Don't Fall Into the Enemy's Plans
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
I Peter 5:8
I realized recently that the enemy planted the seeds of discord early on in my first marriage. I was, as most new brides are, very happy at the beginning of my marriage. I had a silly thought pop into my head in those early days 26 years ago. And I realize now that the enemy used that thought to build his case for my divorce. Almost 17 years later, my marriage was in shambles. It started with that small thought.
I could share with you the thought, but that’s insignificant. The point is, even though I had no idea what the plan was at that time, I knew it was a negative and not positive thought. I should have cast it down. Instead, I let it stay in the back of my mind.
The battlefield is in your mind. What controls your thoughts, controls you. Be aware, the enemy is sneaky and deceitful.
If it isn’t positive, if the outcome of such thoughts wouldn’t line up with the Word, don’t entertain it. Cast it down. And how do you fight the battles in your mind? Keeping your eyes on God, reading His word, praying, being in Bible studies and in church.
The devil has a plan to destroy you and he’s been planning that since your birth. He has three big goals. I’m sure he has many plans to destroy each of us on any level he can, but these three things are the biggest ways he can bring destruction:
Keep you blinded to the truth so that you do not give your heart to Christ and accept His free gift of eternal salvation.
If you do accept, he wants to destroy your witness. He will do all he can to lull you back into the world! Don’t do it! Realize that you can overcome these temptations. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. How heartbreaking for your friends and family to NOT make it to heaven because of YOU…. their saved loved one still living in the world and being bad witness. Put the drink down, clean up your language, get in church…. whatever you need to do. Whatever is going on in your life to keep you doing things you shouldn’t do or prevent you from doing the things you should do, recognize it as part of the plan to keep you from having an impact on the people you love.
Destroy your family. No one goes through divorce without being hurt and of course the enemy loves heaping hurt where he can. But here’s the real reason: it is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children about Christ. Nothing hurts that cause more than a broken family.
So, guard your marriage with everything you have. Besides the natural stresses of two people living one life in this fallen world, the enemy has planned from the beginning to destroy it at all costs. Recognize that and realize that your husband/wife is NOT the enemy.
You do have a real enemy and he wants to destroy your witness and your family because if it’s too late to keep you from hell, he wants to make sure your children go there. Don’t be fooled, don’t take your eyes of what’s important. Guard your heart, guard your mind, guard your marriage.