Read this if you want to know how to:

Overcome the devil's tactics

Work with God to extend His Kingdom

1. Kings & armies

Kingdom = ‘The domain of the king’ = The area he rules over.

In Biblical times - kings went out with their armies and fought to extend their kingdoms.

Jesus is the King of kings, as Paul explained in 1 Timothy 6:14-15

14 … our Lord Jesus Christ … 

15 … the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Further reading - Revelation 17:14 & 19:16

We’re 'soldiers' in God's army.

So our job is to extend His Kingdom by:

• Evangelising.

• Strengthening believers in their faith.

But we have an ENEMY who FIGHTS AGAINST the Kingdom of God.

So we’ll look at:

A. Why do we have an enemy?

B. How should we fight him?  /  What weapons do we have?

C. Our enemy’s tactics against us - and how to overcome them.

2. WHY do we have an enemy?

Almighty God created the entire Universe and everything in it.

Further reading - 'Creation' message on WholeCounselofGod.com

So God could easily defeat Satan in an instant.

But He wants US to be involved in the fight.

Judges 3:1-2

1Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove (= to test) Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof (= to teach those without battle experience).

--> God deliberately gave the Israelites physical enemies - so they’d learn how to fight & win.

--> Today: God gives us SPIRITUAL enemies - so that WE learn how to fight and to win.

Illustration

We can fantasise about having an easy life - putting our feet up & relaxing in the sun.

But doing that all day would make us very unfit.

We need to exercise!

It’s the same with our spiritual life:

• If we don’t exercise spiritually - our faith shrinks.

• So God gives us SPIRITUAL CHALLENGES - to STRENGTHEN our faith.

It’s interesting (in Joshua 12) that the Israelites had to defeat:

• Two enemy kings: before they entered the Promised Land - that’s a picture of our unsaved life.

• Thirty one enemy kings: after they entered the Promised Land - that’s a picture of the many battles we need to win, after we’re saved.

3. How do we LEARN to defeat our enemy?

It’s like learning to drive - we need both:

1. Theory

2. Practice

1.  For the THEORY of:

• Driving safely - we read the Highway Code.

• How to defeat the enemy - we read the Bible, e.g. how the Israelites fought the Philistines.

As we notice how & why Israel won (or lost) their physical battles - we learn how to win (or lose) our spiritual battles.

2. For the PRACTICAL aspects of:

• Driving - the instructor & examiner check how we handle: junctions, busy traffic, emergency stops etc.

• Spiritual warfare - God puts us into real situations where we have to overcome the devil’s tactics.

 We may not like these situations - but God knows what’s best, so He doesn’t give us an opt-out!

Psalm 144:1 ~ Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

4. We fight in PARTNERSHIP with God

Exodus 15:3 ~ The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 

--> God isn't a pacifist: He fights!

Further reading

Exodus 17:16

Numbers 21:14, 31:1-5

Joshua 10:14

Judges 4:23

1 Chronicles 5:22

Psalm 24:8

Isaiah 13:4-5, 42:13

Jeremiah 50:25

Revelation 19:11

You and I are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) - so we should ALSO fight spiritual battles.

It’s a partnership:

• We need to work closely together.

• Like two people carrying a long ladder around the corner of a building, need to work closely together!

There’s a great example of this partnership when God AND David fought the Philistines.

This is what God told David in 2 Samuel 5:24-25

24And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going (= marching) in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself (= move quickly):

for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host (= army) of the Philistines.

25And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

• God fought the Philistines.

• David fought the Philistines.

--> There was an intimate partnership between them - which is what God wants to develop with US.

Further reading

Deuteronomy 1:30, 2:32-33, 3:1-3, 7:1-2 & 23-24, 9:1-3

Joshua 1:5 & 9, 8:7, 10:7-11, 19, 24-25, 29-32 & 42, 11:6-9

Judges 4:14-16, 5:23, 6:16, 11:21 & 32, 20:28

1 Samuel 7:10-11, 17:32-47, 23:1-5, 25:28

2 Samuel 22:35-43

1 Chronicles 5:20, 14:11 & 15-16, 17:8

2 Chronicles 13:13-18, 14:8-15, 16:8, 20:17

Psalms 18:34, 39-40 & 48, 60:12, 108:13, 118:10-14

Jeremiah 51:20-24

Zechariah 10:5

5. So far we've looked at PHYSICAL battles - but how do we win SPIRITUAL battles?

There are no 'defence cuts' in God’s army - we have the same weapons as the early church!

But we need to USE these weapons.

Our weapons include the following:

• Fasting

• Praise

• Prayer

 See the separate messages about these topics on: WholeCounselofGod.com

6. Let's now look at our OTHER weapons

Ephesians chapter 6  is well known to most Christians.

• But it’s good to remind ourselves of what Paul wrote.

• Just like airline pilots revisit the flight simulator - to check that they know how to deal with every difficult situation which they may face.

Verse 10

10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

• WE can be strong: because GOD - our heavenly Father - is strong.

• Like young children in the playground taunt: ‘My dad’s bigger than your dad’.

Further reading

Deuteronomy 3:22, 33:26-27

Joshua 2:9-11, 23:3, 5 & 9-10, 24:12

2 KIngs 7:6

Psalms 35:1-10, 44:1-7, 46:1, 50:15, 54:1-7, 55:18-19 & 22, 56:9, 62:1-2 & 5-8, 81:1

Psalms 89:13 & 18, 91:1-16, 94:22, 97:10, 107:6, 13, 19 & 28, 109:31, 118:6, 121:1-2 & 7

Isaiah 51:12

Jeremiah 50:33-34

Amos 5:8-9

Zephaniah 3:17

Verse 11

11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (= deceitful schemes) of the devil.

• Today - suits of armour are displayed in museums & stately homes.

• But that’s not what the armour was designed for - it was made for fierce combat.

• We need to PUT ON our armour - not leave it unused and ourselves vulnerable.

Verse 12

12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

• We’re in a wrestling match.

• Wrestling is a contact sport!

• If we feel like we need a break - it’s because we’re in  CLOSE COMBAT  with our spiritual enemies.

Verse 13

13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

• In a football match - each team tries to exploit their opposition's weak points e.g. an injured goalkeeper or an unfit defender.

• It’s the same in any battle - fighters try to find & exploit their enemy’s weak points.

• So we must put on and use ALL the weapons which God has given us - to make sure that we're 100% covered.

Verse 14a

14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth ... 

-->  The Bible is true:

• So we should live our lives by what the WORD OF GOD says.  

• Not by un-Godly / worldly ways.

Verse 14b

14(cont)… and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

--> Jesus died on the cross to give us His righteousness:

• So if the devil tries to condemn us for our sins & shortcomings - throw the blood of Jesus back in his face.

• Once we’ve accepted Jesus as our Saviour - we’re just as righteous as He is!

Further reading

Isaiah 54:17, 59:17

‘The Cross’ & ‘Grace’ messages on WholeCounselofGod.com

Verse 15

15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

• Knowing that GOD'S IN CHARGE gives us PEACE.

Romans 8:28 ~ All things work together for good to them that love God.

• So whatever we’re going through - God either caused or allowed it, for our eternal good.

Further reading

'Tough times' message on WholeCounselofGod.com

Verse 16

16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Q - Does the Bible say that we’ll never have fiery darts thrown at us?

A - No

• But when these fiery darts are thrown at us - our faith in God will quench all of them.

• So when the devil attacks - HAVE FAITH in our Fighting Partner: Almighty God, Creator of the whole universe.

William Romaine - the 18th century Anglican clergyman - wrote:

‘The believer has many enemies opposing him in his way heavenwards; but in Christ he has strength sufficient to conquer them all.

His worst enemy, that gives him most uneasiness, is indwelling sin, which is never at rest, like the troubled sea, always casting up some of its filthy motions and corruptions.

So that when he is at prayer, it is ever trying to amuse and distract his mind with a thousand vain and idle thoughts.

…

Over this enemy there is no victory but by faith.’

Further reading

Genesis 15:1

Proverbs 30:5

Verse 17a

17 And take the helmet of salvation ...

--> Helmet of salvation = 100% confidence that we have eternal life:

• That puts everything else into perspective.

• The problems we face on earth are only for a short time - we’ll then go on to a MUCH BETTER PLACE, for the whole of eternity!

• Just like we can put up with having to stand on a crowded bus / train - knowing that it's only for a short time, on our way to where we want to get to.

Further reading

Isaiah 59:17

Verse 17b

17(cont.) ... and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

• We need to read the Bible - so we become a ‘Skilled sword-fighter’.

• Then when we face a tough situation - WE'LL KNOW what to do.

• It’s the same as we should always read the instructions for something we buy - then we’ll know how to use it properly & how to deal with any problems.

Further reading

Hebrews 4:12

Revelation 1:16, 2:16

Revelation 19:13-16 then Judges 3:12-21 & 27-30

Verse 18

18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

• Praying in the Spirit = Praying in tongues.

• That’s accurate, perfect prayer - which ‘Hits the target' every time.

• Just like using a funnel when cooking, or when topping up a car’s screen-wash / engine-oil: the funnel directs the liquid into just the right place.

EXAMPLE of the effectiveness of praying in tongues

I was in the cab of a pick-up truck, driving late at night through rural Africa, on the way to a Christian conference.

We were stopped at a roadblock by about 10-12 armed policemen - who made our driver get out of the truck, invented a false accusation and said that they’d take him away to police cells.

The police wanted a bribe to release the driver (common practice in some parts of the world).

But God told us not to pay / receive bribes. 

(Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 16:19, 1 Samuel 8:1-3 & 12:1-3, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Psalm 26:9-12, Proverbs 17:23, Ecclesiastes 7:7,  Isaiah 1:23 & 33:15-16, Amos 5:12)

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW to get out of this tough situation - so I prayed in tongues.

 A few minutes later - another car drove towards the roadblock from the opposite direction.

The police stopped this other car and all the police went over to it.

Amazingly - they left our driver completely unguarded.

Our driver therefore climbed back into the pick-up truck, and we drove off to continue our mission - God did a miracle!

So when we face a difficult situation and don’t know what to do - pray in tongues.

Further reading

Romans 8:26

‘Gifts of the Holy Spirit’ message on WholeCounselofGod.com

7. We need to ATTACK

Matthew 16:18 ~ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

--> Jesus was not telling the church to just defend itself.

--> He said that: as we ATTACK the work of the enemy - the devil CANNOT keep us out!

(His 'gates' won't work for him.)

Illustration

During World War 2 - the Allied forces could have stayed safely in the UK.

But they attacked the Normandy beaches on D-Day - then went on to win the war.

--> We need to have that SAME attacking spirit - to defeat the devil & his work.

Further reading

Matthew 11:12

1 Timothy 1:18,  6:12 

2 Timothy 4:7

1 John 2:14

8. We can learn from what Joshua told the Israelites

Joshua (Hebrew):

• Is the same name as Jesus (Greek).

• Is a picture / foreshadow of Jesus Christ.

• TWICE told the Israelites to ATTACK:

A. FIRST occasion

Joshua 17:14-18

14And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying,  Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit,

seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto (= until now)?

15And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people,

then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

16And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us:

and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

17And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: 

18But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings (= borders) of it shall be thine:

for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

-->Joseph’s people (= the tribes of Ephraim & Manasseh) needed more land.

--> God had PROMISED the land to the Israelites, so Joshua (= Hebrew for Jesus) said: ‘GO UP AND TAKE IT’.

--> Ephraim & Manassaeh made excuses - they were scared of the enemy & their iron chariots.

--> So Joshua reminded the the two Israelite tribes of their status: ‘THOU ART A GREAT PEOPLE’.

In the same way - God wants US to go on the OFFENSIVE, to extend His Kingdom.

We’re also a ‘Great people’:

• Not because of our own strength.

• But because of the MIGHTY WEAPONS which God has given us.

B. SECOND occasion

Joshua 18:1-3

1And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

2And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

3And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

--> Joshua told the seven tribes: ‘GET ON WITH IT!’

The same as he’d told Ephraim & Manasseh.

So to extend God's Kingdom, we need:

• A 'Can do'  attitude.

NOT

• A 'Can't do' attitude.

9. Let's now look at the devil's NAMES

Revelation 12:9 ~ 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. 

1 Peter 5:8 ~ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

His names include:

a. SATAN - which is:

• Greek for ‘Accuser’.

• Hebrew for ‘Adversary / Opponent’

So we do have an enemy!

b. DEVIL

c. DRAGON

d. LION

e. SERPENT (= a snake) which:

• Twists & turns: just like Satan twists the truth - to confuse, accuse & divide people.

• Sticks to the earth: just like Satan is behind worldly - as opposed to Godly - values.

What does God say WE DO to: lions, snakes & dragons?

Psalm 91:9-10 & 13

9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; 

10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 

…

13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

--> God says that we can stand on the: ‘lion, snake & dragon’.

= We can stand on the devil. 

Q - So what is God telling us?

A - Satan does exist.

But we do not need to fear him!

Illustration

It's like electricity is dangerous to the ignorant - but not if we know how to handle it safely.

Further reading

Isaiah 27:1

Luke 9:1, 10:19

10. KNOW our enemy and his tactics against us

2 Corinthians 2:11 ~ Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

--> We need to UNDERSTAND Satan’s tactics.

Just like:

• Football managers study in advance how the opposing team plays - to learn how to defeat them.

• In the desert campaign of World War 2, the opposing generals (Montgomery & Rommel) went to great lengths to understand their opponent’s personality & tactics - to give their armies the best chance of winning.

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. The devil’s a MURDERER

When people are murdered - I believe the devil’s behind the scenes, manipulating the killers.

Think of: 9/11, genocides, terrorist bombings, the Dunblane massacre etc.

B. The devil’s a LIAR

I believe he's behind:

• Atheism.

• False religions.

• Temptations to commit sexual & other sins.  (Further reading - 'Family' message on WholeCounselofGod.com)

... To trick people into going to hell when they die.

C. The devil also tries to HINDER people from believing the Bible

Which leads to people going to hell with him, when they die:

Luke 8:12 (and Matthew 13:19 / Mark 4:15)

Those by the way side are they that hear;

then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

11. How to DEFEAT the devil's three main tactics against us

Devil’s tactic #1

1 Timothy 3:7 ~ Moreover he (= overseer or elder, but the devil uses the same tactics against all believers)

must have a good report of them which are without (= by those outside the church);

lest he fall into reproach (= disgrace / shame) and the snare of the devil.

--> Satan sets snares / traps.

--> He 'plays dirty'.

1 Peter 5:8 ~ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

A. Peter told us to be SOBER:

• Excess alcohol lowers our defences.

• If we drink too much or take drugs - it’s like leaving the door into our home wide-open overnight, and saying to a burglar / the devil: ‘Come on in’.

B. Peter told us to be VIGILANT (= to  watch out / be careful):

• We shouldn’t go to places where the devil can easily lay his traps.

• We should be careful about whom we spend our time with.

Many believers have fallen into sin, by being casual in these areas.

Ephesians 4:27 ~ Neither give place to the devil.

Further reading

Genesis 9:20-21 & 19:30-38

Psalms 140:4-5, 141:9-10, 142:3

Jeremiah 5:26

2 Timothy 2:26

Devil’s tactic #2

Matthew 4:8-9

8Again, the devil taketh Him (= Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.

--> The devil tries to TEMPT us with things of NO ETERNAL VALUE: 

• Money, pride, wrongful sex etc.

• Esau sold his birth-right for just a bowl of soup. (Genesis 25:29-34)

It’s easy to get rich, by working for the devil - in his schemes to take people to hell.

Think of: drug dealers, gambling firms, pornography merchants etc.

The devil doesn’t change his tactics:

Genesis 13:13 ~ But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 14:21 ~ And the king of Sodom (= a picture of Satan) said unto Abram (a believer), Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

--> Satan offers people 'trinkets' in this world - to capture their souls and to take them down into hell for eternity.

Q - But what should drive our lives?

A:

1. Knowing that after our bodies die - God will judge us.

2. Not doing anything which would cause us to go to hell - instead of to heaven!

Further reading

Matthew 26:41 / Mark 14:38 / Luke 22:40 & 46

Luke 4:5-7, 22:3-6

John 13:2

1 Timothy 6:9

'What happens when we die?' message on WholeCounselofGod.com

Devil’s tactic #3

1 Thessalonians 2:18 ~ Wherefore we would have (= we wanted to) come unto you, even I Paul, once and again (= again & again);

but Satan hindered us.

• Satan tries to HINDER the work of God.

• So when we’re doing God’s work (or sometimes just going to a Christian meeting) - we should be prepared to overcome any opposition.

Q - How should we DEAL with these hindrances?

A -  James 4:7 ~ … resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Example

I was driving to speak at a church meeting:

• During the journey, I suddenly felt demons biting my legs (like dog bites) and trying to stop me from using the car’s pedals.

• So I prayed in tongues loudly, and then declared the truth: ‘Satan get out of here, Jesus rules my life now’ and the biting instantly stopped.

• I found out later - the message which God had told me to deliver at that meeting, applied directly to the serious situation of a Christian couple who were there.

• The devil tried to stop the couple from hearing that message, but when I resisted Satan - he fled: exactly like James told us would happen.

Further reading

Acts 13:6-11

12. Finally - one important truth we often forget

2 Kings 6:15-17

Verse 15

15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed (= an army surrounded) the city both with horses and chariots.

And his servant said unto  him (= to Elisha), Alas, my master! How (= what) shall we do?

Q - Why was Elijah’s servant scared?

A - Because he thought that the Israelites had to fight the huge enemy army on their own.

Verses 16-17

16And he (= Elisha) answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 

17And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw:

and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

--> Don’t be downhearted by what seems like an impossible situation.

--> God sends His angels to help us,  it’s just that we can’t see them!

EXAMPLE

I was part of a small team bringing supplies from Mozambique into Zimbabwe - where at that time, food  was very scarce.

The Zimbabwean pick-up truck which was supposed to meet us at the border didn’t arrive - it had broken down and the driver had to sell his mobile phone to pay for the repair.

So we had no way of contacting each other.

We managed to reach a large town just inside Zimbabwe - where one of the African Pastors in our team knew some believers, who very kindly gave us beds & food for the night.

About dawn the next day, this African Pastor felt someone tugging on his big toe - he looked down but there was no-one there!

He’d learnt from past experiences that it was an angel doing this - to wake him up.

So he got up early, walked into town - and found our transport, with the driver asleep inside!

--> God sent an angel - to wake the Pastor at the right time.

 --> The Holy Spirit then guided him - to exactly the right spot in the town!

Further reading

Genesis 19:10-11

Exodus 14:25, 23:20-22, 33:2

Deuteronomy 7:17-21, 20:1-4, 31:3-4, 6, 8 & 23

1 Samuel 14:6, 13-15 & 23

2 Chronicles 32:6-8 then 20-22  /  Isaiah 37:33-37

Isaiah 59:19

Acts 12:5-11

Romans 8:31

1 John 4:4

13. Conclusion

We don’t fight spiritual battles on our own:

• We play our part and God plays His part.

• So let’s never hold back from extending the Kingdom of God!

Amen