Overcoming TemptationSample

Know The Enemy’s Battleplan

2, 4, 6, 8…What do you think comes next? If you said, “10,” you’re right. You picked up on the pattern of numeral progression by the value of 2. When something falls into a pattern, it’s easy to follow and make an educated guess about its progression. Our enemy, the devil, has a pattern in his attacks against our souls. We must recognize this pattern so we can know his battle plans and respond with a plan of our own.

Take a moment to recall a point from yesterday’s devotional: when Jesus was in his incarnate, human form, he was tempted to sin. Not only does this show us that everyone faces temptation, and that temptation is different from sin; but it also shows us something about Satan’s pattern of temptation. When Satan tempted Jesus, he used lies to try to deceive Jesus and lead Him to sin. Satan uses lies today to try and do the same to us.

Lies and deception have always been a powerful tool of the Enemy. In the Bible, Jesus calls Satan the father of lies whose nature is to lie and deceive. From the Garden of Eden to now, the Enemy uses his tools of deception to try and tempt God’s people to sin.

How does he do this? One way is by exploiting our weak points and wounds. He tells us lies about what will help us cope with pain, bring us peace, or give us joy. He sells us illegitimate ways of fulfilling legitimate needs.“Feeling rejected? How about buying that new car you don’t need to feel accepted and admired by others?” “Feeling worried and exhausted? How about numbing your emotions by doom-scrolling on social media, binging a TV show, or using drugs, alcohol, or pornography?” For every legitimate need or emotion, Satan comes with a destructive and illegitimate way for us to deal with that need or emotion.

This is why we must know God’s Word, what God says about us, and how He designed us to flourish in this life. It’s been said that knowing is half the battle. Once we know the Enemy’s patterns and his specific plan of attack against us, we will be much more equipped to stand against his schemes.

Thought of the Day: Today, I will stand against the cunning schemes of the father of lies, by standing on God’s truth. I will watch out for Satan’s patterns, and hold tight to God’s Word.