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The Armor of God - What it Is and How to Use It

Debbie McDaniel

Debbie's HeadshotDebbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor's wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of
pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead's Facebook page, for daily encouragement in living
strong, free…

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2021

Mar 04

We may forget at times but one thing is true - this world is a battlefield. Day by day, hour by hour, we
face a spiritual war and an enemy who’s real. He wants nothing more than to bring defeat, for his main
aim is to steal, kill, and destroy. The forces of darkness don't wait for us to be ready for their attack.
They're ruthless, determined, and cunning. The devil could care less if we "feel" prepared, or prayed up
for our day. In fact, he prefers we're not.

God has given us his Word and Spirit, powerful and true, so we'll have the wisdom and protection to
stand against the enemy. As I read these verses this morning, the reality struck me again that Paul wrote
them while in chains, in prison. But Truth says - this enemy we face, no matter how cruel and vicious his
schemes, can never chain our spirits that have been set free by Christ. Paul was not silenced by the
attacks from dark forces. Neither should we be.

What is the Full Armor of God?

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take
your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand
your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth
buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with
the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and
sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Eph.
6:10-18

The Belt Of Truth

The Believer's Integrity - A soldier in Paul's day had a leather girdle or belt that he tightened about his
waist to protect his loins and carry his weapons of warfare, such as a dagger or sword. The belt also held
his tunic together so it wouldn't be snagged. In Christian armor, it is the integrity that holds everything
else together. If you do not have integrity in the big and small things of your life, you are going to lose
the battle. Would people say that you are a woman or man of integrity? If not, then you cannot win the
battle.

The Breastplate Of Righteousness

The Believer's Purity - The breastplate of a soldier was sometimes made of woven chain and used to
cover the soldier's vital organs. For the Christian, the breastplate is righteousness.

The enemy wants to attack you not only with lies, but also with impurity. He wants you to read filthy
magazines, watch immoral movies, and engage in all temptations of the flesh. The bottom line is that
Satan wants to get into your heart and mind. He's looking for a crack in your armor. And don't be fooled.
Satan knows where that crack is. Is your heart pure before God? If not, then you cannot win the battle.

The Shoes Of Peace

The Believer's Tranquility - A Roman soldier's would have hobnails on the sole, very much like football
cleats because when they were fighting they needed solid footing from which to move.

Unless you have a solid footing of peace, you can never make war. Sounds like a contradiction, doesn't
it? When Satan comes against your tranquility, he throws out stones and briars of doubts and
discouragement to cause you to stumble. Do you have peace right now? If not, then you cannot win the
battle.
The Shield Of Faith

The Believer's Certainty - The Roman soldier's shield measured approximately two by four feet and was
made of wood covered with leather. In that day, soldiers dipped arrows in oil, then lit them and shot
them at the enemy. These shields were vital to protect the solider from getting burned.

Satan is going to fire flaming arrows of doubt at you. He wants to place subtle doubts in your mind
about God and His Truth. He knows a spark can ignite a big fire. You will need to feed your faith and
starve your doubts. Are there any seeds of doubt in your mind today? If there are, then you cannot win
the battle.

The Helmet Of Salvation

The Believer's Sanity - A soldier used a helmet to protect his head because if his head was wounded, he
wouldn't be able to think. Every believer needs to have the mind of Christ under the control of Almighty
God.

When a person is saved, for the first time he has his right mind. A person withoof the Spirit ut the Lord
Jesus Christ has a form of insanity. They do not operate with the mind that God made them to have. The
most important thing for you to have at all times is an assurance of your salvation. Do you know that
you are saved? If you aren't, then you cannot win the battle.

Sword of the Spirit

The Word of God - When we are tempted, the most effective weapon that God has given to us as
believers is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus modeled this so beautifully during
His temptation in the wilderness. When the devil tried temptation after temptation against Him, Jesus
used the sword of the Spirit. Jesus spoke the Word of God to Satan. In Luke 4:1-13, Jesus responded, “It
is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord God only. Him only you shall serve.” and again brought the
Scripture back into context, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

The sword of the Spirit works. Memorize Scripture and use the Word of God to defeat Satan's lies and
attacks.

God has a plan for our lives. The enemy has a plan for us too. We just have to decide which voice we’re
going to listen to, and who we're going to choose to follow each day. And chances are, if we don't make
a determined choice to follow God, we may eventually fall into the evil one’s trap. God gives specific
instructions in his Word, he gives us all we need to stand strong in this life. Yet all too often we race
through busy, full days, ill-equipped, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we’re up against, or who
the real enemy even is.

If you're a believer living like salt and light in this dark world, you won't go for long without encountering
obstacles and attacks he'll hurl straight your direction. This battle is real, it’s intense.

Focusing here today, putting on His armor, staying alert, and praying, that God will equip believers
everywhere to "stand strong."

Armor of God Prayer

Dear God,

We thank you that you hold the victory over sin and death in this world. We thank you that you came to
set the captives free. We thank you for your redemptive work you’ve done in our lives. We thank you
for freedom and the hope you bring.

We hold your Word of Truth as weapon against the enemy’s schemes, and proclaim he does not have
authority over our lives for we’ve been set free. Give us wisdom and discernment to recognize his traps
and to stand strong against his work. Fill us fresh with the power of your Holy Spirit.

Today we put on the full armor to guard our lives against attack. We put on the belt of truth to protect
against lies and deception. We put on the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from the
temptations we battle. We put the gospel of peace on our feet, so we’re ready to take your light
wherever you send us this day. We choose to walk in the peace and freedom of your Spirit and not be
overcome with fear and anxious thoughts. We take up your shield of faith that will extinguish all the
darts and threats hurled our way by the enemy. We believe in your power to protect us and choose to
trust in you. We put on the helmet of salvation, which covers our minds and thoughts, reminding us we
are children of the day, forgiven, set free, saved by the grace of Christ Jesus. We take up the sword of
the Spirit, your very Word, the one offensive weapon given to us for battle, which has the power to
demolish strongholds, alive, active, and sharper than any double-edged sword.
We ask that you’d remind us to pray, constantly, for all believers. We ask for your help to stay alert in a
dark world. We ask for your help to be salt and light, that we’d be loving and gracious, yet unyielding to
sin.

We ask for your help in remembering to put on your full armor every day, for you give us all that we
need to stand firm in this world. Forgive us God for the times we’ve been unprepared, too busy to care,
or trying to fight and wrestle in our own strength.

Thank you that we never fight alone, for you are constantly at work on our behalf, shielding, protecting,
strengthening, exposing deeds of darkness, bringing to light what needs to be known, covering us from
the cruel attacks we face even when we’re unaware.

We love you Lord, we need you today. In the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen."

Remembering this day that the battle we face may be more about what is unseen than what we see
before us. And when we resist the enemy, God's word tells us he has to flee. James 4:7

Stand strong.

You're never alone.

He loves you.

He fights for you.

“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” Deut. 3:22

Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor's wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each
morning on Fresh Day Ahead's facebook page, DebbieWebbMcDaniel, for daily encouragement in living
strong, free, hope-filled lives.

Find her also at Twitter and Web Site.

Descriptions of the armor adapted from The Armor of Christian Warfare by Pastor Adrian Rogres

This article is part of our series on the Armor of God. To learn more about the meaning, context, and
purpose of each piece of armor in the spiritual life of the believer, visit the articles below.

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

Sword of the Spirit

Breastplate of Righteousness

Belt of Truth

Gospel of Peace

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Home \ Change \ Christian Conversion
From the November/December 2014 issue of Discern Magazine

How to Put on the Armor of God

by Mike Bennett
In our war with Satan, his society and our human
weaknesses, we need spiritual help. God provides
the powerful armor of God to protect us—and give
us victory!
What is the armor of God?
Ephesians 6:14-17 lists six pieces of the armor of God:
1. Belt of truth.
2. Breastplate of righteousness.
3. Shoes of the gospel of peace.
4. Shield of faith.
5. Helmet of salvation.
6. Sword of the Spirit.
God provides these six aspects of the Christian life, plus prayer (verse 18), to
strengthen and protect us and ultimately help us to triumph in our spiritual
battles. Each piece of the armor of God is essential, and the Bible tells us
how to put them on and use them effectively.
How to use the armor of God to defend against the attacks of
Satan
The Bible tells us we are in a war, and our adversary, Satan the devil, is bent
on destroying us. The apostle Paul warns us to beware of Satan’s devices
and tactics (2 Corinthians 2:11).
Paul addressed this in Ephesians 6:10-20 where he talks about putting on the
whole armor of God. Ephesians was one of Paul’s letters written from prison.
During Paul’s time in prison he obviously became well acquainted with the
armor worn and carried by his captors in the Roman army. Following Isaiah’s
lead (Isaiah 59:17), Paul drew a powerful comparison between a soldier’s
armor and the spiritual armor of God.
Paul wrote: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might” (verse 10).
You see, we don’t have to be discouraged by Satan’s devices or by his power
and stealth. We aren’t in this battle alone. We have access to the greatest
power in the universe!
Verse 11 continues: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil.”
This is a comprehensive defense strategy, and we have to pay attention to
all parts of this armor God offers. But if we do, we will be able to withstand
Satan’s attacks.
Fighting spiritual battles today
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (verse 12).
The Bible describes unseen spiritual battles, such as the titanic battle at the
end of the age that the apostle John witnessed: “And war broke out in
heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and
his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was any place found for them
in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old,
called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:7-
9).
All this is happening behind the scenes in the spiritual world, but it has great
influence over the physical world. Satan and the demons are invisible, and
he is a master of camouflage. He is able to convince people that he doesn’t
exist, and he is able to sway society and suggest wrong thoughts to us
without our even realizing he is there.
Paul continued in Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore take up the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand.”
What does he mean, “to stand”? He was emphasizing that with God’s help,
we will be able to hold the line, to not retreat, to not give up an inch of God’s
territory.
Now Paul starts to list the individual elements of this spiritual armor. The
Bible also tells us how to put on the armor of God. Here is how you can use
each piece of armor to fight against the powers of Satan.
1. What is the belt of truth?
A belt was the first piece of equipment put on, and it secures all the other
pieces of our armor. Wearing the belt showed that the soldier was ready for
action, since he would only loosen his belt when he went off duty.
Truth should surround us like a belt. Knowing God’s truth is the surefire
antidote to Satan’s lies and deception. And to be truly ready for the battle,
we must be completely truthful ourselves in our inner being, like our Creator.
As Jesus said, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Paul exhorted us to speak
the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). In these perilous end times, a Christian
soldier must love the truth for protection against the lawless one and Satan
(2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; see “The Love of the Truth”).
2. What is the breastplate of righteousness?
Next, Paul tells us to “put on the breastplate of righteousness.”
Without righteousness, we leave ourselves open to Satan’s attacks. To be
righteous is first of all to repent and be forgiven of our sins through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ that justifies us and makes us right with God
(Romans 5:9). Then in gratitude we should strive to do what is right in God’s
eyes.
Psalm 119:172 tells us that God’s commandments are righteousness. So to
be righteous is to obey God’s laws of love. Obeying God is beneficial, not
burdensome (Deuteronomy 10:13; 1 John 5:3).
Isaiah 59:17 says that God Himself puts on righteousness as a breastplate!
This may be part of what inspired Paul to use this analogy.
Isaiah 59 starts by explaining that “your iniquities have separated you from
your God” (verse 2). Iniquity is the opposite of righteousness, so when we
give in to sin without repenting, we are removing our breastplate and leaving
ourselves open to more of Satan’s attacks.
3. What are the shoes of the gospel of peace?

Shoes might not be the most exciting piece of armor, but the Zondervan NIV
Bible Commentary highlights their importance:
“The military successes both of Alexander the Great and of Julius Caesar
were due in large measure to their armies being well shod and thus able to
undertake long marches at incredible speed over rough terrain.”
The word “preparation,” denoting readiness, reminds us that we are to be
eager to preach the gospel of peace. The Church of God is sent to announce
the good news of God’s Kingdom, which will spread His way of peace around
the whole world. Having our spiritual shoes on, we will be ready to spread
the news to others.
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible tells us that the sandals of the Roman
soldier “often were fitted with nails, or armed with spikes, to make the hold
firm in the ground.” God’s good news and our mission—our marching orders
—to preach it serve as our firm foundation.
Read more in our articles “What Is the Gospel of the Kingdom?” and “What Is
the Mission of the Church?”
4. What is the shield of faith?

When our faith in God’s power and love is strong, it is impossible for Satan to
break through our shield and land a blow. Faith means more than just
believing that God exists, of course. It includes a firm belief that everything
God does is truly for our good. Also, faith is the absolute conviction that God
will always do what He has promised (Romans 4:18-21).
Faith protects us in many ways. Think about Daniel in the lions’ den. Faith
was like a force field to protect Daniel from those vicious teeth!
And Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were protected from the fiery
furnace! Of course, their faith in God and His eternal plan allowed them to
say that they would obey God, even if He didn’t protect them physically then
(Daniel 3:18). Faith is powerful and protects us not only from physical
dangers, but from the even more challenging spiritual temptations and
dangers.
The shield of faith is not just for personal protection. The Roman soldiers had
a strategy of joining their shields together. If we join our shields—that is,
strengthen each other with our faith, building up and serving as we are able
—we will be able to take on any challenge.
5. What is the helmet of salvation?
We can receive tremendous hope and comfort by focusing on the incredible
sacrifice Jesus Christ gave to save us and the wonderful Kingdom that is the
goal of our salvation. This hope protects our minds from the discouragement
and despair in this world.
The hope of salvation has protected and strengthened God’s people through
the ages.
As Hannah prayed, “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the
LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation” (1 Samuel
2:1).
And as David wrote, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I
fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm
27:1).
6. What is the sword of the Spirit?

The sword of the Spirit, like the Roman gladius, can also help us to conquer
all our enemies, including that most difficult one, our entrenched human
weaknesses. Hebrews 4:12 explains: “For the word of God is living and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Remember how Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan (Matthew 4:1-
10)? Christ used scripture quotes three times. He brought to mind the
scriptures that dealt with the situation, that showed what He should do and
that strengthened His resolve. And so should we.
Our sword won’t stay sharp on its own. We must continually sharpen it with
regular and focused Bible study. By studying the Word of God daily, we can
have God’s wisdom in the forefront of our minds, ready to help us make wise
choices and fight off Satan’s attacks.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication

Paul ends this section encouraging us to pray fervently for ourselves, for
each other and for the work of the Church.
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful
to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for
me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to
make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in
chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-
20).
The Church, and each of us individually, moves forward on our knees.
Praying reminds us of the battle, reminds us of the source of our strength
and defense, and reminds God that we are fully committed to following Him
as obedient and faithful soldiers. Prayer and Bible study are the most
powerful tools for combating Satan’s weapons.
When we put on this whole armor of God, we will be prepared for Satan’s
attempts to attack us with pride, envy, lust for forbidden pleasures, itching
ears, disappointment, discouragement, doubt or division—or any other tricks
he may use.
There is so much more we can learn from this powerful list of defenses God
makes available to us. Hopefully, this article has whetted your appetite to
study this important subject in more detail. Make it a goal to study the armor
of God in greater depth in the related articles below.
Remember, we’re at war. Let’s be alert to Satan’s devices, and let’s put on
the whole armor of God!

About the Author

Mike Bennett

RELATED ARTICLES

 Using the Belt of Truth

 What Is the Breastplate of
Righteousness?

 Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

 What Is the Shield of Faith?

 What Is the Helmet of Salvation?

 What Is the Sword of the Spirit?

Learn More About Christian Conversion

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THE DEVICES OF THE DEVIL
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New
King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). Used by permission. All
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Bible Helps, Inc. > Bible Helps Publications > Topical Articles > Biblical Doctrines > Angels
and Demons > Five Subtle Devices of the Devil
Five Subtle Devices of the Devil
By Harold S. Martin
A Bible Helps Booklet No. 300
Table of Contents [Show]
One of the most neglected subjects in many pulpits today is that of the personality, activity,
and power of the devil. One of the national news magazines said recently, “Literal belief in
the devil is widely viewed by theologians as a holdover from the Dark Ages.” Probably most
of us would rather speak about the Lord Jesus than about His enemy (and our enemy) the
devil, but the Bible says that the devil is a very real and a very dangerous character.
Therefore we must speak about him.

We are told in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that true Christians are not ignorant of the devil’s devices.
Timothy was to teach in such a way that his listeners might “recover themselves out of the
snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26). In Ephesians 6:11 we are told to put on the whole
armor of God that we might be able “to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The word
“wiles” is sometimes translated “tactics” or “schemes” or “strategies.” Strategy is the
carefully arranged plan to deceive and outwit others. The devil’s primary work is deception,
and thus the words wiles, tactics, schemes, and strategies are all appropriate.

1. The Personality of the Devil

One of Satan’s cunning schemes is to try and convince people that he does not really exist.
A spokesman writing in one religious magazine says, “If when I die, I am met by someone
with horns and tail, calling himself the Devil, I hope that I shall not be frightened—but
reassured—knowing that I am having my leg pulled, and that there is humor also in the
hereafter.” In other words, the writer of those words hopes that the idea of “the devil” is just
a joke. Satan is often made out to be a joke, but in reality, he should be feared.

The devil is a person just as real as God. He is not as powerful as God, but he is just as
real. D. L. Moody used to say that there were two reasons why he believed the devil exists
as a real being: (1) The Bible says so. (2) I’ve done business with him.

When Jesus spoke of the devil, He used personal pronouns. Jesus said to Peter, “Behold,
Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). Later, the
Apostle Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). According to the Bible,
the devil is a created, personal, spirit being. And just because we cannot see him does not
mean that he is not real.

The air about us is filled with strange voices and musical sounds even though we cannot
see or hear them. If we had the proper electronic devices, such as those used in a radio or
a television set, we could hear the sounds and see the pictures without any difficulty. When
I was very young, I used to think there was a man inside the radio, or that the noise came
out of the receptacle in the wall and up through the wire. Later, I learned that the radio has
an electronic gadget which collects noises that are transmitted from various stations
throughout the countryside. The noises are real even though we cannot hear them. And
just so, Satan is a real person even though we cannot see him.
The Bible indicates that Satan was one of the most magnificent creatures ever created; he
was the climax of God’s creative wisdom; he was not always the vicious character we know
him to be today; he was once a beautiful angel. The Scriptures say (of Lucifer), “Thou wast
perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee”
(Ezekiel 28:15). Those who believe the message of the Bible believe that there is a real,
created, personal devil who is the enemy of God and the enemy of God’s people. We don’t
understand all there is to know about the devil, but the Bible says he has his own
synagogue (Revelation 2:9), his own gospel (Galatians 1:6-9), his own ministers (2
Corinthians 11:14-15), his own doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1), and his own communion service
(1 Corinthians 10:20-21).

2. The Devices of the Devil

Satan will do all he can to bring defeat into our lives. He is constantly battling for the soul of
the sinner and for the life of the saint. The devil’s work is to deceive human beings, and he
has many subtle devices and many cunning ways by which he does the job. We do well to
take seriously the advice of the Apostle Paul when he says in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that we
are not to be ignorant of his devices. Some of Satan’s devices are listed in the paragraphs
that follow:

a) Satan lies and blinds to the truth.

Jesus says that the devil “abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he
speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). The
devil used the device of lying with our first parents (Adam and Eve), and he has been using
it effectively ever since. God told Eve, “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou
shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die” (Genesis
2:17). But in the very next chapter, we read: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye
shall not surely die.” Satan said the exact opposite of what God had said. God said, “If you
eat, you will die.” Satan said, “You will not die.”

God’s truth is revealed in the Bible. Whenever a person tries to question or to argue away
any of the teachings of the Bible, you can be sure that it is the old serpent, the devil, trying
to deceive that individual.

Often Satan tries to accomplish his goal by taking a passage out of its context. One of the
most beautiful promises in the New Testament is found in verse 19 of Philippians 4: “My
God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” But that is
not an across-the-board promise. The promise is given in the context of those who are
generous financial givers. Those who gave out of their poverty to help with the Lord’s work,
were given that special promise.

Sometimes Satan quotes from the Bible (he uses Bible verses), but he distorts the truth to
try and make the Bible say something altogether different from its plain statements. For
example, one church leader was commenting on the teaching about the “Feeding of the
5,000” in Matthew 14. He concluded that Jesus did not perform a miracle and create food
on that occasion, but that the five-thousand-plus people simply shared their lunches with
each other. He viewed the passage as a beautiful example of how things can work out well
if each person is willing to contribute a little bit.

The point is that the devil is a liar—and any attempt to play down (or to twist) the Scriptures
is definitely motivated by the devil in his attempt to try and dishonor the plan of God.

b) Satan puts evil suggestions into our minds.

Satan is always on the alert. He is looking for weak places in our defense system; he is
eager to take advantage of any opening we might give him through a lack of watchfulness.

The Bible speaks of the betrayal of Jesus (just before His crucifixion), and says, “The devil
having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him . . . ” (John
13:2). And at another place, the Scripture says, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart
to lie to the Holy Ghost?” (Acts 5:3). These passages answer some unique questions: Who
was it that prompted Judas to betray Jesus? And who motivated Ananias to lie about the
donated money? The Bible says it was the devil.

If we would only recognize that the evil temptations which we get from time to time are
promoted by a real personal devil who is trying to bring defeat to our souls, we would do
more to resist his onslaughts! It is the devil who entices us to do wrong. It is the devil who
inflames the passions, and stirs the appetites, and awakens old habits. We don’t have to
give in to him. We are given the power of choice. But Satan is one who sneaks into the
hearts of people and tries to lead all of us astray. The wicked thoughts we contend with
from time to time are energized by the devil and empowered by all the forces of evil. The
ultimate aim of the devil is to mar us and scar us; to disfigure the image of God in us; to
saturate our minds with filth and dirt and moral rot; to wrap us in darkness and lock us
forever in the place where there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The devil aims to slay everything that is noble and decent and good in our lives. He has
energized every rotten deed that has ever been committed by every person that has ever
walked on the face of the earth. The devil puts evil suggestions into our minds.

c) Satan promotes an unforgiving spirit among brethren.

The devil has never had a good word to say about God’s people. He dislikes us because
we love the Lord, and so he tries his best to get us to ruin our testimony by showing enmity
toward our fellow-Christians. The Bible says, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your
hearts, glory not . . . this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish” (James 3:14-15). The Bible says that a bitter and unforgiving spirit among fellow-
Christians is demonic; it is of the devil; it is inspired by Satan.

Satan delights in hearing us say unkind and critical (and often untrue) things about our
brothers and sisters in Christ. Sharpness and contention among Christians does not
promote the cause of Christ. Such conduct helps instead to extend the devil’s kingdom. We
need to take seriously the admonition of Ephesians 4:32, where we read, “Be ye kind one
to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath
forgiven you.”
The word “kindness” speaks of a generous and thoughtful attitude toward others. The word
“tenderhearted” means heartfelt compassion, a sense of sympathy that feels for the needs
and the circumstances of others. We should be careful not to quickly clobber others with
words of negative criticism. Satan, by way of contrast, stirs up bitterness and envy, and
does everything he can to break down a spirit of harmony among God’s people. The devil
sows tares of conflict and discontent among believers in order to dampen their testimony.

d) Satan tempts believers to commit sexual immorality.

First Corinthians 7:5 says that married couples should not withhold their bodies from each
other (except by consent), so that “Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”

Satan is the one who tempts to sexual immorality. All those men who are running off with
other women, and people who are living together without the commitment of marriage, are
following the promptings of the devil. The temptation to longingly lust after a person of the
opposite sex is a device promoted by Satan. The conduct evidenced by those miserable
lust-buzzards who eye every woman they meet and gush over silly females walking down
the street, is initiated by the devil in order to break down the sanctity of our homes and to
saturate our communities with fornication and incest and prostitution and adultery and all
the other ugly sins related to sexual immorality.

We are living in the midst of a tremendous moral revolution. Most of our society is pleasure
oriented. The mood is permissive and immodest and daring. There is an attitude of
irreverence toward God and sacred things. Many consider sexual purity a concept that no
longer has validity. Our age is reeking with sexual immorality, and Satan will do his best to
get us to become careless about maintaining high moral standards.

e) Satan incites persecution against Christians.

The devil does his best to discourage disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ by bringing various
kinds of persecution to bear upon them. Revelation 2:10 says, “Fear none of those things
which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison.”

For most of us, persecution comes in the form of social pressure. People where you work
want you to engage in activities which you believe are wrong—and if you refuse to join
them—they make derogatory remarks, or at least laugh at you behind your back. That is a
form of persecution, and even though it is a milder form of persecution than the martyrdom
of earlier centuries, it is still persecution, and it is the devil who incites it all.

When we think about the devices of the devil, we must remember that the devil is a liar; he
puts evil suggestions into our minds; he develops a bitter and unforgiving spirit among
brethren and sisters; he tempts believers to sexual immorality; and he incites persecution
against Christians in order to discourage them.

3. Our Opposition To the Devil

Each of us is confronted daily with the snares, the tactics, the tricks, and the devices of the
devil. Satan is not in Hell now; he is not locked up in the bottomless pit (as he will be
someday). He is the “god of this age,” walking up and down in this world, seeking to drag
men and women away from Christ. He has each of our names on his list, and he is doing
his level best to drag each one of us down to defeat and destruction. It seems that Satan is
working overtime in these days because he knows that his time is limited, and he is aware
that shortly he will be cast into the Lake of Fire where he will be tormented day and night
forever and ever. See Revelation 20:10. But until that time—how can we overcome his
onslaughts? What is our resource against the strategies of the devil? A two-fold answer is
given in James 4:7.

a) We are to submit ourselves to God.

We cannot resist the devil in our own human power. We must be a committed child of God,
and have the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling within. The message to Christian believers in 1
John 4:4 is this: “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” (Do you remember
the great passage in Galatians 2:20? The Apostle Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ;
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.”) Jesus Christ, who dwells within the
body of the believing Christian, is greater than the devil, who is the god of this world!

The devil is a supernatural being, and it takes a supernatural power to respond to his
devices. Jesus Christ is that power. In order to overcome the devices of the devil, we must
surrender our lives to God and receive Jesus into our hearts by faith. When a person takes
that step, he becomes a new creature with new desires and with new powers to overcome
temptation.

b) We are to resist the devil.

We can resist the devil in the same way that Jesus resisted him when He was tempted in
the wilderness. Jesus resisted the devil by appealing to the Scriptures. When the devil
commanded Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus said, “It is written, man shall not live by
bread alone.” When the devil told Him to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple, Jesus said,
“It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” When Satan offered Him all the
kingdoms of the world, Jesus said, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve.”

Jesus resisted the devil by appealing to the Scriptures. He could have summoned ten
thousand angels; He could have displayed His own supernatural powers, but instead,
Jesus used the same weapon that is available to every one of us—the Word of God. All of
us must make new commitments to spend more time with the Bible; to memorize portions
of Scripture; to study the Word of God—so that we will have a Scriptural dart to throw at the
devil every time he comes our way with a temptation.

c) We are to put on the whole armor of God.

One who takes Christ as his Savior and starts to live and work for Him will soon discover
that there is an enemy seeking to destroy his faith and testimony. All of us find that living
the Christian life involves an ongoing warfare. But God has provided spiritual armor to
protect us, and he has placed in our hands a sword—the Word of God—to help us conquer
and overcome evil. We read about the armor in Ephesians 6:10-18.
The armor includes a belt of truth (it always pays to be truthful), a breastplate of
righteousness (the ability to do the right thing), and a shield of faith (the willingness to trust
and believe that what God says is true). In addition, He gives the sword of the Spirit which
is the Word of God.

In the Christian life we battle against powerful evil forces headed by Satan. To withstand
his attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of armor which is
provided. All believers are special objects of Satan’s attacks because they are no longer on
Satan’s side. We need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided that
power by the Holy Spirit who lives within us, and by the provision of armor which surrounds
us. May God help every believer to be alert to these truths.

Print copies of this booklet may be obtained from:

BIBLE HELPS
Robert Lehigh, Editor
PO Box 391
Hanover, PA 17331
United States of America

About This Publication

Originally published:
September 1995
Filed under:
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Angels and Demons
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Armor of God
Devil
Persecution
Satan
Sexual Immorality
Spiritual Warfare
Temptation
Unforgiveness
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