Devil has plans
2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
2 Corinthians 2:11(NLT) So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
Introduction: I thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who speaks to us through Scriptures. Welcome to another week of Speaking Scriptures.
I pray for wisdom with spiritual understanding as we study at His feet in Jesus name.
This week, I want us to look at the fact that Devil also has his plans for every child of God. The knowledge of this fact will make us to be vigilant and identify evil schemes of the adversary to terminate God’s plans for our lives.
Christians are warned as the Scriptures speak in 1 Peter 5:8-9(NLT)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
Just as God has good plans for committed and steadfast Christians as the Scriptures speak in the NLT version of Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
The Devil also has plans for Christians who are not watchful and standing firm in their faith.
Standing firm, staying alert and resisting the Devil can be demanding most times when fighting against sin as Devil comes subtly to entice us.
Apostle Paul expressed his fear to Christians at Corinth when he said in
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Simplicity in Christianity has made several Christians to fall into the plans of the Devil through sin.
Hebrews 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Above Scripture is actually saying that we must be prepared for pain as we strive against sin. Shedding of blood involves pain.
You know when under the bondage of the Devil, you dare not contravene instructions given by his agents, such as don’t eat this and that, the charm that must be in your possession, sacrifices that must be carried to T-junction and many difficult rules and instructions to be followed strictly. Any violation will bring instant judgement.
The simplicity in Christ, Who does not want the death of sinners but to come to repentance makes many Christians including highly rated pastors to commit sins with impunity and still minister on the altar without instant judgement. Nobody can try that with merciless Devil.
Scriptures speak in 2 Peter 3:9( NLT) The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
We already know Devil’s plans which are often quoted by us especially when we are praying for deliverance from the Devil and we are shaking our heads vigorously with thick sweat coming out of our bodies in times of trouble.
It is not only when trouble comes that we tell the Devil that we know his plans, we must stay alert even when in comfort zone and things are rosy for us.
Hear what Scriptures say to Israel, the chosen ones as applicable also to Christians that are at ease in good times
Amos 6:1(NLT) What sorrow awaits you who lounge in luxury in Jerusalem, and you who feel secure in Samaria! You are famous and popular in Israel, and people go to you for help.
Luxury can easily make us forget God, trusting in riches and forgetting that Devil has plans against us.
What are the Devil’s plans that we already know? Let me remind you of his plans and purposes as against Jesus’s plans as declared by the Master Himself;
John 10:10(NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Do you now remember that this verse of the Scripture is on our lips during prayers of deliverance after we have ignorantly allowed the enemy to creep into our lives in our comfort zone when we were not staying alert?.
Scriptures speak in Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
The knowledge of Devil’s plan for us as Christians will make us to stay alert and put on the whole armour of God in order to detect his subtle plans.
Ephesians 6:11(NLT) Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
Remember this battle is not physical but with unseen forces.
Ephesians 6:12(NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
We also need to know that weapons against every satanic plans is not physical, such as using anointing oil and handkerchief, bracelets, reading Psalms in water to drink or bathe and any other items that are believed to work against Devil’s plans.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The weapons we need to detect and pull down satanic plans and strongholds are listed in Ephesians 6:14-18.
1️⃣. Standing on Truth, which can only be found in Christ Jesus who frees us from satanic bondage.
John 8:31-32(NLT) Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
2️⃣. Breastplate of righteousness, a defensive weapon that protect the heart from attack. Breastplate of righteousness is put on when sin is not ruling over a Christian. Whenever the enemy comes to get the heart, there will be nothing for him as long as sin is not found. Jesus said in John 14:30 …..for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Is there any secret sin in your life? Devil has plans. Heart of any Christian living in sin is exposed to the accuser of brethren to capture.
3️⃣. Shoe on the feet is to prevent thorns or sharp objects that can disrupt forward movements in Christian life. A Christian that do not propagate gospel of Christ will be demobilised woefully in Christian journey.
Scriptures speak in 1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Preaching the gospel of Christ in words and good deeds cannot be ignored if there must be forward movements toward eternal life.
4️⃣. Shield of faith brings down fiery darts of the wicked targeted towards the heart. These are thoughts contrary to God’s word that Devil throws to the heart of Christians and put them in captivity. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Once the life of a Christian does not please God, Devil carries out his plans and put such Christian in bondage of fear so as to takeover rulership. Fear is present without invitation where there is no Faith. Whenever you are tormented by fear of what you see, hear, read or think, then there is absence of faith.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Faith dispels fear, and faith comes only from the words of God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Jesus Christ the Word, delivers from all forms of fear.
Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
5️⃣. Helmet of salvation covers the head. To finish opponent in a battle, head is also a vital part of the body like the heart. Brain is located in the head, once the Devil has the control of the head of a Christian, such life is finished.
Acts 4:12(NLT) There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
There is only one way to truth and life in eternity with God, and that way is Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our faith.
John 14:6(NLT) Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Devil that brought humanity under bondage through Adam and Eve by making them to believe lie hasn’t changed. He convinces many people including Christians that we serve the same God with other religions. It is a lie of the Devil to control and destroy lives just as he did at the Garden of Eden. You cannot go into battle without Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation otherwise, Devil will finish such person.
Acts 19:15-16 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Anyone without salvation through Jesus Christ will certainly be wounded.
6️⃣. Sword of the Spirit is an offensive weapon against the Devil. This is the Word of God. If you are without your sword in the battle of life, Devil will come closer to remove your defensive weapons and you become a lawful captive.
The best form of defence is attack and you can only attack with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
Devil devices all strategies to take away the word of God from believers. Part of this is to make other books interesting to feed the flesh and make the Bible, the word from God that feeds the spirit uninteresting and boring. When Flesh, old man, Adamic or human nature is full of carnal thoughts, it dominates the life of a Christian and causes death.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Remember when Jesus Christ started His ministry to save the world from bondage, Devil came to him and it was the battle of “It is written”.
Any Christian that doesn’t know with authority what is written in the word of God will be finished by the Devil.
7️⃣. Praying and watching always is using the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to bind and loose.
Watching is to ensure the word of God does not depart from your mouth.
I am not talking about prayer books written by man, memorised by Christians without the word of God to pray.
David rejected the sword of Saul when he wanted to face Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
David killed Goliath with what he has proved, a staff and five stones. Staff is authority and stones represent Jesus Christ, the stone that was rejected.
You cannot overcome your Goliath with another man’s prayer book but with the words of God that you have proved in the place of study.
In order to root out and pull down satanic implantation, words of God must be in your mouth in the place of prayer.
Jeremiah 1:9-10 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Pray without ceasing to bind satanic activities in your life and loose whatever the Devil is holding captive in your life.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:18(NLT) “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
As I conclude my brethren, the whole armour must be put on as soldiers of Christ.
Devil has plans to make disciples of Christ to commit sin in order to deny us joy on earth and eternal life with God. He succeeded in the life of Judas Iscariot
John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
Devil uses our weaknesses to accomplish his plans to steal, kill and destroy. He used Moses’s anger to deny him of reaching the Promised Land.
Scriptures speak concerning Moses when he begged God to make him see the good of the Promised Land, God said the matter is closed.
Deuteronomy 3:25-26 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
Devil plans to use our weakness to bring wrath of God upon us even through behaviour of our spouse and fellow believers to deny us of God’s plans and promises for our lives. Your reactions to your spouse can get you into trouble with God if you are not alert. Devil can use our weakness to get us and deny us of God’s plans and promises.
The children of Israel got Moses angry to deny him of God’s promises for him to lead children of Israel to the Promised Land.
Psalm 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes
I pray that enemy will not make God to close our matter as it pertains to eternity in Jesus name.
✋Maranatha.
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