I’ve never been a fan of Halloween, largely because Satan seems to have a hay-day with all the goings on. But sadly, the devil isn’t busy just Oct. 31st, but 365 days a year, doing his utmost to throw obstacles in our paths in hopes of drawing us away from God.

His ways are subtle. But then, if his tactics were obvious, we wouldn’t fall for them. He’s the father of lies. The master of deception. He weaves in just enough truth to make his lies believable. His most effective methods are not those which blatantly try to convince us to leave our faith. Instead, he chooses to subtly feed us untruths to slowly but surely steal our devotion from God by utilizing these four weapons:

Doubt. He puts doubts in our minds about God. If God really cares about you, why doesn’t He cure you of your disease? Why doesn’t He take away your painful circumstances? Why won’t He provide a job, get you that promotion, or heal your broken marriage?

It would be great to live a life free of hardship, but Jesus made us this promise, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Don’t let Satan fool you into doubting God. Keep His Word sealed on your heart and know for certain He is with you, no matter what you walk through.

Deception. He disguises evil to make it seem appealing. A tidbit of shared gossip, a small tweak on our tax form, a casual luncheon with our attractive boss may appear innocent, yet could turn out devastating.

Satan likes to put us in compromising situations and feed us thoughts that say, Go for it. One time won’t hurt. When all along, the Holy Spirit is urging us not to give in, to hold fast to what we know is right.  I Thess. 5:22 tells us not to even give off the appearance of evil. We must refuse to let our principles be compromised. Stay the course and not give the devil a foothold in our lives.

Distractions. He keeps us distracted. If we’re constantly busy and on the go, our time and commitments to God can be squeezed out and our lives become unproductive. Instead, remember to “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

We can’t afford to let ourselves become sidetracked from the calling God places on our lives. Our time on earth is short, and we must choose wisely how to spend it. By keeping focused on Christ and what’s truly important, we can make each day count for Him.

Discouragement. He makes us feel like failures by inciting us to compare our lives with others or by making us feel hopeless. Discouragement is one of Satan’s favorite ways to bring us down. If he can get us to grovel in self-pity, sink into depression, or lose our will to try, he’s won the battle.

Scripture plainly states the best antidote for discouragement is thanksgiving and praise. “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)

Next time you’re discouraged, call out to the Lord of the universe, praise Him for what He’s done and what He’s yet to do. You’ll soon find your heart lighter and Satan has vanished! When we safeguard our lives with the armor of God’s Word, prayer, and the Fruit of the Spirit, each new day becomes an opportunity to know Christ and to make Him known.

Read how God works in the lives of Cynthia Roemer’s characters in her Inspirational, Historical Romance (Prairie Sky) Series.

UNDER THIS SAME SKY ~ BOOK ONE
UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES ~ BOOK TWO
UNDER MOONLIT SKIES ~ BOOK THREE

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter.