Satan has extreme patience. He waits for the perfect time to tempt you with something that could lead you astray. And it doesn’t have to be something bad.
Never give the devil a ride, he’ll want to take over the driving. If I’ve ever heard a true statement, this is it.
If you have already accepted Jesus as Savior, he can’t keep you from being a believer in Christ. So he will try to keep you busy doing good things that God didn’t start and doesn’t bless.
And God won’t be able to use you to make a real difference for Him in the lives of those around you.
If you are a good person, Satan knows it would be harder to tempt you to do something you know is bad. But people with good hearts want to do good things.
I am well aware of how Satan works in this area. He kept me busy for many years doing good things that God neither started nor blessed.
But I felt good about what I was doing, and never realized God had much better things for me to do. I guess I thought other leaders and Christians had a better connection to God than I did. So I just got in on what they started.
Ephesians 6: 10-18 says to put on your spiritual armor each day so that you can have every weapon you need to defeat Satan.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For 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. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–
Satan has extreme patience.
He waits for the smallest of openings in an area. Then he works on gradually enlarging that area until he has gained control. He knows that the more control he gets the harder it will be for you to gain back victory in that area.
It may take awhile for you to realize you have given him control, because the takeover has been gradual. Like I said, he has extreme patience.
The only way to defeat Satan and live a life of spiritual victory is to put on the armor listed in Ephesians 6: 10-18. The Holy Spirit can give discernment and wisdom about situations you need to avoid and people with whom you don’t need to associate.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you supernatural wisdom, discernment, and the power to walk in obedience to God. You are fighting a battle in the spiritual realm that you can’t see with physical eyes.
Matthew 19: 26 With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
You can believe the promises of the Bible, so keep your eyes and mind focused on God. Then the good things you do will be started by and blessed by Him.
