The Snares of the Devil
My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. ~Psalm 25:15
First Peter 5:8-9 lets us know that the devil walks about like a roaring lion,seeking whom he may devour. Jesus said it like this "the enemy comes but to steal, kill, and destroy". Satan has been a murderer from the beginning(John 8:44). He was the first to prefer choice rather than life and just like in the Garden he is still preaching the same message today. The devil is trying to get any and every one in his snare (net). He is trying to take captive as many as he can by his devices, and wiles.
The Bible teaches us that the devil, as he works his deception against us, personifies wiles. He is the master of wiles. He lies to us and waits to trap us, discourage us and snare us. Know that he will do anything he needs to do to weaken us and destroy us. It is his daily occupation to produce discouragement, confusion, indifference, imbalance, division and hatred among us. He knows that if he can plant these things, hopelessness can set in and we can become separated from family members and friends and even God. He is not our friend but our chief enemy. He is crafty and cunning using every satanic strategy to derail us and put us and keep us in bondage. And if we aren't careful; if we are not alert and sober, resisting him and standing firm in the faith, he will surely catch us in his snare (net). Out of which we cannot get freed by ourselves but there is deliverance that comes from and by Jesus Christ our Lord in the power of His Resurrection.
When the devil sees an opening into our lives through emotions or mood (Eph.4:26), he tries to gain a foothold in our minds trying to get a stronghold over what we think, what we say, what we believe and what we do. What’s happening? The devil is watching; going around like a roaring lion looking for someone to attack and devour. He is our enemy (1 Peter 5:8). When we fall into certain moods or we are overcome by various kinds of emotions, the enemy steps in to defeat us; to lead us into sin. Therefore, we must control ourselves and be careful; watch as well as pray. The wiles of the devil include this cunning ability to find openings through our moods and emotions. Paul said, “‘Be angry, and do not sin:’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil (Eph. 4:26).” When we are angry and we take that anger with us into the next day, and carry it along with us for weeks and months and years … we might as well wear a bull’s eye target. The devil will find us and seek an entrance into our heart for his evil purpose and to our downfall. Forgiveness is a key weapon in defeating the wiles of the devil. We must use the Word of God and prayer –to take a careful inventory of our moods; our emotions; the grudges and bitterness that we carry. Expel the hurt feelings we can't seem to turn loose of; the habitual, destructive thoughts we entertain. The devil can use those things to slowly erode our character; to lead us into sin to gradually teardown relationships and turn us away from God.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Just like the Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians not to be ignorant of the devil's wiles; his schemes, we have to take this same advice. The wiles or schemes of the devil occur primarily in our thought life. The mind is the place where that master deceiver wage his spiritual battles. Every attack of the enemy is staged in our minds.
When the devil sees an opening into our lives through emotions or mood (Eph.4:26), he tries to gain a foothold in our minds trying to get a stronghold over what we think, what we say, what we believe and what we do. What’s happening? The devil is watching; going around like a roaring lion looking for someone to attack and devour. He is our enemy (1 Peter 5:8). When we fall into certain moods or we are overcome by various kinds of emotions, the enemy steps in to defeat us; to lead us into sin. Therefore, we must control ourselves and be careful; watch as well as pray. The wiles of the devil include this cunning ability to find openings through our moods and emotions. Paul said, “‘Be angry, and do not sin:’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil (Eph. 4:26).” When we are angry and we take that anger with us into the next day, and carry it along with us for weeks and months and years … we might as well wear a bull’s eye target. The devil will find us and seek an entrance into our heart for his evil purpose and to our downfall. Forgiveness is a key weapon in defeating the wiles of the devil. We must use the Word of God and prayer –to take a careful inventory of our moods; our emotions; the grudges and bitterness that we carry. Expel the hurt feelings we can't seem to turn loose of; the habitual, destructive thoughts we entertain. The devil can use those things to slowly erode our character; to lead us into sin to gradually teardown relationships and turn us away from God.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Just like the Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians not to be ignorant of the devil's wiles; his schemes, we have to take this same advice. The wiles or schemes of the devil occur primarily in our thought life. The mind is the place where that master deceiver wage his spiritual battles. Every attack of the enemy is staged in our minds.
Therefore we must be alert and sober "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be " (Romans 8:6-7). Satan wants to make our mind carnal (sinful, worldly, and fleshly). God wants us to be spiritually minded. He uses the mind because it is closely tied spiritually to our heart and mouth: But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts... (Matthew 15:18-19) Satan attacks our mind because he knows our thoughts will affect the way we act: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he... (Proverbs 23:7) And with that knowledge, he knows if he can gain control of our mind, he can control our body, our actions and if we aren't alert and sober, our spirit.
Deception is also part of the enemy's strategy. Seducing Spirits of Satan attack the mind to distort the truth of God's Word: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. (1 Timothy 4:1)He works in the mind of unbelievers to keep them from the saving grace of God's Gospel: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
His deception can cause us to become depressed: to be downcast,sad, discouraged, or in low spirit. We may experience feelings of despair,despondency, and dejection. These emotions can lead to suicidal thoughts or actual suicide because of the hopeless feelings which produces uncontrollable mental grief, sorrow, heartache, and crying. And because satan is a master of trying to snare us he tries to use our circumstances of this life to lead to despair and depression. In his craftiness,satan uses depression that is caused by the negative attitudes of those around us through which satan works. In Deuteronomy 1:28 God's people admitted, "Our brethren have discouraged our hearts." If Satan gains a stronghold over the depression and it has not been conquered it can also lead to the oppression by satanic spirits which is a deeper form of depression where the power of satan over minds are more restrictive.
Satan attacks the mind is through withdrawal. His strategy isto isolate us from family and friends and the rest of the Body of Christ.He does this by us allowing him to cause wrong attitudes towards others. Heinserts his fiery darts of envy, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, jealousy,impatience, competition, hatred, intolerance,prejudice, judgmentalism, distrust, suspicion, low self-esteem, andself-centeredness. Also wrong attitudes of pride, self-righteousness,selfishness ego, vanity, arrogance, discontent, etc. These wrong attitudes leadto wrong emotions which are birthed from our thoughts.
Things we should always be vigilant in keeping the Lord ever before us:
§ A ready mind: II Corinthians 8:19; I Peter 5:2;Acts 17:11
§ A pure mind: II Peter 3:1
§ A stayed mind: Isaiah 26:3
§ A renewed mind: Ephesians 4:23; Romans 12:2
§ A humble mind: Colossians 3:12; Acts 20:19
§ A sober mind: Titus 2:6
§ A sound mind: II Timothy 1:7
§ A mind of love: Matthew 22:37
§ A serving mind: Romans 7:25
§ A fully persuaded mind: Romans 14:5
§ A fervent mind: II Corinthians 7:7
§ A willing mind: II Corinthians 8:12
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power ofHis might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand againstthe wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, butagainst principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness ofthis age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore,take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evilday, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waistwith truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shodyour feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking theshield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts ofthe wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication inthe Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplicationfor all the saints,” (Eph. 6:10-18)
May the Grace, Peace and Power of God be with usall as we wait for the return of our King, Jesus Christ.
In God's Hands & His Service,
Mary J. Bryant,
Beloved of the Most High God
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