Satan wants nothing more than to enter certain areas of your life in order to gain a stronghold. He will try anything to disorient you, distract you from your focus, and render you ineffective for the Kingdom of God.
And I think, after more than 25 years of ministering to women, there are common areas that he attacks, not just in women, but in any of us. As long as we are aware of your strategies, we can be on our guard to keep you out of your specific entry points.
Here are the five areas of your life that Satan wants to enter:
1.-YOUR HEART SO THAT GOD IS NOT FIRST
There’s a reason God’s Word tells us, “Above all, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). Satan knows he has a point of entry into your life if God is not first in our hearts. God’s first commandment, set forth in the Old Covenant, was: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). And Jesus reiterated that under the New Covenant when asked which is the greatest of commandments and responded by saying, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’… » (Luke 10:27). Satan’s greatest desire is to prevent you from giving God all of your heart.anything that distracts you so that it can erect a false god in front of you that will do it without you realizing it.
Do you love God more than you love something (or someone) else in life?
He will try to lure you with a false god like your career, a spouse or love interest, a dream or goal, a hobby or lifestyle. I know many women whose first love is their body, so they spend more time in the gym working out than letting God work inside. It is a subtle way of beginning to love other things more than God. Some of us love food, money, recreation, our children, a substance, or a “feeling” (like being in love or feeling energetic) more than God himself. Guard your heart by keeping Christ on the throne of your life so Satan doesn’t try to sneak anything else in there.
2.-YOUR WORRIES: MAKE YOU DOUBT THE LOVE AND PROVISION OF GOD
Satan wants you to stress, because then you are not resting in God’s ability to care for you. Women tend to stress over the temporary: bills that need to be paid, whether or not a man comes into our lives, whether we can have a child, what someone is saying about us, what our bodies look like. Men tend to worry about their jobs, their families, and whether or not they are “winning” in various areas of life. Then there are health problems, fears about our aging parents, and other situations that can crowd out God’s peace in our lives and even cause us to start blaming God for our circumstances.
Are you living like God’s love and provision are real?
Don’t let Satan at this door through his tempting “what if…?” questions. And the doubts that it weaves in your mind. God instructs us in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds from him in Christ Jesus” (NASB). Keep praying about your concerns and keep thanking God in advance for what he is about to do.so that Satan does not have a stronghold in your mind through your worries and fears.
3.-YOUR DAILY THOUGHT, THEN YOU ARE LIKE THE WORLD
It is amazing how many people profess to know God and follow him, yet their thought patterns are just like anyone else’s in the world. Satan loves that. He wants you to be so absorbed with the ways of the world that you have no idea what the Word of God says. It will do this through subtle messages in song lyrics, statements from your favorite celebrity, and words of advice from friends (even friends of yours who are believers but are quoting “verses” that aren’t in the Bible).
Is your everyday thinking different from the world?
Scripture commands us: “Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing your way of thinking. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good, pleasing, and perfect his will really is” (Romans 12:2, NLT). Furthermore, the Word of God instructs: “fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right.” Think of things that are pure, beautiful, and admirable. Think of things that are excellent and praiseworthy…and the God of peace will be with you,” (Philippians 4:8-9), NLT). But Satan would rather have us in mental anguish listening to the world than to the word of God. Save your everyday thinking by immersing it in the Scriptures. It is the only way to prevent Satan and his worldly philosophies from entering.
4.-YOUR SPEECH, SO YOU TEAR OTHERS
God wants us to be sacred spokesmen for Him, people who heal and help with our words. But Satan would rather you and I blow him up with our mouths. Some critical words here, some complaints there, some profanity mixed in with a little gossip on the side and we’ve given him permission to make us people who separate others and sound no different (and sometimes worse) than unbelievers. Satan knows that we can do a lot of damage with our mouths if we don’t bring them under God’s control.
Are your words building others?
Whether it’s gossip, criticism, or nasty comments, our mouths can be instruments of righteousness or injustice. Close that door on Satan, in its entirety, by applying God’s instructions in Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any verbiage come out of your mouth, but only what is useful to build others according to their needs, so that it can benefit those who listen», (NIV). And 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus,” (NASB). Be a verbally appreciative person who only speaks to lift others up, not tear them down. That will lessen and destroy a critical and complaining spirit that gives Satan a stronghold in our lives.
5.- OUR BODIES, SO THAT THEY NO LONGER GLORIFY GOD
Why do people get depressed, overeat or drink excessively or turn to substances? Why do young women cut up their bodies or starve themselves when facing emotional pain? I think it’s because Satan will turn us against our bodies if he can, as a way of not “going back to God.” Our bodies are precious to God. Scripture commands us to “deliver their bodies to God.” Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will accept. When you think about what he has done for you, is it too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1, NLT).
Are you glorifying God through your body?
Satan knows that God considers our bodies to be his temple, and therefore God wants us to keep our bodies holy, healthy, and honoring Him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Scripture says that keeping our bodies holy is our “spiritual act of worship,” (Romans 12:1, NIV). Then, Since our bodies are sacred to God, Satan would love to harm us., maim them, starve them and destroy them with substances. Don’t let him in. Not how you dress. Not in how you see yourself. Not in how you treat yourself. Ask God for a healthy body image and a desire to protect your body from him so that you can serve him on this earth for as long as possible.
The best strategy: Then, What is your strategy now that you know the areas where Satan wants to enter your life? God gives us a great defense through Paul’s instructions to the saints in Ephesians 6:11-18: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you may oppose the plans of the devil…” I find it interesting that each piece The “armor” described in that passage refers to the character of Christ. In other words, put yourself in the likeness of Christ. Remain in Christ, put on his character and righteousness, and you will resist the attacks of the enemy.
Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker and best-selling author helping women and couples find strength for their souls. She is the author of 15 books, including When Women Walk Alone (more than 125,000 copies sold), When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts, When Couples Walk Together, (co-authored with her husband, Hugh).
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