The Enemy’s Intent
- …your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour… 1 Pet. 5:9 KJV
The Enemy’s Intent
The enemy’s intent is just as the photo caption says—to walk about seeking whom he may devour and to steal, and to kill and to destroy (John 10:10 KJV).
There is nothing good whatsoever about what the devil wants for you. He wants nothing less than to totally destroy and kill you. He will stop at nothing and will not hesitate to stoop as low as necessary to accomplish his desire.
To Steal, To Kill, To Destroy
If he can’t destroy you, he will kill you. If he can’t kill you, he will maim you. If he can’t maim you he will steal from you. If he can’t steal from you he will harm your reputation. If he can’t harm your reputation he will hinder you. If he can’t hinder you, he will discourage you. At every turn he is there waiting for an opportunity.
Where does he attack?
The devil attacks any place and every place that he sees a weakness. This differs from person to person, but typically this involves our pride, doubts, fears, unforgiveness and any other sins we’ve ever indulged in.
Normally the attacks start somewhere in your thinking. The enemy and his hoard of evil spirits can whisper lies into your mind. The most deceptive are the thoughts that start with the word “I” and that feel true to you.
Take every thought captive
Question your own “I” thoughts. They may not be your own. Check each thought against the knowledge of God (God’s Word). (See 2 Cor. 10:5 KJV) If the thought does not line up with what God says in His Word, then cast it down.
Some typical kind of thoughts to cast down are ones that discourage you, depress you, take your hope away, attack your faith, attack your joy, attack your peace, bring you shame, condemn you (true conviction leads you to God in repentance, not away from God in shame and guilt).
Other thoughts to watch out for are thoughts that do the opposite—thoughts of pride, being better than others, thinking you are doing so great spiritually, judgmental thoughts towards others. The kind of thoughts that are sin are from one end of the spectrum to the other and everything inbetween.
God is on your side
Space does not permit a full treatment of this vast subject here but to leave you on a hopeful note—greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4 KJV)
And a more overarching principle of what to do is to submit to God (including submitting your thoughts to Him) and to resist the devil (don’t just sit there and allow him to continue to harm you). (See James 4:7)