The Schemes and Devices of the Devil Part 1: Do Not Be Ignorant

The Schemes and Devices of Devil
Part 1: Do Not Be Ignorant

I have been a Christian for 32 years, a leader for 28 of those years, and for 16 of those years I have run a ministry and been a clinical Christian counselor. Through my experiences in ministry I have never seen a time that Christians need a deeper knowledge and application of spiritual things. You need a full understanding of body, soul, spirit, the ability to apply spiritual warfare in your daily thinking, life and relationship skills, and tools and skills to protect yourself from spiritual oppression.

“For 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13

Your challenges are through daily interactions, circumstances, and how you react in your thinking. What your thinking leads you to do with your body, speech patterns, and behavioral choices either leads you toward God and good fruit, or into oppression. It is the ongoing struggles to die to your flesh, your carnal man, and let the mind of Christ rule your daily life. Yet it is not just an earthly struggle, because you have unseen real enemies attempting to influence you from every message in your culture and through your own sinful desires and choices.
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

This scripture was not spoken to the unsaved but to Christians; you are commanded to be alert. Satan has no rights to a Christian except that which you concede through open doors through sin patterns, thoughts, actions, what others have done to you, generational inheritances, and much more that I will identify later in this series. Here is the good news; Jesus paid not just for you to be forgiven and for your salvation, but also for you to overcome the schemes of the enemy and have freedom from hindrances.

I teach people tools and skills to overcome faulty thinking, bonding issues, relationship challenges, and gain freedom from life controlling behaviors and negative emotions. In the last several years I have seen a huge increased need in prayer ministry and deliverance for my clinical counseling clients.

Christian counseling is meant to provide tools, skills, identify root systems, heal soul wounds, and apply biblical truth in your thinking, life, and relationship skills. When you change your thinking you are living a lifestyle of repentance. This is how you resist the enemy and close the doors of your body and soul that give Satan a foothold in your life.

The increase of demonic activity in our world is unparalleled with anything I have seen in my years of counseling. Witchcraft is common place, lust and perversion is mainstream, abuse is rampant, and addiction is epidemic. You are living in a world where you are being scientifically, psychologically, and spiritually mind controlled daily and the average Christian is unaware.

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”Behold, I have told you in advance.” Matthew 24:24

You receive input daily through, all forms of media – music, television, news, internet, movies, games, books, and more. You are affected and influenced through your environment at work, home, friends, church, and socially. You need to know the Word of God. We have been told all things in advance. Search the full measure of the Word from Genesis to Revelation.

“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” Proverbs 29:18

”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge.”
Hosea 4:6

It is not the hour for a feel good gospel that only states partial truth. Seek understanding, be vigilant, and grow in the Word; live it, do not compromise it. You will not know the hour or day but you will know the season the Word says. Test the spirits, there are apostate messages all around you even from within the church. Apostate means departing from the truth.

You are to take the full measure of the Word from Genesis to Revelation. To interpret the Bible properly you must note first mention of biblical topics, let the Bible interpret the Bible, understand original intents from Hebrew and Greek, and consider the time and circumstances that it was written and who was receiving it. You are not to pull out proof texts to support your favorite belief or doctrine, or act like the Bible is a buffet to pick and choose what you want to believe. This is apostate.

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

That is a serious warning. To be wise you must learn the Bible for yourself and rightly divide the Word of Truth. A twisting of the gospel is clearly no gospel at all and will lead you astray. This is the last days and you are to be aware and discerning.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 24:13

The culture is preaching louder than the church what is “normal” behaviors. What do you agree with – the Bible, the world, or your life experiences? Only one thing is Truth – God’s Word. Do you entertain yourself with violence, perversion, and witchcraft on a daily basis and think that it is only a story and harmless?
The enemy’s schemes would like you to think so. But it is not true. They are all open doors for an enemy who is looking to develop mental strongholds, thought processes, and behaviors that are contrary to the Word of God.

Do your sexual, moral, and behavioral beliefs truly agree with the Bible in daily application? Do you play with the things that killed Jesus and crucified him on the Cross? The ugliness of sin is clearly depicted on the cross. It should be a picture that causes you to flee from sin and turn towards a loving God. You are not to be ignorant of the enemy’s plots to destroy you.

“Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
2 Corinthians 2:11

Paul said in this scripture that the devil would not take advantage of you, because you are not ignorant of his devices. Is this something that most Christians can say? I think many Christians don’t have a clue as to what is going on in the spiritual world. Don’t be a Christian that goes to church and then tends to your own plans and goals without fervent pursuit of God and His will for your life. There is a spiritual war going on in the life of every person, especially God’s people. It is time to grow in wisdom, apply God’s truth, test the spirits, discern all things and be the spotless bride of Christ.