The enemy, again...

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Jesus4ever

Senior Member
May 18, 2015
783
19
18
#1
Ok, brothers, here´s one more thread about the enemy.

Maybe some of you may find this strange, but personally, besides knowing how one can protect from him, I´d like to know how he does things to harms us, more that what he can do. After all, we are in the middle of a war!

The enemy tempts, lies, deceives, kills, accuses, oppresses, etc. Basically, "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8



So, my questions are:

1) - How does the enemy attack us?

- For instance, how does he tempts us to do sexual immorality? Does he implants the desire to have sex with another person that he also acted, making then easier to things happen? Or the only thing he does is to give us the "push" we need to sin?

- He rejoices with our suffering. So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) - This may be the hardest to figure out...that situation we think: "Are this bad thoughts, sadness, etc, coming for me, or from the enemy?"



Thank you!


God bless you!
 
Last edited:

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#2
Ok, brothers, here´s one more thread about the enemy.

Maybe some of you may find this strange, but personally, besides knowing how one can protect from him, I´d like to know how he does things to harms us, more that what he can do. After all, we are in the middle of a war!

The enemy tempts, lies, deceives, kills, accuses, oppresses, etc. Basically, "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8



So, my questions are:

1) - How does the enemy attack us?

- For instance, how does he tempts us to do sexual immorality? Does he implants the desire to have sex with another person that he also acted, making then easier to things happen? Or the only thing he does is to give us the "push" we need to sin?

- He rejoices with our suffering. So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) - This may be the hardest to figure out...that situation we think: "Are this bad thoughts, sadness, etc, coming for me, or from the enemy?"



Thank you!


God bless you!

We are told Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. KJV.

By allowing our minds to dwell on things which are unwholesome; we open the door to the enemy's attempts to ensnare us.

By refusing to hear and see that which is unwholesome or unprofitable, we can limit the opportunities of the enemy to attack us.
 
Dec 9, 2011
13,992
1,767
113
#3
Ok, brothers, here´s one more thread about the enemy.

Maybe some of you may find this strange, but personally, besides knowing how one can protect from him, I´d like to know how he does things to harms us, more that what he can do. After all, we are in the middle of a war!

The enemy tempts, lies, deceives, kills, accuses, oppresses, etc. Basically, "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8



So, my questions are:

1) - How does the enemy attack us?

- For instance, how does he tempts us to do sexual immorality? Does he implants the desire to have sex with another person that he also acted, making then easier to things happen? Or the only thing he does is to give us the "push" we need to sin?

- He rejoices with our suffering. So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) - This may be the hardest to figure out...that situation we think: "Are this bad thoughts, sadness, etc, coming for me, or from the enemy?"



Thank you!


God bless you!
I got most of my info from listening to Andrew Wommack

The devil will attack you in one or more of your five senses.(carnal mind)
That's why you need to renew your mind.
+++++++++
Romans 8:6
king James version(KJV)


6.)For to be carnally minded is death; but tobe spiritually minded is life and peace
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,400
113
#4
Men are tempted to sin when they are drawn away by their own lust and you are right...the enemy does walk around seeking whom he may devour...concerning his abilities...Job should suffice....he could do anything he wanted to do to Job, Job's stuff and Job's family up to the point of taking Job's life which God frobade him to do....that tells me that if God had not limited him he could have killed Job (IMV) I personally believe the devil is more concerned with those in high positions who have the ability to influence many..........
 
S

skylove7

Guest
#5
Awesome post Dcon. Yes the enemy preys upon us. Mostly when I would keep to my self tryin to be a good girl. I pray for strength constantly. Scary world ...but if I dont feel brave sometimes lol I just fake it lol...hey whatever gets a single woman thru lol

Great post thanks friend :)
 

Jesus4ever

Senior Member
May 18, 2015
783
19
18
#6
Thank for you answers, dear brother.

Still, I´d like to understand and get answers (if possible, of course) to what I also wrote above:


1 b) So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) How can we distinguish if our bad thoughts, sadness, etc, comes for us, or from the enemy?



Thank you!


God bless you!
 
G

GaryA

Guest
#7
I personally believe the devil is more concerned with those in high positions who have the ability to influence many..........
I personally believe that --- most of those in high positions --- the devil put them there... ;)

:)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
58,664
28,048
113
#8
In the Older Covenant Scriptures, Satan is personified as a character serving as an accuser, or adversary (Zechariah 3:1–2), a seducer/inciter (1 Chronicles 21:1), and a heavenly persecutor who is "among the sons of God" (an angel, in Job 2:1). In the Newer Testament Scriptures he is called "the ruler of the demons" (Matthew 12:24), "the ruler of the world", and "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). He seeks to thwart God's plan for your life, waging war against "those who obey God's commandments."
 
Dec 9, 2011
13,992
1,767
113
#9
GOD said by his stripes you are healed but if you are looking in the physical mirror you might say GOD said I'm healed but I'm not.
Somebody might ask why can't I see it if I'm healed?

Faith pleases GOD.
You have to look in the spiritual mirror(the bible) and believe.

If you knew that if you died physically you would go be with the LORD wouldn't you be at piece.

For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and piece.
JESUS said the words he spoke were Spirit and life.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#10
Thank for you answers, dear brother.

Still, I´d like to understand and get answers (if possible, of course) to what I also wrote above:


1 b) So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) How can we distinguish if our bad thoughts, sadness, etc, comes for us, or from the enemy?



Thank you!


God bless you!
He comes at us in three areas...
1 John 2:16 (KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

He came to Jesus in the wilderness tempting Him in these three areas.
He came to Adam and Eve the same way.
His tool is to lie so we would doubt God and have our hearts drawn away from trusting and loving God to loving and trusting instead anything else but God, including ourself, occulting power, mammon, etc with the goal to worship the devil directly.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
58,664
28,048
113
#11
He comes at us in three areas...
1 John 2:16 (KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

He came to Jesus in the wilderness tempting Him in these three areas.
I just recently learned that Jesus answered from Deuteronomy in each case, teaching a specific lesson from a larger context.

Satan’s first attempt was to appeal to ordinary hunger and a bit of human pride, challenging Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus’ answer came straight out of the second reading of the Law, at the end of the 40 years of Israel’s desert wanderings. The original context was explaining to the people that God fed them manna so they would know that:
Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

The second attempt aimed to have Jesus bow down to him. Jesus answered with a reading of the Law:You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.

The third and final attempt was the most direct challenge of all, and it even quoted scripture back in an effort to outwit Jesus. Jesus’ answer, again, came straight out of the same part of scripture:
The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.'

You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you. Source

He came to Adam and Eve the same way.
His tool is to lie so we would doubt God and have our hearts drawn away from trusting and loving God to loving and trusting instead anything else but God, including ourself, occulting power, mammon, etc with the goal to worship the devil directly.
Amen.
 
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
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#12
Spiritual warfare is real, the enemy is always lurking and we must protect ourselves by wearing the armor of God. The more time we focus on God, the weaker the enemy becomes.
 
Jul 10, 2015
36
2
8
#13
I heard a story a long time ago that fits.
Our nation is like a wooden cross. Uncle Sam came to that cross years centuries ago. He put one little scratch in it. He'd come back everyday and put a scratch on the other scratch. Well finally, the scratch got so deep the cross fell.
Christians over the centuries have tolerated what might seem like a miniscule scratch. We've sat by and tolerated it. Those little scratches (sin) were ignored until they got bigger and bigger and bigger until now socity sees wgat is good as bad and visa versa. We can't sit idly by and accept sin. God can't, and we are made in His image.
 

Jesus4ever

Senior Member
May 18, 2015
783
19
18
#14
I see, brothers and sister!

But again, I still haven´t the answers I need to my questions above! :D

Please, bear with me:


1) What´s the "mechanism" he uses to oppress us, to accuse or lie to us?

Does he implant thoughts in our minds?
Does he "uses" other people that, in a conversation, may say things that will hurt us and/or will harm our faith?

Sadness/depression, for example, can this be his doing? If yes, how does he attacks us?
He wants to separate and people, sow discord, distrust, pain, for example. Again, how does he do that? Entering our minds and implant thoughts that will lead to that?


And, this is this is maybe the hard one to answer:

2) How can we know/distinguish if things that aren´t from God (confusion, pain, distrust, sadness, anger, sexual immoral thoughts, etc) come from the enemy, or from us?


Thank you! :)


God bless you, brothers and sisters!




 
Aug 15, 2009
9,745
179
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#15
Our carnal nature is to do nothing but sin. But what many fail to teach about our carnal nature is that it's GULLIBLE. This is why it's important to be like the BEREANS.....

Acts 17:10-12 (KJV) [SUP]10 [/SUP]And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. [SUP]11 [/SUP]These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. [SUP]12 [/SUP]Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
 
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
252
0
#16
What´s the "mechanism" he uses to oppress us, to accuse or lie to us?
The enemy uses our weaknesses against us. If you're obsessed with money, you will be shown treasures to worship; if you're prejudice you will be enticed to hate; if you desire a relationship with God, you will poisoned with false teachings. This is why you have to be grounded in the Word.
 

Jesus4ever

Senior Member
May 18, 2015
783
19
18
#17
The enemy uses our weaknesses against us. If you're obsessed with money, you will be shown treasures to worship; if you're prejudice you will be enticed to hate; if you desire a relationship with God, you will poisoned with false teachings. This is why you have to be grounded in the Word.

Hi, brother!

Yes, that´s a fact. But how does he do that? By creating opportunities for us to see money? Does he "boost" our greed in or minds? If he knows some person annoys us, does he "enter" our minds and heart and plants thoughts and negative feels in us?

My main question is how he harm us, how he can turn our weaknesses against us! It´s more about the "how" than the "what".


Thank you!
 
G

GaryA

Guest
#18
My main question is how he harm us, how he can turn our weaknesses against us! It´s more about the "how" than the "what".
In a way, the 'how' actually "comes with" the 'what'.

He does not actually harm us -- we do that ourselves.

All he has to do is "appeal" to our natural ( 'old man' ) "senses" [ enough ] to cause us to falter.

I believe that he is able to influence the thoughts of our minds.

However, for the most part, all he has to do is tempt us -- "and we do the rest"...

How does he tempt us?

By exposing us to something that he knows will 'entice' us.

How does he accomplish that?

Through people he has 'snared' - who then "do his bidding"...

This kind of thing happens - from 'subtle' to 'blatant' - continuously [ on the Earth ].

Even born-again Christians - if they are not careful - can be used by Satan to 'snare' others.

:)
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#19
Ok, brothers, here´s one more thread about the enemy.

Maybe some of you may find this strange, but personally, besides knowing how one can protect from him, I´d like to know how he does things to harms us, more that what he can do. After all, we are in the middle of a war!

The enemy tempts, lies, deceives, kills, accuses, oppresses, etc. Basically, "...the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8



So, my questions are:

1) - How does the enemy attack us?

- For instance, how does he tempts us to do sexual immorality? Does he implants the desire to have sex with another person that he also acted, making then easier to things happen? Or the only thing he does is to give us the "push" we need to sin?

- He rejoices with our suffering. So, how does he lies, accuses and oppresses us? By implanting thoughts in our minds?


2) - This may be the hardest to figure out...that situation we think: "Are this bad thoughts, sadness, etc, coming for me, or from the enemy?"



Thank you!


God bless you!
I do get caught up with what is Satan doing to me.

And then I remember where my focus is supposed to be.

Phil. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Let God deal with Satan, while we focus on God.

Remember I told you about Frazier and running into the mailbox every time he tried to ride a bike, because he kept focusing on the mailbox? Same deal, keep focusing on Satan and you'll run into him. Focus on God and you run into him. Given God is more equipped to deal with Satan (and, indeed, has already won), let our Father deal with the bully.
 
A

atwhatcost

Guest
#20
We are told Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. KJV.

By allowing our minds to dwell on things which are unwholesome; we open the door to the enemy's attempts to ensnare us.

By refusing to hear and see that which is unwholesome or unprofitable, we can limit the opportunities of the enemy to attack us.
Whoops! Sorry about that. I stole your verses. lol

Amen though!