander
Lastly we have #6: slander. Just so we’re on the same page, I’ll share the Merriam Webster definition of slander:

the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation

So in a nutshell, it combines lying with filthy speech.

We’ll take a look at two verses.

First we’ll start with 1 Timothy 3:11:
11 [a]Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but [b]temperate, faithful in all things.

Next we’ll look at Titus 2:3:
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

As we see here, Paul commands that the deacon’s wives and older women of the church refrain from being “malicious gossips.” Keep in mind that this applies to everyone and not just women.

When believers gossip and slander, they are actually doing Satan’s work and give him a beachhead for additional work.

Let’s also take a look at Proverbs 25:18:
Like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow
Is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.

Slander can hurt others up close like a club, farther away like a sword, or even at a distance like a sharp arrow. No matter what the range is, the damage is deadly.

What is God’s solution to slander? It is simply to love each other.

We’ll take a look at two verses. Let’s start with John 13:34:
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Next we’ll read Romans 13:10:
10 Love [a]does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

The next time you feel tempted to slander someone, or if you currently have a bad habit of slandering others, I would encourage you to meditate on these two verses John 13:34 and Romans 13:10.

(Also check out https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slander.html , https://capmin.org/slaying-the-sin-of-slander/ , and https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-slander )

Chapter 7 – When Satan Goes to Church
This might come as a surprise to some of you, but Satan actually goes to church. In fact, there are some churches that he runs with the help of his demonic forces.

Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:14-15:
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

These servants of righteousness can be anyone in the church including the preacher. While this may apply to some televangelists, this of course certainly does not apply to Pastor Rodney.

Just because a preacher graduated from seminary and claims to be a follower of Christ does not mean he is truly saved and a servant of Jesus Christ. In fact, history is full of people who started off as pastors but ultimately ended up being false teachers or false prophets.

For example, some of you history buffs might be familiar with Jim Jones. He started off as a Methodist minister in Indiana, but then he eventually became a self-proclaimed prophet and was really big on socialist revolution and racial equality. Some of his teachings also included faith healing, prophetic visions, and sexual liberation. While he was a Methodist minister, he was involved in a number of controversies such as mismanaging finances and staging fake faith healings. These controversies contributed to his decision to break away from the Methodist Church and form his own organization known as the People’s Temple. This was a cult that ultimately ended in a mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana in November 1978.

This should be a reminder to all of us to always be testing the spirits.

Let’s take a look at 1 John 4:1:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Next we’ll look at 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22:
21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every [a]form of evil.

And lastly we’ll take a look at Matthew 7:15-16:
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will [a]know them by their fruits. [b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

Satan can also have his agents in the pews in addition to positions of spiritual leadership.

We can see this in 2 Corinthians 11:26:
26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers;

Let’s also take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:13:
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Satan can also be at work in the offering. This goes back to the chapter on pride where some people might boast about how much they give to their church even to the point of seeking some form of recognition.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to just finances. We can also give of our time, our praise, and our talents.

Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 6:1-4:
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

There are many more ways that Satan can infiltrate the church and do some damage using any weapon of his choice. As mentioned in previous chapters, he loves to bring about division, strife, gossip, slander, bitterness, and false teaching.

That’s why it’s important that the church members and spiritual leaders learn to detect and defeat Satan. We also must practice speaking the truth in love and being a church that strives for unity.

We can see this in Ephesians 4:15-16:
15 but [j]speaking the truth in love, [k]we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together [l]by what every joint supplies, according to the [m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Chapter 8 – What to Wear to the War
Now this brings us to chapter 8: what to wear to the war.

To begin with, we all have to come to terms with the fact that the Christian life is a battleground rather than a playground. As we grow and mature more in our faith, we’ll find ourselves fighting battles. After all, Satan doesn’t kick a dead horse.

In order to win the battle, we have to know the enemy, possess the power and equipment to attack the enemy, and also have protection against the enemy. In the first four chapters, we covered how Satan will use lies, suffering, pride, and accusation as four of his most common tactics. Our power to fight the enemy comes from the Holy Spirit. We also have spiritual armor to help protect us against the enemy.

Let’s take a look at Ephesians 6:10-18:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [b]in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 [c]With every prayer and request, [d]pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, [e]be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the [f]saints,

In order to defeat Satan, we need the full armor rather than pieces here and there. If we leave a certain area of our life unguarded, then there’s a very good chance that Satan will target that unguarded area.

Let’s go through each part of God’s armor one by one.

(additional guidance taken from https://pursuitbible.com/armor-of-god/#what-are-the-6-pieces-of-the-armor-of-god) 

The Girdle of Truth
The first piece of armor mentioned is the girdle of truth. A girdle is like a belt you would hear to help hold everything together. Just as the girdle helps hold the other pieces of armor together, we must rely on God’s truth to hold everything together in our lives.

The girdle of truth is meant to offer protection rather than be used as a weapon. While it may not prevent Satan’s attacks, it’ll at least keep us from being harmed by them. By knowing God’s truth and fully trusting in it, we can be protected from any attacks of deception.

The Breastplate of Righteousness
Next we have the breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor would cover the front of a soldier’s body from the neck to the upper part of the thighs protecting the vital organs. You can think of this as covering what’s closest to your heart and protecting the core of your being from every attack of the enemy.

We put on the breastplate of righteousness by trusting what God has done for us in Jesus. 

The righteousness here refers to the righteousness of Christ which we receive when trusting Him. 

We see this in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be [a]sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So the next time Satan tries to use accusation, slander, or anything else that might attack the heart, we can rest assured that we have the protection of Christ’s righteousness and that we are fully loved and accepted by God just as we are.

The Shoes of Peace
The third piece of armor is the shoes of peace. A Roman soldier would wear hobnailed shoes for stability and mobility. After all, how well you stand would determine how well you fight. The shoes of peace refer to having solid footing along with preparation that comes from the Gospel of peace. Whenever the enemy’s attacks come and times get tough, we can stand firm as well as share the message of God’s love with others.

The Shield of Faith
Now we move on to the shield of faith. Back then, a Roman soldier would have a shield that was 2 feet by 4 feet, made of wood and covered with leather and metal. This would serve to protect them from the burning arrows of the enemy. 

Likewise, having the shield of faith can help protect us from Satan’s flaming darts. These flaming darts can be a number of things such as doubts, fears, and worries. When the attacks come, we use this shield by putting our total faith in God in every circumstance and trusting that His will be done.

The Helmet of Salvation
The next piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. This refers to guarding 7our mind from Satan’s attacks. The enemy will often use discouragement and hopelessness in order to bring us down.

However, we wear the helmet of salvation when we rest in the fact that God is the One who saves and delivers. When we have our minds focused on Christ and His return, any attacks of discouragement or hopelessness can no longer affect us.

The Sword of the Spirit
Last but not least, we have the sword of the spirit. While the other parts of the armor are for defense, this one is for offense.

The sword of the spirit refers to the Word of God. 

We see this in Hebrews 4:12:
12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to [a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

While a regular sword might become dull after a while of using it, the Word of God will always remain sharp.

We put the sword of the spirit to use when we commit to reading and obeying the Word of God.

Putting the Armor On
Now that we’ve covered every piece of armor, how do we put on the full armor of God?

We put on the full armor of God by praying. As we saw in Ephesians 6:18, we are to pray at all times and keep alert with all perseverance. As soldiers for Christ, we need to be watchful and alert. After all, soldiers cannot close their eyes to the enemy.

We also see this in Mark 14:38:
38 [a]Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

As we all continue to grow in our spiritual walks, may we continue to remain vigilant and fight the good fight.

Chapter 9 – Satan’s Army
Their Origin

Throughout the four Gospels, we read about Jesus and His disciples casting out demons on multiple occasions.

But you might be wondering: where did these demons come from to begin with? Many experts believe that demons are angels that rebelled against God along with Satan and fell with him. 

We see this in Isaiah 14:12-15:
How you have fallen from heaven,

You [a]star of the morning, son of the dawn!

You have been cut down to the earth,

You who defeated the nations!

13 

But you said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

And I will sit on the mount of assembly

In the recesses of the north.

14 

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15 

Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol,

To the recesses of the pit.

Some people might say that demons are spirits of the wicked dead here on Earth. You might have even seen a few movies that portray this. However, there is absolutely no Biblical evidence for this. The Bible does make it clear that demons are part of Satan’s organization. In fact, Jesus spoke about how an eternal fire has been prepared for Satan and his angels. 

We see this in Matthew 25:41:

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

Their Organization
Satan definitely has quite an organization. 

In fact, he has been referred to as “the ruler of the demons”. 

We see this in Matthew 12:24:
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by [a]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

We also know of Satan’s hierarchy. 

We can see a picture of this organized kingdom in Ephesians 6:12:
12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The bottom line is this: since Satan and his demons are well organized, it’s very important that all of us are ready for any possible attack. By wearing the full armor of God as mentioned previously, we can all stand firm and be ready.

Their Operation
Throughout Scripture, we can see how Satan and his forces are deceivers and destroyers. Although not all sickness is demonic, demons can often cause physical affliction. They can make people mute, blind, crippled, tormented, and even drive people to suicide.

In addition to trying to destroy people, demons also like to deceive. They love to promote false doctrine including the occult and forms of divination.

We can see an example of this in Acts 16:16-18:
16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave woman who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” 18 Now she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and he turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very [a]moment.

Whenever you do come across things like psychic readings, palm readings, tarot cards, astrology, or fortune telling, keep in mind that these are definitely not of God. These are part of Satan’s efforts to deceive. 

Another popular topic of conversation is whether or not demons can possess a Christian. I know Pastor Rodney has spoken about this several times. In a nutshell: if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and His spirit dwells in you, then you can never be possessed. At the same time, just as the flesh can still work in your life, so can the devil. Everyday, we have the choice to either yield to the Spirit or yield to our flesh. When we yield to the flesh, this can create an opening for Satan and his demons to influence us. Demons can influence and use people who are saved.

Their Outcome
Another common question is “what will happen to Satan and his army?”

We get our answer in Matthew 12:22-29:
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to [a]Jesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and [b]could see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by [c]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

25 And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he [d]has become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if by [e]Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

When Christ came down to Earth as a man, he invaded Satan’s kingdom. Satan already knew he was coming and did all he could to stop it. In this parable, the strong man refers to Satan, and Jesus is the person who tied up the strong man. He completely overcame Satan’s power by means of his life, death, and resurrection. Satan is a defeated foe and he knows it.

Because of this, we can all take heart in 1 John 4:4:
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Chapter 10 – Satan & the Home
Now we move on to chapter 10 which talks about how Satan attacks the home.

Keep in mind that Satan’s very first attack was made against the home when he invaded the Garden of Eden and led the first husband and wife into disobedience. Even today, Satan will attack homes any chance he gets. For example, if a Christian marries outside of God’s will or if both partners are too immature for the married life, then Satan will find openings to make his attacks.

Another one of Satan’s attacks involves teaching doctrines that forbit marriage.

We see this in 1 Timothy 4:1-3:
4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will [a]fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

Satan will do whatever he can to convince people that being single is considered more spiritual than being married including the notion that marriage is sinful. The cult of celibacy and virginity is based on this belief. While singleness is a Christian option, marriage is the will of God for most people. If someone does feel called to be single and/or celibate, they should make sure that they are truly being called by God and not being deceived by Satan.

Satan will also try to reverse the headship in the home. Just as Christ is the Head of the Church, the husband should be head of his wife in a living, loving relationship.

We’ll take a look at two verses.

The first one is 1 Timothy 2:11-13:
11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first [a]created, and then Eve.

The next one is Ephesians 5:22-23:
22 Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

Satan will take any opportunity he can to get wives to undermine their husbands’ authority and operate independently from their husbands. 

Another tactic of Satan is to lead husbands and wives into moral impurity.

Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 7:1-5:
7 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man [a]not to touch a woman. 2 But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3 The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 [b]Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and [c]come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

It’s important to note here that sex within marriage is not at all sinful and that there must be a mutual understanding that governs the intimate life of a Christian couple. When a husband and wife are considerate of one another and fulfill their marriage dues to each other, then it will be more difficult for Satan to tempt anyone to consider having an affair.

Satan will also try to get the wife too busy outside of the home.

Let’s take a look at 1 Timothy 5:14-15:
14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and give the enemy no opportunity for reproach; 15 for some have already turned away to follow Satan.

Ideally, the yielded Christian wife should find joy and fulfillment in her home. When being outside the home is more inviting and exciting than being inside the home, this can give Satan an opening to do some damage.

Whether you are single or married, it’s important to be aware of Satan’s possible attacks.

Every home needs the same spiritual defenses as any individual: the inspired Word of God, the imparted grace of God, the indwelling Spirit of God, and the interceding Son of God.

Background

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
John 8:44 (NIV)

“The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
Revelation 12:9 (NIV)

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV)

At this point, so far we’ve established that Satan is a liar and the father of lies, he’s deceptive, and he’s cunning. Just as he was able to deceive Eve, he will make every effort to deceive us and lead us astray.

Satan’s Attack
Now we’ll go to Genesis 3:1-7 and dig deeper into how exactly Satan deceived Eve.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”
Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)

From this passage, we can see three steps that Satan took to get Eve to believe his lie.

Step 1: he questioned God’s Word.
In the first verse of Genesis 3, you’ll notice where Satan says “… Did God really say…?”

Satan wasn’t denying that God had spoken; he was simply questioning whether God had really said what Eve thought he had said. He was basically suggesting to Eve “perhaps you misunderstood what God was saying; you might want to rethink what He said.”

You could also say that Satan was getting Eve to question God’s goodness. He was basically trying to get her to think “if God really loved you, He wouldn’t keep something from you.”

That was step 1.

After questioning God’s Word, we move on to… 

Step 2: he denied God’s Word.
In verse 4, when he said “you will not certainly die”, he went from questioning God’s Word to flat out denying God’s Word. Satan knew that neither Adam nor Eve ever saw death, and he used this to his advantage.

At this point so far, we see how Satan questioned God’s Word and then denied God’s Word. Now we move on to…

Step 3: he substituted his own lie.
In verse 5 when Satan says “… you will be like God …”, Satan knew what he was doing. Although Adam and Eve were already made in the image of God, Satan was trying to tempt them with an even greater privilege: to be like God. This was also Satan’s big desire when he was known as Lucifer, God’s angelic servant. Although he was a created being, he wanted to be worshiped and served like the Creator. This very attitude led him to rebel against God and establish his own kingdom.

Even today, Satan’s lie that “you will be like God” motivates and controls a lot of people. We especially see this in some forms of New Age spirituality. I won’t go too much into New Age spirituality, but when you look at things like astrology, psychic hotlines, tarot cards, or transcendental meditation, they are basically ways of defying God and telling God He’s not needed. I know Satan loves it when people turn away from God and turn towards New Age spirituality or anything else contrary to God and His Word.

Eve’s Response
We also have to look at how Eve responded to Satan’s approach. She made three mistakes that led her into sin.

Mistake #1: she took away from God’s Word.
In verse 2, we see that Eve left out the word “freely.” God’s original command from Genesis 2:16 was “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely.”

Eve most likely caught Satan’s subtle suggestion that God might be holding out on her.

When you begin to question or forget the grace and goodness of God, you’ll find it much easier to disobey the will of God.

Mistake #2: she added to God’s Word.
We don’t find the words “or touch it” in God’s original command. Not only did Eve make God’s original word less gracious by leaving out the word “freely”, but she also made the commandment more grievous by adding “or touch it.”

Mistake #3: she changed God’s Word.
God did not say “Lest you die.” He said in Genesis 2:17 “For in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

The penalty for disobedience as presented by Satan did not seem so harsh. Therefore, Eve was able to consider forsaking God’s will and obeying Satan’s will.

Eve had a choice to make here. She could choose God’s Word or Satan’s word. As we see here, she rejected God’s Word, believed Satan, and sinned.

Satan will do almost anything he can to deceive us and lead us astray. In some cases, he’ll even disguise his lies as God’s truth.

Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15:
“13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

Satan’s goal is to ultimately make us ignorant of God’s Will.

Our Defense

Now that we’ve covered how Satan uses lies and deception in order to make us ignorant of God’s Will, how exactly can we defend ourselves?

The answer is only the inspired Word of God can reveal and defeat the devil’s lies. Our human wisdom is no match for Satan’s craftiness. Our one and only defense is God’s Word.

This was the same weapon our Lord used when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Each time Jesus was tempted by Satan, He had the right Scripture to fire back with. 

In order to defend against Satan and his lies, we have to depend on the Word of God. As believers, there are four things we must do:

1. We must know God’s Word
2. We must memorize God’s Word
3. We must meditate on God’s Word
4. We must use God’s Word

“I have hidden your word in my heart

    that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:26 (NIV)

Satan knows the Bible far better than we do and is able to quote it. He loves taking verses out of context in order to give the impression of “proving” his false claims. 

It’s up to each of us individually to really know God’s Word in order to be ready for Satan’s attacks.

Background

Why does Satan even want to attack our bodies? He actually wants to for several reasons: 

1. Your body is God’s temple:
“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

2. Although Jesus has returned to Heaven and cannot be seen, we Christians can be seen, and it’s our conduct in the body that glorifies and exalts the Lord:
“16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

3. God wants to use your body as a vehicle for reaching out to the lost. Although lost people are unlikely to read the Bible to learn about God, they will read our lives:
“9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
1 Peter 2:9

With all this in mind, Satan knows that if he can attack your body, then he can hinder one of God’s methods for revealing His grace and love to a lost world.

Your body is not only a temple but also a tool used by God:
“12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.”
Romans 6:12-13

Satan will do everything he can to hinder God’s work and put His “tools” out of commission. Just as God the Son took on a physical body to accomplish His work on Earth, so the Holy Spirit needs our bodies.

Satan’s Attack
Now we have established why Satan wants to attack us and our bodies.

How exactly does Satan use suffering to attack us? 

We first have to keep in mind that God is always in control and that Satan needs permission from God in order to attack anyone.

Within the first chapter of Job, we can see a conversation between God and Satan and how God told him what he could and could not do with Job:

8 “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”
Job 1:8-12

As we can see here, God was very clear on what Satan could and could not do.

We also have a New Testament example of Satan seeking permission to cause harm:
“31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32

So bottom line: God will never permit Satan to go too far. Whenever God lets Satan light the furnace so to speak, He will always keep His own hand on the thermostat. God will make sure the heat doesn’t become too unbearable.

Going back to the story of Job, we can see that Satan attacked Job’s body through circumstances around him. For instance, Job lost his children, his wealth, and the favor of his wife, friends, and neighbors. Job also lost his health in the form of a terrible disease.

Satan will often try to use those closest to us to get us to turn away from God and curse God. After all, Satan managed to use Job’s wife to get him to curse God and die. We see this in Job 2:9-10:
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

This kind of reminds me of my own life from a few months ago. This past July, I ended up testing positive for COVID. I remember what it was like to deal with the lack of energy and other symptoms. And then as I’m slowly but surely getting better, my car gets stolen. But praise the Lord that I tested negative for COVID by the end of July and also that the police found my car and rang my doorbell at 1am to give me the good news although I had no idea my car was even stolen.

And then within the past month, my car got broken into twice, and I had to replace my driver side door window twice. But praise the Lord I at least have a car and that I didn’t need to rely on air conditioning when I was without a window.

Job’s Response 
Some of you might be wondering: how did Job respond to everything that was happening to him?

Job is actually referenced in only one place in the New Testament which is James 5:11:
“11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Satan’s goal is to ultimately make us impatient with God’s Will. While Job did become impatient with himself and his critical friends, he never lost his faith in God. He knew that He could trust God and that God would ultimately come through.

This also reminds me of my own situation earlier this year with getting COVID and getting my car stolen and broken into. Satan was most likely at work trying to make me impatient and get me to turn away from God. But I for one know that in the grand scheme of things, God is in control and that whenever we do undergo troubling times whether it’s illness, unemployment, money issues, vehicle issues, or anything else that might test us, I have learned to say “thank you Lord that this is only a season and this too shall pass.”

Our Defense
Whenever we feel like Satan is attacking us, there is a way to defend ourselves.

“7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10

This is our main defense right here: to accept God’s grace. 

The next time Satan tries to attack you with suffering and make you impatient with God’s will, here are four practical steps you can take:

1. Immediately submit yourself to God (Job 13:15)
“15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
 I will surely defend my ways to his face.”

2. Thank God for the trials (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
“18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

3. Spend much time in God’s Word (Romans 15:4)
“4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

4. Look for ways to glorify Christ (1 Peter 2:20; 1 Peter 4:16)
“20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

“16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

Just as God came through for Job and blessed him for his perseverance and keeping the faith, and just as God has come through for me and brought me out of my recent illness and vehicle-related hardships, I know He’ll do the same for you.

Background
Why would Satan want to attack the will?

The Christian life is basically a matter of the will. After all, when somebody asked Christ what is the greatest commandment, He tells us in Mark 12:30:

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

The heart and soul refer to our emotions, the mind refers to our intellect, and the strength refers to our will. God wants us to yield all these components to Him so that His Holy Spirit can instruct our minds through His Word, inspire our hearts with true holy emotions, and strengthen our wills to do His will.

Dedicated Christians will pray whether they feel like it or not. No matter how they are feeling on a certain day, they obey the Word of God regardless.

Satan also knows your will is important because it helps determine your character. The decisions you make will mold your character and chart the directions of your life. While it’s very tempting to blame circumstances, feelings, or even other people when we decide to deviate from God’s will, these are only excuses. In reality, we all have a choice to either carry out God’s will or our own will.

Satan’s original sin was actually a sin of the will. In Isaiah 14:12-14, we see five times where Satan says “I will!”. Let’s take a look at Isaiah 14:12-14:

12 

How you have fallen from heaven,

    morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

    you who once laid low the nations!

13 

You said in your heart,

    “I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne

    above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

    on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.[a]

14 

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

    I will make myself like the Most High.”

Obviously Satan was very determined to do things his way and not God’s way even to the point of rebelling against God. He wants to duplicate this very sin in our lives, and if we are not vigilant, he will.

Satan is also referred to as the ruler of this world. We see this in John 12:31:

31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Since he’s the ruler of this world, that basically makes us rebellious aliens living in his territory. Satan would love for everyone to serve him and submit their wills to him. One of the most common weapons Satan will use to get us to deviate from God’s will is pride.

Satan’s Attack
Now we have established why Satan wants to attack us and our wills.

How exactly does Satan use pride to attack us?

In many cases, he’ll find a way to inflate our egos and get us to rebel against God. This is exactly what he did to David. 

First Chronicles 20 tells us of a great number of victories including the capture of a valuable crown that was placed on David’s head. 

Then in First Chronicles 21, we learn about Satan approaching David and telling him to number the people of Israel. Let’s read 1 Chronicles 21:1-2, 7-8, & 14-19 

(in the interest of space, this passage has been omitted from here)

Some people might be wondering at this point: what was the big deal about numbering the people? After all, didn’t they take an annual census?

 The truth is is that God actually had very specific guidelines on conducting the annual census. We see this in Exodus 30:11-16:

11 The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “When you take a [a]census of the sons of Israel [b]to count them, then each one of them shall give a ransom for [c]himself to the Lord, when you [d]count them, so that there will be no plague among them when you [e]count them. 13 This is what everyone who [f]is counted shall give: half a [g]shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as a [h]contribution to the Lord. 14 Everyone who [i]is counted, from twenty years old and over, shall give the [j]contribution to the Lord. 15 The rich shall not pay more, and the poor shall not pay less, than the half shekel, when you give the [k]contribution to the Lord to make atonement for [l]yourselves. 16 And you shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel and give it for the service of the tent of meeting, so that it may be a memorial for the sons of Israel before the Lord, to make atonement for [m]yourselves.”

Bottom line: the census was conducted as a reminder to everyone that it had been purchased by God.

When David numbered the people, he didn’t do it for God’s glory. He actually did it for his own glory. Pride motivated David’s actions. Satan was able to get a hold of David’s will, inflate his ego, and lead him into sin. David was feeling victorious and important from his recent wins, and Satan took advantage of the situation.

Many believers today tend to fall into this trap of pride especially after a recent win or victory of some sort. For instance, whenever a church has a benefit dinner and needs people to sell tickets, some people might eventually boast that they sold more tickets than anyone else. I know of some believers who love to boast about how much they tithe and support their church. One person I know once requested to have a record of this tithes published in his church’s newsletter so that everyone could know how generous he was.

Whenever a believer is put into a position of spiritual leadership such as worship leader or Sunday school teacher, Satan might whisper into that person’s ear and tell them how they are somebody important now. In fact, it’s no surprise to me that Paul warned the early church not to put any new Christians into places of spiritual leadership. We see this in 1 Timothy 3:6:
6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation [a]incurred by the devil.

When a new Christian is put in a position of spiritual leadership and pride takes over, he’ll ultimately become a problem to the pastor and the church. We can see an example of this in 3 John 1:9:
9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept [a]what we say.

In this case, Diotrephes was so full of pride that he wouldn’t accept any words from another spiritual leader.

Pride means that we act independently of God and even try to use God to accomplish our own selfish goals. It’s all about doing things on our own strength and ability.

As time goes on, what goes up must come down. This is what Proverbs 16:18 tells us about pride:

Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

Whenever we feel very proud and important about something, Satan will do whatever he can to take advantage of that situation to make us stumble.

Our Defense
How exactly can we defend ourselves against something like pride? Since pride is a strong weapon and Satan is a strong opponent, we need an even stronger power to give us victory. That power comes from the Holy Spirit of God.  

We see this in Philippians 2:12-13:

“12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
Philippians 2:12-13

This is our main defense right here: let the Holy Spirit work in you and control your will so that you can ultimately please God.

If you were here last Wednesday, you might remember Pastor Rodney talking about how each person needs to work out their own salvation. To offer another viewpoint, the Greek word being used here means “to carry out to the goal, to bring to the ultimate conclusion.” In other words, God has a definite plan for each person’s life, and we have to cooperate with Him in fulfilling that plan. This includes submitting our will to His.

Now you might be wondering: how do I let the Holy Spirit work in me so that I can better carry out God’s plan for me?

The answer to this is in Romans 12:1-2:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2

When your body, mind, and will are all yielded to the Holy Spirit, He can better work in your life. The Greek word being used here for offering/presenting actually means a “once-and-for-all surrender.” God wants us all to make a complete, once-and-for-all surrender of our body, mind, and will. When we yield our bodies, minds, and will to the Lord on a daily basis, then the Spirit will empower us to defeat the devil.

When it comes to winning the battle against Satan, the only way we’ll win is by surrendering ourselves to God. We also see this in James 4:6-7:
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. But [a]resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Background
Why would Satan want to attack the heart and conscience?

In a nutshell, Satan loves to be crafty and merciless. When tempting us to sin, he’ll whisper in our ears “you can get away with this; nobody will ever find out!” And then on the occasion that we give in to the temptation and actually sin, he’ll try to fill us with regret and remorse and tell us that we will never get away with what we did. He’ll want us to experience this regret and remorse but not repentance. 

Whenever we do blow it, Satan will use accusation to make us feel really bad so that we focus on ourselves and our sins. If he can get us to keep feeling guilty and under God’s judgement, he knows that this will cause us to feel further and further away from the Lord. He also knows that excessive guilt and sorrow can lead to depression, despair, and defeat. 

Bottom line: Satan would love to see everyone living in defeat.

Satan’s Attack
Now how does Satan use accusation to attack us?

Keep in mind that when Satan tries to talk to you about God, he lies. But when he talks to God about you, he’ll often tell the truth!

He has access to heaven and the very throne of God where he’ll remind God about the condition of his saints. We can tell when this accusation is going on because we feel it in our own heart and conscience.

We see an example Satan accusing the high priest Joshua in Zechariah 3:1-7:

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and [a]Satan standing at his right to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a log snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and was standing before the angel. 4 And he responded and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your guilt away from you and [b]will clothe you with festive robes.” 5 Then I said, “Have them put a clean headband on his head.” So they put the clean headband on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.

6 And the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, 7 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘If you walk in My ways and perform My service, then you will both govern My house and be in charge of My courtyards, and I will grant you [c]free access among these who are standing here.

In this passage, we basically have a courtroom scene in heaven where God is the Judge, Joshua the high priest is the defendant, and Satan is the prosecutor trying to prove Joshua guilty. On the surface, it looks like Satan has a very good case. After all, Joshua was wearing filthy garments, and the high priest was supposed to wear clean clothes all the time.

The prophet Zechariah had this vision at a time when the nation of Israel had sinned against God. During this time in history, Jewish men were divorcing their wives and marrying heathen women, Jewish merchants were charging people sky high interest rates, and even the priests were robbing God and keeping the best sacrifices for themselves. 

This would explain why Joshua’s priestly garments were dirty. His filthy garments corresponded to the sinfulness of the people he represented. Satan knew they were sinful, and he told God that Israel should be judged. During this trial, Joshua’s heart was broken, and he certainly had a guilty conscience. 

Our Defense
This brings us to our next question: how do we defend ourselves against Satan’s accusations whether or not we actually are in the wrong? We first have to keep in mind that while Satan stands at our right hand ready to accuse us, Jesus Christ stands at God’s right hand to intercede for us.

We see this in 1 John 2:1:

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

We also have to keep in mind that our Lord Jesus finished his work on earth and returned to heaven to do his unfinished work. This unfinished work refers to perfecting His children and preparing them for glory.

We see this in Hebrews 13:20-21:
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep [a]through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Jesus Christ is our High Priest, and he’ll intercede for us and provide the grace that we need whenever we are tested and tempted. If by faith we turn to him and come to the throne of grace, He’ll see us through victory. However, if we give in to temptation and sin, then He’ll act as our Advocate to forgive us and restore us to fellowship once again.

Whenever we do blow it and give in to sin, remember 1 John 1:9:
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we return to the courtroom scene in heaven where God is the Judge, Joshua the high priest is the defendant, and Satan is the prosecutor, we know that Joshua is guilty and that Satan is there to accuse him and make him feel miserable. However, Joshua can also take comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ is at God’s hand to represent Joshua and to restore him.

Now some people might ask: did God close His eyes to the reality of Joshua’s sins and overlook his sins? Of course He didn’t. Although God will never defend His children’s sins, He will defend His children.

Whenever we sin and start receiving accusations from Satan, he’ll do all he can to make us focus our attention on ourselves and our sins so that he can see us live in defeat and despair. However, there is a difference between guilt and conviction. Guilt is when Satan makes you feel really bad about what you did while conviction is when the Holy Spirit points out the sin in your life and draws you to repentance. When you feel the Holy Spirit’s conviction, you’ll look by faith to Jesus in heaven knowing that He is your Advocate interceding for you. It’s thanks to this heavenly intercession of Jesus that we call can defeat Satan’s accusations.

So the next time you really blow it in one way or another, remember that Jesus is our Advocate in heaven and He’s waiting to forgive and restore you. If you delay admitting and confessing sin, you only give Satan a greater opportunity to do some damage to your life.

I have one more verse to share and this comes from Proverbs 28:13:
One who conceals his wrongdoings will not prosper,
But one who confesses and abandons them will find compassion.

When we confess and abandon our wrongdoings, we can look forward to God’s compassion.

What Is Faith?
Faith is a word that is commonly used but not always understood. Just so we’re all on the same page, I wanted to share the Biblical definition of faith. We see this in Hebrews 11:1:

Now faith is the [a]substance of things hoped for, the [b]evidence of things not seen.

So basically, although you don’t see it or haven’t seen it yet, you know it’s going to happen. When you read the rest of Hebrews 11, we can see plenty of examples of people who demonstrated their faith such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, and the list goes on.

Whenever God works in and through your life, it’s always in response to faith. We see this in Matthew 9:29:

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.

On the flip side, a lack of faith can hinder God’s ability to work in your life. We see this in Matthew 13:58:

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Now this raises an important question: as believers, how can we know that we are living by faith?

According to Warren Wiersbe, there are four practical tests that can help us determine whether or not we are living by faith.

Four Tests
Test #1: “Am I doing this for the glory of God, or just to please myself?”
If we look at Abraham and Sarah, we see that they were both way past the age of having children, and yet God promised them a son. Apart from God, it would have been impossible for them to have a son on their own. They trusted God, and He carried out his promise.

Let’s take a look at Romans 4:19-21:

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Keep in mind that Abraham’s motive in all this was to give God glory. So the next time you’re about to make a major decision especially as it relates to your Christian walk or ministry, ask yourself: “Am I doing this for God’s glory or my own glory?” Genuine faith will be motivated by the desire to glorify God.

Test #2: “Am I rushing ahead impulsively, or am I willing to wait?”
Faith and patience will always go together. We see this in Isaiah 28:16:

Therefore thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,

A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;

Whoever believes will not act hastily.

When we wait on God’s leading and His timing, we will never be disappointed or ashamed. If you find yourself impatiently rushing into something, you might not like the outcome. Genuine faith will not be in a hurry and will wait for God to make a way.

Test #3: “Can I defend what I am doing from the Word of God?”
True faith is always grounded in God’s Word. We can see this in Romans 10:17:

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

No matter how reasonable something might seem, if it goes against the Word of God, then you cannot do it by faith. The Bible gives us plenty of precepts, promises, and principles, but if we violate any of these, then we are not acting in faith. God cannot bless us or use us if we disobey His Word and thus don’t act in genuine faith.

Test #4: “As I contemplate this move, do I have joy and peace within?”
Let’s take a look at Romans 15:13:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Where there is genuine faith, the Holy Spirit is at work; and where the Spirit is at work, He will produce the fruits of hope, joy, and peace. When you have God’s peace in your heart, this is a very good sign that you’re in the will of God. On the flip side, whenever you feel like you’ve lost God’s peace within, then it’s possible you might have detoured from the will of God.

There might be times when God asks you to do something that brings about some level of fear and anxiety such as preaching your very first sermon or leading a midweek service one Wednesday out of the month. In our own strength, fear and anxiety are natural feelings to have. But if we walk by faith and really trust in the Lord, then these feelings of fear and anxiety will eventually be overcome by a much deeper joy and peace.

Satan and the Four Tests of Faith
Now we all have four tests to help determine whether or not we’re walking by faith.

Test #1: “Am I doing this for the glory of God, or just to please myself?”

Test #2: “Am I rushing ahead impulsively, or am I willing to wait?”

Test #3: “Can I defend what I am doing from the Word of God?”

Test #4: “As I contemplate this move, do I have joy and peace within?”

If we go back to first four chapters, we’ll notice how the four tests of faith correspond to the experiences of the four individuals and their dealings with Satan.

In the case of David, he did not act in faith when he numbered the people because he did it for his glory and not for God’s glory.

In the case of Job, he was tempted to become impatient with God, but he was actually willing to wait on the Lord.

In the case of Eve, she disobeyed the Word of God when she ate that apple.

And in the case of Joshua, he had no joy and peace inside because he was suffering under Satan’s accusations.  

Background
Now you’re probably wondering: what exactly does it mean to give Satan a beachhead? It might help if we first define what a beachhead is.

A beachhead is actually a military term. It refers to the area of land near the sea or a river such as a beach shore where an attacking army would land and take control so that they can further invade the enemy country. In many cases, the military unit that lands will wait for more reinforcements to arrive, and after a large enough unit is assembled, then they will advance inland.

Just to give a brief historical example, during World War II on June 6, 1944, the US along with a few Allied nations landed at the coast of Normandy, France. According to Wikipedia, this was considered the largest seaborne invasion with almost 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers covering about 50 miles worth of shore. It’s my understanding that Adolf Hitler developed some fortifications and anticipated this invasion by covering the beach areas with landmines, wooden stakes, barb wire, and other obstacles. Thus, the US and Allied nations had a very dangerous and difficult mission since the beachhead was not so open and unguarded. In the end, although there were many casualties on both sides, the US and Allied nations accomplished their mission. One of the contributing factors to their success was the fact that Hitler’s fortifications were only partially finished, and since the coast of Normandy wasn’t fully guarded, the US and Allied nations were able to make their way in and accomplish their mission.

Therefore, when we talk about giving Satan a beachhead, it means to give him an opening which can be in your mind, your heart, or some other area of your life where he can invade and take over. In many cases, he’s not going to come solo but with other reinforcements of his own to really invade and do some damage. If you fail to completely fortify your mind, heart, and life in the same way that Hitler failed to completely fortify the physical beachhead of Normandy, then you’re giving the enemy an opportunity to come in and do some damage.

Now you might be wondering: is it really that bad if Satan and his demons come in and take control? According to an ex Satanist named John Ramirez, yes it is really that bad and nothing to take lightly. There’s an online Christian newspaper called the Christian Post, and on October 12, 2022, someone wrote about John Ramirez’s experience being deep in Satanism along with his eventual conversion to Christianity.

(source: https://www.christianpost.com/news/ex-satanist-warns-against-one-night-stands-with-devil.html )

In a nutshell, John Ramirez spent at least 20 years in a Satanic cult. He actually became a high ranking Satanic priest where he specialized in witchcraft, spells, curses, and astral projection. During his time in the Satanic world, he noticed that Christians were “spiritually anemic” and that although they had the anointing, the authority, and the power to destroy the kingdom of darkness, they didn’t know how to use it.

Then one day in 1999, he had a near death experience, and while he was in a “deep sleep”, he went to Hell. He felt a great amount of fear, but then God met him there, and when he came back to life, he committed his life to Jesus.

When he left Satanism and came to Jesus, he was actually tormented nonstop for 30 days. When he threw away at least $100,000 worth of idols, he was still being tormented. 

I’ll go ahead and read a direct quote from that online article:

“I had all these things in my house; these things are despicable, demonic and an abomination in the eyes of God. But they had that fear of the devil on you that if you leave [the occult], something’s going to happen to you. They engraft that in you. If you step out of line, punishment is coming,” Ramirez recalled of what occultists tell people to keep them in bondage.

The Lord allowed Ramirez to be tormented for 30 days in order to test his new faith after years of serving the enemy.

I’ll read one more direct quote from that online article. This is Ramirez speaking:

“After 30 days, it was gone. I was asking Jesus Christ, ‘What happened? Why did this happen to me?’ In the end, the Lord responded, ‘I wanted to see how much you trust me and how much you love me. They will never touch you ever again,’” he recalled Jesus saying.
“Sure enough, them devils never showed up and those devils never put their hand on me ever again because Jesus is Lord over my life. He’s my Lordship; He’s my Savior over my life,” Ramirez testified.

If you do a Google search for John Ramirez, you’ll find plenty of videos and articles about how passionate he is about exposing the enemy’s schemes. So bottom line: if you do give Satan a beachhead and let him and his reinforcements invade your life, you are asking for a life of bondage and misery.

Let’s now take a look at Ephesians 4:27:

27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity.

The word opportunity here actually means a place like a city or a building. So in other words, we don’t want to give Satan a place in our lives to take control and operate. Just ask John Ramirez or any other ex Satanist.

Beachheads
Now that we’ve established what a beachhead is, what are some examples of giving Satan a beachhead?

When we take a look at the passage surrounding the verse we just looked at, we can see six possible ways of giving Satan a place in our lives to operate. There are obviously more than six, but if I went over every possible way to give Satan a beachhead, we’d probably be here for hours. So rather than keep you here until midnight tonight, we’ll touch on the top six ways.

Let’s go ahead and take a look at Ephesians 4:25-32:

25 Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 Let no [b]unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification [c]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [d]by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, wrath, anger, [e]clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven [f]you.

As we just read, here are six possible ways to give Satan a place to operate in your life:

1. Lying
2. Anger
3. Stealing
4. Filthy Speech
5. An Unforgiving Spirit
6. Slander

Let’s go through them one by one.

Lying
Since Satan himself is a liar and the father of all lies, it should be no surprise that lying gives him an opportunity to work in our lives. When you believe the truth, then the Holy Spirit can work in your life. However, if you believe a lie, then the devil can work in your life.

We all need to keep in mind Paul’s words in Philippians 4:8

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [a]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

We also want to avoid deceit because we are members of one another. While God’s truth builds up the body, Satan’s lies tear it down. Since God is the God of truth, since His Word is truth, and since His Spirit is truth, it’s impossible to be in fellowship with God if you are harboring lies.

Let’s take a look at John 17:17:

17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Let’s now take a look at 1 John 5:6:

6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [a]with the water only, but [b]with the water and [c]with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Since His Word is truth, and since His Spirit is truth, I think it makes sense to avoid any falsehood so that we can enjoy ongoing fellowship with God and also with others.

Also keep in mind that hell is prepared for all liars in addition to Satan and his angels. We see this in Revelation 21:8:

8 But for the cowardly, and [a]unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and [b]brimstone, which is the second death.”

Let’s also take a look at Revelation 22:12-15:
12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work [a]deserves. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

The 15th verse likes to describe deceitful people as “everyone who loves and practices lying.” This doesn’t refer to people who tell an occasional white lie but to people who enjoy lying and deceiving others. These types of people are like Satan and will end up in hell just like Satan.

You might be wondering: is lying really a big deal especially if I tell an occasional white lie? Keep in mind that lying and deception are part of Satan’s very nature, and even when we tell a little white lie, we are taking part in his nature. When we look at Eve in the Garden of Eden, we can see Satan’s nature of deceit in action.

If you’re someone who struggles with lying, there are ways to overcome this. First you have to ask yourself: why am I lying? Do I lie to try to impress others or to avoid certain consequences? After you get honest with yourself, realize that you cannot overcome lying or any other sin on your very own. You need to come to Jesus as you are and confess your sin of not trusting Him as your treasure.

Let’s take a look at two verses. We’ll start with Matthew 13:44:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from [a]joy over it he goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field.

And now we’ll read John 14:21:
21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

When we trust Jesus as our all-satisfying treasure and rely on Him to change our hearts, eventually we’ll get to a point where we’ll want to keep His commandments and experience more of His presence in our lives.

(Also check out https://livingbyfaithblog.com/2012/05/16/how-can-i-stop-lying/ , https://brandoncoussenslmft.com/10-bible-verses-to-memorize-to-help-with-lying-2/ , and https://openthebible.org/article/put-away-the-sin-of-lying/ )

Anger
That was #1: lying. Now let’s go to #2: anger. Satan can be angry.

We see this in Revelation 12:12,17:
12 For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” 17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her [a]children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

When we harbor anger in our hearts, this is another way to give Satan a foothold. Since lying and murder go together, anger and murder can also go together.

Let’s take a look at Matthew 5:21-22:
21 “You have heard that [a]the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘[b]You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to [c]the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the [d]fiery hell.

Also keep in mind that there is such a thing as righteous anger. Jesus Christ demonstrated righteous anger when he drove the religious merchants out of the temple. We see this in Matthew 21:12-16:
12 And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He *said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” 14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “[a]Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

For the majority of us, it is often difficult to cultivate and exercise this truly righteous anger. Oftentimes when we get angry, we might do things or say things we’ll regret later. We also tend to make decisions that can be hurtful to ourselves and to others. Satan knows all this and will do what he can to encourage us to cultivate a sinful anger as opposed to a righteous anger.

While righteous anger is good for taking action against certain injustices such as seeing God’s house being defiled or sex trafficking, what can you do if you struggle with unrighteous or sinful anger?

Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 10:5:
5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

So in other words, whenever we become upset with someone or something, we can choose what we’ll think on and dwell on.

I remember last year when my car got broken into and stole while I was slowly but surely getting over my bout of COVID. While I did get angry at the fact that my car was stolen and messed with, I also chose to focus on the good like how the police found it before I even knew it was stolen. I was also able to take heart in Romans 12:19:
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [a]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Just as I surrendered my angry emotions to the Lord and trusted that in the grand scheme of things, He’s in control, I’d like to encourage you to take your thoughts captive and surrender any & all angry emotions to the Lord.

(Also check out https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/dealing-with-anger-gods-way , https://www.soulshepherding.org/jesus-way-of-dealing-with-anger/ , and https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/overcoming-sinful-anger-through-surrender.html )

Stealing
Now let’s move on to #3: stealing. Satan himself is a thief. We see this in John 10:10:
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and [a]have it abundantly.

In many workplace settings, employees might “borrow” things from their employers’ offices which can invite Satan to get a foothold in their lives. The person who steals a 15 cent pencil has the potential of stealing a $15 book.

I know of other online business owners who have overseas subcontractors on staff. There was one particular online business owner I met in this group of faith based entrepreneurs. He told me how he had a virtual assistant from the Philippines, and this virtual assistant eventually stole his database of customers and email subscribers. I don’t remember the exact figures, but the Filipino virtual assistant basically stole close to $100,000 from him.

I also have a few subcontractors of my own from the Philippines and from Pakistan who help with different aspects of my online business, and so far I’m grateful that nobody has stolen from me. Plus it really helps that my executive assistant in Manila is a God fearing woman (before she left in January 2023).

Let’s also take a look at Luke 16:10:
10 “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much.

In the second part of the verse, you’ll notice how it refers to someone who is already unrighteous rather than someone who will be unrighteous. If Satan can get you to commit a small theft like a pencil, then chances are he can get you to commit larger thefts such as an employer’s payroll or database.

Let’s supposed you struggle with stealing. What can you do?

We’ll start by revisiting Ephesians 4:28:
28 The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.

Stealing often stems from selfishness and laziness. It’s selfish because it’s all about desiring something that doesn’t belong to you, and it’s lazy because most thieves dislike work. The solution is to replace stealing with working. In this particular verse, the word “labor” refers to working to the point of exhaustion or wearing yourself out in your job. By working hard, you’re not only able to provide for your own needs but for the needs of others.

(Also check out https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-34-cure-thief-ephesians-428 , https://redeeminggod.com/sermons/ephesians/ephesians_4_28/ , and https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/i-wont-have-what-i-need )

Filthy Speech
Next we have #4: filthy speech. Paul also reminds us of this in Ephesians 5:4:
4 and there must be no filthiness [a]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

This is the kind of speech that tears people down. God wants our speech to edify others, not tear them down. Impure speech and humor can be signs of an impure imagination. Examples of filthy speech include: name-calling, ridicule, mockery, blaming, griping, profanity, and the list goes on.

If Satan can get us to think about sin and then talk about sin, eventually he’ll have an easier time tempting us to commit sin.

Some of you might be wondering: what can I do if I struggle with filthy speech? 

We first have to realize that what comes out of our mouths is often a representation of what’s inside our hearts. Christ mentioned this in Matthew 12:34:
34 You [a]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.

You might need to spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal anything in your heart that doesn’t belong there. 

We then have to remember that we are commanded to encourage one another and build each other up. We see this in 1 Thessalonians 5:11:
11 Therefore, [a]encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.

After praying to God and asking Him if there’s anything in your heart that doesn’t belond there, we should then ask God for help on how we can encourage one another.

(Also check out https://renner.org/article/corrupt-communication/ and https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-35-transformed-talk-ephesians-429 )

An Unforgiving Spirit
Next we have #5: an unforgiving spirit. The believer who harbors bitterness and unforgiveness gives Satan one of his most effective beachheads. 

We see this in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11:
10 But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

These unhealthy attitudes hinder the Spirit from working in our lives which then robs us of the power we need to detect and defeat the devil.

The only remedy here is forgiveness. If someone wrongs you, forgive them from your heart. Christ also cautions us to be reconciled with the other person as quickly as possible. We see this in Matthew 5:23-26:
23 Therefore, if you are presenting your [a]offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your [b]offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your [c]offering. 25 [d]Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last [e]quadrans.

The longer you harbor an unforgiving spirit, the more territory Satan will gain in your life.

Bitterness and unforgiveness can be very common struggles among many believers. If you are someone who struggles with unforgiveness, it might help to remember how much you have been forgiven.

We see this reminder in Ephesians 4:32
32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven [a]you.

If you’re dealing with any painful memories or current situations, I would encourage you to meditate on Christ’s love and forgiveness.

(Solution: check out https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/the-poison-of-unforgiveness , https://agairupdate.com/2021/02/23/the-self-destructive-sin-of-unforgiveness/ , and https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-7-disease-called-unforgiveness) 

Slander
Lastly we have #6: slander. Just so we’re on the same page, I’ll share the Merriam Webster definition of slander:

the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation

So in a nutshell, it combines lying with filthy speech.

We’ll take a look at two verses.

First we’ll start with 1 Timothy 3:11:
11 [a]Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but [b]temperate, faithful in all things.

Next we’ll look at Titus 2:3:
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

As we see here, Paul commands that the deacon’s wives and older women of the church refrain from being “malicious gossips.” Keep in mind that this applies to everyone and not just women.

When believers gossip and slander, they are actually doing Satan’s work and give him a beachhead for additional work.

Let’s also take a look at Proverbs 25:18:
Like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow
Is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.

Slander can hurt others up close like a club, farther away like a sword, or even at a distance like a sharp arrow. No matter what the range is, the damage is deadly.

What is God’s solution to slander? It is simply to love each other.

We’ll take a look at two verses. Let’s start with John 13:34:
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Next we’ll read Romans 13:10:
10 Love [a]does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

The next time you feel tempted to slander someone, or if you currently have a bad habit of slandering others, I would encourage you to meditate on these two verses John 13:34 and Romans 13:10.

(Also check out https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slander.html , https://capmin.org/slaying-the-sin-of-slander/ , and https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-slander )

Chapter 7 – When Satan Goes to Church
This might come as a surprise to some of you, but Satan actually goes to church. In fact, there are some churches that he runs with the help of his demonic forces.

Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:14-15:
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

These servants of righteousness can be anyone in the church including the preacher. While this may apply to some televangelists, this of course certainly does not apply to Pastor Rodney.

Just because a preacher graduated from seminary and claims to be a follower of Christ does not mean he is truly saved and a servant of Jesus Christ. In fact, history is full of people who started off as pastors but ultimately ended up being false teachers or false prophets.

For example, some of you history buffs might be familiar with Jim Jones. He started off as a Methodist minister in Indiana, but then he eventually became a self-proclaimed prophet and was really big on socialist revolution and racial equality. Some of his teachings also included faith healing, prophetic visions, and sexual liberation. While he was a Methodist minister, he was involved in a number of controversies such as mismanaging finances and staging fake faith healings. These controversies contributed to his decision to break away from the Methodist Church and form his own organization known as the People’s Temple. This was a cult that ultimately ended in a mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana in November 1978.

This should be a reminder to all of us to always be testing the spirits.

Let’s take a look at 1 John 4:1:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Next we’ll look at 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22:
21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every [a]form of evil.

And lastly we’ll take a look at Matthew 7:15-16:
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will [a]know them by their fruits. [b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

Satan can also have his agents in the pews in addition to positions of spiritual leadership.

We can see this in 2 Corinthians 11:26:
26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers;

Let’s also take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:13:
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Satan can also be at work in the offering. This goes back to the chapter on pride where some people might boast about how much they give to their church even to the point of seeking some form of recognition.

Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply to just finances. We can also give of our time, our praise, and our talents.

Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 6:1-4:
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

There are many more ways that Satan can infiltrate the church and do some damage using any weapon of his choice. As mentioned in previous chapters, he loves to bring about division, strife, gossip, slander, bitterness, and false teaching.

That’s why it’s important that the church members and spiritual leaders learn to detect and defeat Satan. We also must practice speaking the truth in love and being a church that strives for unity.

We can see this in Ephesians 4:15-16:
15 but [j]speaking the truth in love, [k]we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together [l]by what every joint supplies, according to the [m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Chapter 8 – What to Wear to the War
Now this brings us to chapter 8: what to wear to the war.

To begin with, we all have to come to terms with the fact that the Christian life is a battleground rather than a playground. As we grow and mature more in our faith, we’ll find ourselves fighting battles. After all, Satan doesn’t kick a dead horse.

In order to win the battle, we have to know the enemy, possess the power and equipment to attack the enemy, and also have protection against the enemy. In the first four chapters, we covered how Satan will use lies, suffering, pride, and accusation as four of his most common tactics. Our power to fight the enemy comes from the Holy Spirit. We also have spiritual armor to help protect us against the enemy.

Let’s take a look at Ephesians 6:10-18:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [b]in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 [c]With every prayer and request, [d]pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, [e]be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the [f]saints,

In order to defeat Satan, we need the full armor rather than pieces here and there. If we leave a certain area of our life unguarded, then there’s a very good chance that Satan will target that unguarded area.

Let’s go through each part of God’s armor one by one.

(additional guidance taken from https://pursuitbible.com/armor-of-god/#what-are-the-6-pieces-of-the-armor-of-god) 

The Girdle of Truth
The first piece of armor mentioned is the girdle of truth. A girdle is like a belt you would hear to help hold everything together. Just as the girdle helps hold the other pieces of armor together, we must rely on God’s truth to hold everything together in our lives.

The girdle of truth is meant to offer protection rather than be used as a weapon. While it may not prevent Satan’s attacks, it’ll at least keep us from being harmed by them. By knowing God’s truth and fully trusting in it, we can be protected from any attacks of deception.

The Breastplate of Righteousness
Next we have the breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor would cover the front of a soldier’s body from the neck to the upper part of the thighs protecting the vital organs. You can think of this as covering what’s closest to your heart and protecting the core of your being from every attack of the enemy.

We put on the breastplate of righteousness by trusting what God has done for us in Jesus. 

The righteousness here refers to the righteousness of Christ which we receive when trusting Him. 

We see this in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be [a]sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So the next time Satan tries to use accusation, slander, or anything else that might attack the heart, we can rest assured that we have the protection of Christ’s righteousness and that we are fully loved and accepted by God just as we are.

The Shoes of Peace
The third piece of armor is the shoes of peace. A Roman soldier would wear hobnailed shoes for stability and mobility. After all, how well you stand would determine how well you fight. The shoes of peace refer to having solid footing along with preparation that comes from the Gospel of peace. Whenever the enemy’s attacks come and times get tough, we can stand firm as well as share the message of God’s love with others.

The Shield of Faith
Now we move on to the shield of faith. Back then, a Roman soldier would have a shield that was 2 feet by 4 feet, made of wood and covered with leather and metal. This would serve to protect them from the burning arrows of the enemy. 

Likewise, having the shield of faith can help protect us from Satan’s flaming darts. These flaming darts can be a number of things such as doubts, fears, and worries. When the attacks come, we use this shield by putting our total faith in God in every circumstance and trusting that His will be done.

The Helmet of Salvation
The next piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. This refers to guarding 7our mind from Satan’s attacks. The enemy will often use discouragement and hopelessness in order to bring us down.

However, we wear the helmet of salvation when we rest in the fact that God is the One who saves and delivers. When we have our minds focused on Christ and His return, any attacks of discouragement or hopelessness can no longer affect us.

The Sword of the Spirit
Last but not least, we have the sword of the spirit. While the other parts of the armor are for defense, this one is for offense.

The sword of the spirit refers to the Word of God. 

We see this in Hebrews 4:12:
12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to [a]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

While a regular sword might become dull after a while of using it, the Word of God will always remain sharp.

We put the sword of the spirit to use when we commit to reading and obeying the Word of God.

Putting the Armor On
Now that we’ve covered every piece of armor, how do we put on the full armor of God?

We put on the full armor of God by praying. As we saw in Ephesians 6:18, we are to pray at all times and keep alert with all perseverance. As soldiers for Christ, we need to be watchful and alert. After all, soldiers cannot close their eyes to the enemy.

We also see this in Mark 14:38:
38 [a]Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

As we all continue to grow in our spiritual walks, may we continue to remain vigilant and fight the good fight.

Chapter 9 – Satan’s Army
Their Origin

Throughout the four Gospels, we read about Jesus and His disciples casting out demons on multiple occasions.

But you might be wondering: where did these demons come from to begin with? Many experts believe that demons are angels that rebelled against God along with Satan and fell with him. 

We see this in Isaiah 14:12-15:
How you have fallen from heaven,

You [a]star of the morning, son of the dawn!

You have been cut down to the earth,

You who defeated the nations!

13 

But you said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

And I will sit on the mount of assembly

In the recesses of the north.

14 

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15 

Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol,

To the recesses of the pit.

Some people might say that demons are spirits of the wicked dead here on Earth. You might have even seen a few movies that portray this. However, there is absolutely no Biblical evidence for this. The Bible does make it clear that demons are part of Satan’s organization. In fact, Jesus spoke about how an eternal fire has been prepared for Satan and his angels. 

We see this in Matthew 25:41:

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

Their Organization
Satan definitely has quite an organization. 

In fact, he has been referred to as “the ruler of the demons”. 

We see this in Matthew 12:24:
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by [a]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

We also know of Satan’s hierarchy. 

We can see a picture of this organized kingdom in Ephesians 6:12:
12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The bottom line is this: since Satan and his demons are well organized, it’s very important that all of us are ready for any possible attack. By wearing the full armor of God as mentioned previously, we can all stand firm and be ready.

Their Operation
Throughout Scripture, we can see how Satan and his forces are deceivers and destroyers. Although not all sickness is demonic, demons can often cause physical affliction. They can make people mute, blind, crippled, tormented, and even drive people to suicide.

In addition to trying to destroy people, demons also like to deceive. They love to promote false doctrine including the occult and forms of divination.

We can see an example of this in Acts 16:16-18:
16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave woman who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation.” 18 Now she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and he turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very [a]moment.

Whenever you do come across things like psychic readings, palm readings, tarot cards, astrology, or fortune telling, keep in mind that these are definitely not of God. These are part of Satan’s efforts to deceive. 

Another popular topic of conversation is whether or not demons can possess a Christian. I know Pastor Rodney has spoken about this several times. In a nutshell: if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and His spirit dwells in you, then you can never be possessed. At the same time, just as the flesh can still work in your life, so can the devil. Everyday, we have the choice to either yield to the Spirit or yield to our flesh. When we yield to the flesh, this can create an opening for Satan and his demons to influence us. Demons can influence and use people who are saved.

Their Outcome
Another common question is “what will happen to Satan and his army?”

We get our answer in Matthew 12:22-29:
22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to [a]Jesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and [b]could see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by [c]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

25 And knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he [d]has become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if by [e]Beelzebul I cast out the demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

When Christ came down to Earth as a man, he invaded Satan’s kingdom. Satan already knew he was coming and did all he could to stop it. In this parable, the strong man refers to Satan, and Jesus is the person who tied up the strong man. He completely overcame Satan’s power by means of his life, death, and resurrection. Satan is a defeated foe and he knows it.

Because of this, we can all take heart in 1 John 4:4:
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Chapter 10 – Satan & the Home
Now we move on to chapter 10 which talks about how Satan attacks the home.

Keep in mind that Satan’s very first attack was made against the home when he invaded the Garden of Eden and led the first husband and wife into disobedience. Even today, Satan will attack homes any chance he gets. For example, if a Christian marries outside of God’s will or if both partners are too immature for the married life, then Satan will find openings to make his attacks.

Another one of Satan’s attacks involves teaching doctrines that forbit marriage.

We see this in 1 Timothy 4:1-3:
4 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will [a]fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

Satan will do whatever he can to convince people that being single is considered more spiritual than being married including the notion that marriage is sinful. The cult of celibacy and virginity is based on this belief. While singleness is a Christian option, marriage is the will of God for most people. If someone does feel called to be single and/or celibate, they should make sure that they are truly being called by God and not being deceived by Satan.

Satan will also try to reverse the headship in the home. Just as Christ is the Head of the Church, the husband should be head of his wife in a living, loving relationship.

We’ll take a look at two verses.

The first one is 1 Timothy 2:11-13:
11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first [a]created, and then Eve.

The next one is Ephesians 5:22-23:
22 Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.

Satan will take any opportunity he can to get wives to undermine their husbands’ authority and operate independently from their husbands. 

Another tactic of Satan is to lead husbands and wives into moral impurity.

Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 7:1-5:
7 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man [a]not to touch a woman. 2 But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3 The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise the wife also to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband also does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 [b]Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and [c]come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

It’s important to note here that sex within marriage is not at all sinful and that there must be a mutual understanding that governs the intimate life of a Christian couple. When a husband and wife are considerate of one another and fulfill their marriage dues to each other, then it will be more difficult for Satan to tempt anyone to consider having an affair.

Satan will also try to get the wife too busy outside of the home.

Let’s take a look at 1 Timothy 5:14-15:
14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and give the enemy no opportunity for reproach; 15 for some have already turned away to follow Satan.

Ideally, the yielded Christian wife should find joy and fulfillment in her home. When being outside the home is more inviting and exciting than being inside the home, this can give Satan an opening to do some damage.

Whether you are single or married, it’s important to be aware of Satan’s possible attacks.

Every home needs the same spiritual defenses as any individual: the inspired Word of God, the imparted grace of God, the indwelling Spirit of God, and the interceding Son of God.