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Overcoming the Wickedness that Tries To Rule our Body, Mind and Spirit:
Five Areas Satan Wants to Rule:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” 2 Corinthians 10:4 –6 (NKJV).
1. Your Heart –
He wants to rule your heart, so it’s not God’s alone. Throughout Scripture God warns us to guard our heart. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV). Satan knows he has an entry point into your life if God is not first in our hearts. “You shall have no other gods before me” Exodus 20:3 (NKJV). And Jesus reaffirmed it under the New Covenant,“So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:27 (NKJV). Satan’s greatest desire is to prevent you from giving God all of your heart so he will constantly entangle you with lures, snares and traps of this world. Also, place people, things, and desires in front of you, and anything to distract you so he can erect a false god in front of you. He will try to bait you with a false god like your career, your money, your possession, a spouse or love interest, a dream or goal, a hobby or lifestyle. There are many Christians whose first love is their bodies, so they spend more time in the gym working out than letting God work within. It’s a subtle way of starting to love other things more than God. Some of us love food, luxury lifestyles, recreation, our children, a substance, or a feeling (like being in love, or feeling energetic) more than God, Himself. You must guard your heart by keeping Christ on the throne of your life so Satan can’t try sneak anything in your life that is not of God or in God’s will for your life.
2. Your Worries –
Your concerns about tomorrow, your worries that carry from yesterdays into the todays and your uncertainties about your future, all to make you doubt God’s love and provision. Satan wants you stressing, because then you’re not resting in God’s ability to care for you. Women tend to stress over the temporal things such as bills that must be paid, health and wellness of family members, if you’ll be able to have a child, what others maybe saying about them, how you look to others, just to name few. Men tend to stress about their jobs, providing for their families, and whether or not they are making the ends meet is very important to them. Then there’s health concerns, fears about our aging parents, and other situations that can crowd out God’s peace in our lives and even cause us to begin to blame God for our circumstances. You must not allow or let Satan in this door through his enticing “what if?” questions and the doubts he weaves through your mind. God instructs us not to be concern about this life.“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV). Keep praying about your concerns and keep thanking God ahead of time for what He’s about to do, so Satan doesn’t get a stronghold in your mind through your worries and fears.
3. Your Thoughts –
Your everyday thinking or thoughts – so you’re just like the world. It’s amazing how many people profess to know God and follow Him, yet their thinking patterns are just like those of anyone else in the world. Satan loves that. He wants you to be so absorbed with the ways of the world that you are clueless about what God’s Word says. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” Romans 12:2 (NKJV). Furthermore, God’s Word instructs us to fix or make your thoughts be about what is factual, honorable and righteous. Also, we must concentrate or contemplate about things that are commendable wholesome unadulterated, and wholesome. And, this will allow our thoughts to be more excellent and worthy of praise. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (NKJV). But Satan would rather have us with emotional cloud of delusions and mental anguish by listening to the world, rather than the word of God. Guard your everyday thinking by soaking it in Scripture. It’s the only way to keep Satan and his worldly philosophies from entering in.
4. Your Speech or Words –
Your speech or words, so you tear others apart that will allow you to possibly destroy others future dreams, goals or ambitions. God wants us to be holy mouthpieces for Him, so people who heal and help with our words. But Satan would rather have you and me blowing it big time with our mouths. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV). Be a verbally thankful person who speaks only to lift others up, not tear them down. A few critical words here, a few complaints there, some profanity mixed in with a little gossip on the side and we have given him permission to make us people who tear others apart and sound no different; and sometimes worse than unbelievers. Satan knows we can cause much damage with our mouths if we do not bring them under God’s control. Whether it is gossip, criticism or unkind remarks, our mouths can be instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness. Close that door to Satan, altogether, by applying God’s instructions.“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV). That will diminish and destroy a critical and complaining spirit that gives Satan a stronghold in our lives.