Sometimes I wonder how the devil is able to bring down people who I thought were incredibly strong in their faith. Don’t you? If it’s that easy, then we must all be walking on a slippery slope – yet standing on a solid rock that cannot be shaken? How does all this work then? I mean, at one point you are all out for Jesus, and then the next one you are deep into the darkness. Do you really think that everyone who falls was faking it the whole time? I don’t, and this is why:
Isaiah 21:5 – Look! They are preparing a great feast. They are spreading rugs for people to sit on. Everyone is eating and drinking. But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle. You are being attacked! (NLT)
I was reading this passage, and I kept skipping back and forth because I just wasn’t getting it – until I finally did (it took a long minute of comparing different versions to actually get it, but we are here now!).
This scripture describes exactly how the devil works. Funny how he will sneak up on you, isn’t it? He bites as he soothes. He gives you that dopamine rush as he kills you. HE DOESN’T PLAY.
You will think it’s a feast. You will sit to dine. But alas! Your enemy is at the gates when you are all merry with wine. No wonder the Bible says that wine is not for kings. (Proverbs 31:4-5). He must have been pointing to sobriety of mind and a discerning spirit so that the devil does not sneak up on you.
When Alec Benjamin sang that the Devil Doesn’t Bargain, he was on to something. Actually, that same chapter of Isaiah 21 talks about how the betrayer betrays and the destroyer destroys. There is no in-between with him – he does not take chances. This destroyer knows only to destroy. He will twist the truth if that is what it takes. He will kill your joy and take your peace. All this while he masks it as a feast. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14).
Besides, I think we underestimate the devil too much. He is a spirit. He knows things about your spirit that you may not yet be aware of. Therefore, he knows to pinch you where it hurts. He knows to tempt you where you are weak. Until you know that your relationship with the Holy Spirit is intact, you should not be playing games – he is crafty enough to use your dark humor against you! Find refuge in Jesus and watch how the devil flees – and even then, you should proceed with caution. (If you think you are standing firm you had better be careful that you do not fall – I Corinthians 10:12)
So, I pray that you catch yourself slipping. I pray that as everyone is sitting on the rug, prepared to eat, you will be alert enough to grab your shield and prepare for war.
It is time we disallowed the enemy from entering our homes, especially through social media – there is indeed strength available for those that resist him at the gate. You cannot allow your mind to yield to anxiety through comparison, negative talk, or peer pressure. No! Draw the line!
If social media is the party that the devil has prepared, then guess what? You show up with your shield oiled and a sword by your hip. You show up on those platforms and you tell them about Jesus. You filter that content until there is no room for the devil to entrap you in his mediocre lies. (And if that doesn’t work, you delete that app and take control of your life.) And that’s just social media. For you, it may be a whole different party he has set up. Don’t let that set you up for a disastrous life. A soldier who comes prepared for war is always ready to take a stand and fight.
Come on now! Oil your shield and sharpen your sword; it’s time for war! (Ephesians 6:16-17)
