Introduction

As a Christian you will suffer satanic attack as you desire to grow in your walk with Christ. What we are going to be discussing in this lesson will be the schemes that the enemy will use to bring you down or to cause you to get out of the will of God and then we will learn from the scriptures how to turn the table on the enemy and defeat him with the Word of God..

It doesn’t take a believer long to understand that the enemy (Satan) is out to destroy us. He will do everything in his power to set you back from enjoying the blessings of God. He will try to confuse, weaken and manipulate you any way that he can. His sole mission is to make you fall and if possible, he will bring down as many people with you as he can. We must remember that just as Jesus died to save you to spend eternity in heaven, Satan desires to destroy you to take you to hell with him.

I. Understanding Satanic Opposition

As a believer starts their new walk with the Lord they must understand that they are a marked person. Especially if you desire to be a sold-out child of God ready to win souls no matter what the cost.

One of the greatest errors that you as a Christian can accept is that if you have not received an answer to your prayer it is the will of God in that situation for it to remain as it is. Some people will say they have been praying that they would be healed of a disease or receive a breakthrough in a certain situation and because they have not seen a change they automatically think that it is God’s will for them to remain where they are or in the condition they are in. If God says in his word that He wants His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven then that is what He means! Are any sick or broke in heaven? Are any on crutches, any taking chemotherapy, or anyone blind? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

You must realize that the enemy comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10). If he can take your circumstance and cause you to doubt then you have sinned and you will not see the answer you desire. James 1:6-8 says… “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Satan wants you to doubt. That way he doesn’t have to be concerned about you receiving a blessing from God. A doubter is easy prey for the enemy.

As long as the enemy can deceive you and hold you in bondage he robs you of the benefits that Jesus paid for on the cross. We must apply the knowledge of God’s Word to our daily activities and also to the trials of our Christian walk and realize that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

The Word of God says that Satan is like a lion roaming the earth to see who he can devour (I Peter 5:8). We must get this picture welded into our minds to understand that all sickness, all hurt, all hate, all debt, and anything that would cause us to not live an abundant life is of Satan. As I stated earlier, Satan is out to steal, to kill, and to destroy (John 10:10a). However the greatest scripture to counter this actually follows saying that Jesus has come to give us life and He desires to give it to us MORE ABUNDANTLY (John 10:10b).

This is what Satan does not want you to comprehend. He wants you to stay ignorant of his devices as well as stay ignorant of God’s blessings through His Son Jesus! Remember the above verse that we can do all things through Jesus!

II. Satan wants you to doubt

Satan wants you’re your faith in Jesus to waver. We can state this because the Word says that if we doubt, or waver the blessing will not come.

1. Matthew 14:28-33 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God”.

2. Matthew 21:18-22 “Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

III. Satan wants you to waver

1. Hebrews 10:22-25 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

2. James 1:6-8 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

IV. Satan wants you to have an unforgiving heart

1. In Matthew 6:9-15 the Lord commands us to be forgiving. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

2. Mark 11:25-26 “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

If Satan can cause you to hold a grudge against someone you are playing right along with his rules. Satan knows as long as you hold a grudge you will not receive the blessing God wants you to have.

Doubting, wavering, and holding grudges is sin. And the wages of sin is death! Remember, Satan harasses you to steal, kill, and destroy.

V. Satan will not stop till you drop!

Satan will continue to harass you the rest of your earthly life. When a person realizes that Satan will keep on trying to get the upper hand in a Christians life, then they are beginning to understand spiritual warfare.

This is why it is so important to put your spiritual armor on everyday! 

Remember I Peter 5:8 states that Satan is roaming this earth seeing who he can devour.

VI. Satan will even let you think you can outsmart him

The Word of God tells us not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) and that God’s ways and thoughts are not like ours, they are higher (Isaiah 55:8,9). With this in mind we must never ever think that we can conquer sin on our own. You must confess it and let Jesus have it and your life unconditionally! The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God nor can be.

1. Romans 8:7-8 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

VII. You must expect opposition

As you walk with Christ and dig into His Word you will suffer persecution, and opposition. Paul spoke of being hindered by Satan in I Thessalonians 2:18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” Peter even mentions that prayers can be hindered by wrong living in I Peter 3:7 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
  I have seen and heard people tell a new Christian that life is going to be so much better once they get saved. And this is partly true. Yes, life will be more abundant, however, the new Christian needs to know that as they walk with the Lord, Satan has marked them for the kill! This may sound rather scary, but it is the truth. What we need to teach is warfare. We need to teach new Christians how to put on their armor and fight the good fight of faith!

VIII. DO NOT GIVE IN

We are told in the scriptures to not give in to the devil.

1. Ephesians 4:27 “Neither give place to the devil.”