Resisting the Devil

Resisting the Devil

Job 1: 9-10, Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have not you made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.

Well, it is the devil complaining and he knew this from experience. Satan’s contention was that Job was righteous only because God was good to him but Job proved him wrong and settled it forever that a man/woman is righteous only because s/he knows and fears the Lord. Anyway, God was good to Lucifer but he rebelled against him nonetheless.

However, verse 10 reveals to us the five areas of Satan’s attack on the righteous, namely:

1. Your person: the number one target of the devil in your life is yourself, and his attacks are “wholistic”. He wants to harm you physically or spiritually. If that is not possible, he then moves to option 2. That’s why you need God’s edge about yourself.

2. Your household: I know a pathetic story of a man dear to me. He was an elder next to his Pastor in a local church located in a witch-infested little village somewhere in West Africa. He left the church and refused to join any other; while appealing to him to rescind his decision he opened up to me. He had a dream where a fellow pointed a finger at one of his eyes saying, “We had wanted to get the pastor but couldn’t; however, since you sit beside him in church, we hereby get you”. When this man woke up, truly the eye pointed to in his dream was blind. He told me, “I thank God the fellow only pointed to one eye; I’ll stay at home to avoid losing the second one.” He never went back. Our family and associates are the second target of the devil.

3. Your properties everywhere: Your assets, bank accounts and investments are the sum value of all your past labor; and these are Satan’s third preferred target in your life. He goes after them everywhere they are!

4. The current work of your hand: this is fourth in line. If he can, he will destroy your job.

5. Your increase: have you wondered why they refused to promote you at work even when you are one of the best and dutiful? Why at times, you keep giving but not receiving? Your increase is simply under attack.

How then do we protect ourselves from Satan’s onslaught? We need to pay attention to Satan’s complaint on these areas about Job: God’s hedge and blessing. Job’s person, household and properties were protected by God’s hedge; and his work and increase were protected by God’s blessing. Therefore, we must not break the hedge and mustn’t lose the blessing. We keep God’s hedge by staying away from sin and keep His blessings by constantly provoking it through giving to the Lord. Of course, that is not enough; we must resist the devil in these five areas by covering them with the shed blood of Christ always. We must speak God’s word to these five areas affirming His grace and power on us.