The Biggest Trick the devil uses as his tool is to make you believe that he is not there at all – By Laurence Torr
Today lots of people take care of their bodies and health and their family and finances, but there is one thing for the believer that also needs to be taken care of and that is their thoughts.
Taking care of your thoughts is a high priority for every believer. As believers we know we have an adversary that comes in order to steal, Kill and destroy.
John 10:10 (Amplified Version) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
In this verse Jesus shows us the purpose of the devil, which is to steal, kill and destroy in contrast to the life, God has made available through Jesus Christ, which is a life to enjoy in abundance.
One of the major ways our enemy attacks us is by way of words, which are his thoughts and his logic which is promoted through this world systems like the media, the TV, News, films, Music, and lies etc, all these avenues are used by the enemy to affect our minds. The scriptures say that this enemy is satan, the scriptures refer to satan as the god of this world. Lets read the scripture to confirm this.
2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) 4 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.
I also like the “New Living Translation” (NLT) version of this Verse
2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
The god of this world would never show himself openly to the world, he hide behind fronts like politics, religion, idol’s and the environment. The goal of satan is to be worshipped like the most high and true God who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If satan showed his true nature no one would worship him, so he has to hide behind fronts so the type of worship he gets is indirect worship because people are deceived not knowing that they are indirectly worshipping satan. The reason it is indirect because people are blindsided to where that information really comes from hence the indirect worship hence the deceptions, and this is where he can steal, kill and destroy.
2 Corinthians 11:4 And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
The word transformed in this verse is disguise, as an angel of light, this is how he deceives people
satan promotes his lies through the world systems, and media, there are so many shows that talk about how to raise your children, what school to send them too, how to handle money, what you should eat, and drink satan promotes his ideas through all these types of media, news magazines what is cool today what is the latest trend, we are bombarded with endless suggestions, of how we should be living what we should be thinking, we have to be politically correct concerning what we say about others or even other religions, but if someone is a Christians you can talk about them this is very subtle but sadly true. but if we come back to God written word we can see why because satan is the god of this world.
See the one thing satan is after is your thought life, he wants the seat of your mind where your thoughts come from, Let us go to the scriptures again to see this.
Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
in verse 31 the word desire is demand and the word sift means “shake in a sieve by inward agitation to try one’s faith to the verge of overthrow
satan wanted to overthrow the faith or believing of Simon (Peter) but Jesus says in the next verse that he had prayed that his (Simon) faith fail not. see believing comes from the heart which is the seat of your personal life, your mind. satan wants to do this to as many people as he can, he deceives people through his lies, he steals, kills and destroyers through his lies. these lies comes in the form of words and as believers we have the word of truth that expose these lies, so people can see the right way and believe the right, and we have the ministry and word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
This is why God through the scriptures encourages us to renew our minds (Romans 12:1-3) to not be like this world, to control our thinking.
The spiritual war today is for the hearts and minds of the people. Our enemy tries to steal our thoughts away from the truth of what God says through the lies that satan promotes in this world and through the world systems. God has given us all a free will choice to decide what we want to believe and think. Our thoughts determine what we say and what we do and how we respond and act. Our mind affects our whole being.
God has given us His logic and thoughts through the scriptures, if we chose to believe them, we can counter act the thoughts satan promotes through this world system, and we are the ones to decide what we will believe. But it is up to us as believers to truly find out what God has to say and then to put those truth on in our hearts and minds, then we can guard against the lies and deception that satan promotes in this world and through the avenues he use to promote his lies.
The one main weapon that satan uses is his LIES infact he does not want you to believe he exist’s but Jesus Christ exposed him.
God once showed me when I was 16 years old, in dream I had was, “the biggest trick the devil uses as his tool is to make you believe that he is not there at all. I really did not understand it at the time but I do now that is for sure.
In the verse below, Jesus Christ, is confronting the religious leaders of their day and also exposing the nature of the devil.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and 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.
his lies started way back in the garden when satan spoke to Eve. we know that satan will use truth so he can introduce his lies he will twist words, add words, subtract words, satan will say that God said something when actually God never said it. how do I know this because I go to the scriptures and God opens it up to us, because we go to God with a heart seeking His is truth and way. We are not interested in what men has to say unless he is saying what God is saying. It is up to each of us as individuals to go to the scripture to make sure what someone is saying is what God is saying.
Genesis 2:16,17 And the Lord God commanded the man, Saying of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17, 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 3:1 Now the serpent (satan) was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Genesis 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent (satan), We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Genesis 3:3-6
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
In this record we can see satan helping Eve, say what God, did not say, by getting Eve to
1.Eve Considering what satan had asked her
2.Questions the word, God had spoken,
3 Eve, omits a word God had spoken,
4.Eve added a word,
5.Change what God had said
And this is still satan’s subtlety today. satan led the first man and woman into sin, he started by attacking the woman’s mind we can see this very clearly in
2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
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.
satan is subtle and will still try and get believers to doubt, satan does this by getting us to considering what satan is saying, and what satan is saying to us can come through the systems of this world, our best friend, a teacher or prime minister, things that challenges our faith.
So it is important we always bring everything back to the scriptures and put the truths of God’s word on in our minds. Now we are born again of the spirit of God we need to read the word of God, and learn what God wants us to know and put his truths on in our minds and live them, sleep them, and eat them, speak them.
We do not want to come in agreement with satan the father of lies. Before we became born again we had an old man nature that learnt from this world and agreed with this world and spoke like this world and acted like this world, why because we were fed with the world ways of believing and doing things. but that all change when we become born again of the spirit of God when we confessed Jesus as our Lord, we received God’s of holy spirit, we now have a new man nature waiting to be fed and grow up into Christ.
Colossians 3:9-10 (KJV)
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds (works); 10 And have put on the new man (now your born again), which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
See we now have to be renewed in the knowledge which is God word to us today if we are going to live in victory as believers.
Romans 12:1-3 (KJV)
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
God by way of Paul is saying here because of the mercies of God we should be living sacrifices walking morally blameless acceptable unto God, and how we do this is written in verse 2. God says don’t be like this world and it ways but be transformed or changed by the renewing of your mind. think of your mind as a living room, for years it has had the same wall paper the same furniture the same television, and now it is time for change what do you do you take out? the old items and put in the new items, there is new wallpaper fresh and pretty for all to see, the smell is clean, the furniture is new, it is cosy and pleasant and everyone says wow you done a great job, I say this to paint the picture in our minds and how we change it with the truths of God’s word. see our minds are renewed by putting the truths of God’s word in it. your mind is where believing comes from, and we have to take great care of minds, satan know this and he wants your mind, he wants to flood it with his lies and deception, Once satan gets you to buy into his lies he can start to steal from your life, kill your joy, destroy your future, and he can do that when we believe his lies. As believers we should bring everything back to What does God say about it, if it does not agree with God’s word then I do not agree with it, whatever it is. Now I mention satan a lot in this article and it was necessary to for me to do this so we can see we have an enemy and he is real, but he is also defeated through the accomplished works of Jesus Christ. I am not glorifying satan but pointing him,
Out and I say again he is already defeated but we are still in battle here today as born again believers, the devil won’t bother them that are co existing with him.
If he attacked Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul are we so special that he will not attack us too?, we are certainly not better and more rewarding then our Lord and Saviour and we are no greater than the apostle Paul so you still need to know this and remember it, and satan will try anything to get you to stop believing, even to the point of bringing in half truth so he can slip in his lies. We see this through many different teachings by different ministers all over the world today. The key is not to rely on any man or woman but go to God and ask Him to open up the scriptures to you and He will show you.
Here is what the Apostle Paul had to say in the Epistle of Ephesians which is also address to the born again believers today. Take heed and pay close attend to what God is saying by Paul mouth here, remember all the wonderful things Paul declares in Ephesians from chapter 1 through to chapter 6 but sums up everything from verse 10 of Chapter 6 of Ephesians. I will use the amplified version of the Bible to cover this.
Ephesians 6:10-20 Amplified Bible
10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].
11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
13 Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness [b]produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of [c]saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit [d]wields, which is the Word of God.
18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
19 And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),
20 For which I am an ambassador in a coupling chain [in prison. Pray] that I may declare it boldly and courageously, as I ought to do.
Why would God by Paul’s mouth exhort us to put on the whole amour in this amazing record, if everything is suppose to be happyville or happy and smooth life?
What did Peter have to say?
1 Peter 5:6-10 (Amplified Bible )
6 Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,
7 Casting the [a]whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, [b]once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you [c]watchfully.
8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [[d]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
9 Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same ([e]identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in ChristJesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish andground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.
See we have to have a humble heart towards God at all times as we stay humble God exalts us He lifts us up, we keep casting all our care our worries fears and anxieties to God we cast them away to Him because God cares for you, our God is good always.
in our minds God wants us to be clear and in our thinking and alert at all times why because we have an enemy and he is a personal enemy to each believer and he is on the hunt for those that are not on watch spiritually.Whatever you may face God promises if we do those things in verse 6, 7 and 8 and 9 God will establish you and strengthen you and settle you and God also wants you to know that you’re not the only one that goes through hard times.
James 4:7-8 (KJV)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Verse 7 show us to submit to God, Resist the Devil, where do you resist? You resist in the mind keeping the truths of the Word you have placed in your heart at the fore front of your thinking. and it does not say how long you will have to resist but it does say that we are to resist the devil and he will flee from us. and verse 8 say we are to draw near to God and God will draw near to you, so we turn to God with all our hearts.
Corinthians 10:4-5 (KJV)
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 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;
See we cannot fight a spiritual battle with five sense means, but spiritual means which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds of the enemy. verse 5 shows us we are to cast down imaginations that is our reasoning we do not try to work it out with our own understanding but we bring everything back to the Scriptures. and every thought that lifts itself against the knowledge of God we are to bring our thoughts back to what Gods says, we line our thoughts with God thoughts that is bringing it into the obedience of Christ.
The god of this world, the father of lies will always try to counterfeit what the one true God does. This is why it is so important to know what God is saying to us today see there are counterfeit gospel’s, Galatians 1:8 there are counterfeit ministers of the gospel as well 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, and there is a counterfeit grace
Grace is God’s favour to men this mean we do not have to work for something but God gives it to us out of His Grace. what is counterfeit grace? basically it is you can do what you want too, mind set, you can get drunk, you can sleep around, you do not need to read the scriptures or speak in tongues etc, it is ok to do what you want syndrome, some use this grace as a licence to do what they want, and say what they want, saying it is God grace when in truth if you take those actions and attitude to the word of God, it does not match up with the word.
The true grace of God empowers us to do what the truth demands of us. A lot of people get grace mixed up with mercy. when some people says well its God grace when it is contrary to scripture, in fact it is actually God’s mercy covering that person. see there is a standard and conduct God would have live and move and have our being So it is important that we Guard our hearts our minds with the truths of God’s word. our heart is where believing comes from, and even though we are born again believers filled with the spirit of God, seated at the right hand of God in Christ Jesus, we still have a reasonability to guard our minds with God’s truth knowing what the scriptures are saying and act accordingly. Then we will not buy into satan lies and deceptions.
I will now leave you with a few scriptures for you to consider and ponder in your heart, remember take what I have written to God and ask him to show you, then go to the word of God yourself and make it your own, I pray you have been encouraged and enlighten through this article. If satan can make you ignorant of God’s will, he will rob you of all the glorious blessings God has planned for your life. and You will make bad decisions, and get involved in the wrong practises. Believers who are ignorant of God’s true direction lose the enjoyment of God’s peace and power. They cannot grow into their full potential, nor can they accomplish what God has planned for them. So it is important to know the truth because like Jesus Christ said the truth will make you, and you will be free indeed. and also to know we have an enemy that is out for to steal, kill and destroy.
Much love
Laurence xx
Our Adversary what God mentions about him
2Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The Theif
John 10:10 (Amplified Version) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
The Accuser
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Deceiver
Revelations12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
father of lies
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and 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.
A Roaring lion seeking
1 Peter 5:8 8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [[d]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour
the prince of the power of the air
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
The Tempter
1 Thessilonians 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your
faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
And other name not mentioned here
Guarding your heart and Mind
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 3:1-8 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he
trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting
strength:
Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer .
Philippians 4:6-8(NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Think on These Things
Philippians 4:6-8 (KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
About Author
Great study and important reminder that we as believers need to be wary of the sly and deceptive wiles of the Devil, to not be destroyed for lack of knowledge and to guard our heart for it is the well-spring of life. Thank you so much Laurence. You are a great servant and wonderful leader of God’s people. Love Kim xox