Satan's Six Greatest Desires

Satan's Six Greatest Desires

It is inevitable for every Christian to confront the reality of a genuine adversary, whether we accept it or not. This entity, known by various names such as Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, and the devil, made his ill-intent towards God's creation evident in his initial interaction with humanity in Genesis 3. His character is so malevolent that Jesus describes him as "a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

In essence, there is no truth, goodness, love, or hope that can originate from the devil. Whenever we allow the enemy's words to have influence in our lives, we align ourselves with ideas that are in direct opposition to God's Word. The devil's aim is to "steal, kill, and destroy" anything that brings glory to God, including humanity themselves. Without further commentary let’s cover the six desires of the adversary.

1. To Cause You to Question the Validity of God's Word

Satan shows his greatest trick during the first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3:1-5 (AMPC) “NOW THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? [Rev. 12:9-11.] And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden, Except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, [2nd Cor. 11:3.] For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity.”

So understand that Satan has been successful in persuading people to question God's Word from the beginning of time. Even today, he continues to deceive people into doubting the Bible's infallibility and the promises it contains. As a result, many have become skeptical and devote more time to disproving God than accepting His love for them. When we doubt even one aspect of what God has spoken, we begin to question everything else that has been said and will be said. In the same way that faith can move mountains, a single seed of doubt can spread like a contagion throughout entire families, causing many to stumble, as we saw in the Garden of Eden. Above all, we must never forget that God does not lie. As is written in Numbers 23:19 (AMPC) “God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?”

2. To Render You Immobilized by Fear

The enemy also employs fear as a tactic. As someone who formerly battled severe fear and panic attacks at the slightest provocation, I can attest that fear diverted my attention from God and towards immediate concerns. If fear permeates our lives, we will discover that we are preoccupied with "what ifs." Our existence becomes fixated on what we can or cannot manage, rather than placing our complete trust in God. Fear will prevent us from taking a leap of faith into a new profession, interceding for a friend who may spurn us, or even finding rest. God does not instill fear in us. On the contrary, His Word brings serenity, discernment, affection, and a rational mind. God’s perfect Love casts out all fear, note what is written in I John 4:18 (AMPC) “There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].”

3. To Prevent You from Proclaiming the Gospel

An ineffective Christian is one who hoards the gospel for themselves. As a disciple of Christ, our fundamental role is to lead others to follow Him. In fact, Matthew 28:19 (AMPC) declares it to be our supreme mission. “Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Nevertheless, one of the enemy's ploys is to stifle Christians. In contemporary social media, we witness this as many believers are apprehensive about sharing God's Word, either fearing online attacks or not wishing to be linked to the "church."

While we cannot ascribe complete blame to the enemy (admittedly, those who share the gospel in a hurtful and spiteful manner bear some responsibility), we can observe how numerous Christians choose to worship discreetly to avoid offending anyone. However, as followers of Christ, we must seize every opportunity to disseminate the gospel. When we shrink from this task, the enemy triumphs! If we are not influencing others for Christ, the enemy will certainly seek to influence those around us. Let us no longer feel ashamed to spread the gospel, by any means necessary. Let us live our lives by Romans 1:16 (AMPC) “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ,for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,”

4. To Instill a Sense of Shame that Controls Your Life

Recalling your past mistakes or present doubts is another strategy employed by the enemy. If the devil can persuade you that your past disqualifies you from receiving God's love or mercy, you will never fully embrace the Word of God. Consequently, you will continue to feel defeated and frustrated, accepting only some of God's Word. Shame keeps our attention fixed on ourselves, reminding us repeatedly of our wrongdoings or perceived shortcomings.

In truth, the enemy has no qualms about reminding you of these things and making you feel unworthy to worship God, pursue His calling, or receive His promises. Moreover, this sense of shame will inhibit you from praying to God or sharing the gospel with others. If the enemy can keep you in self-pity, you will never experience God's peace. Remember, we are not defined by our past actions. Rather, when we choose to turn away from sinful desires and seek God's love, He will reveal to us how to live a fulfilling life free from condemnation.

Take comfort in that fact that if we confess our sins, God freely forgives and puts us back in right standing with Him, I John 1:9 (AMPC) says, “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].” And further we need not be concerned about condemnation Romans 8:1 (AMPC) declares, “ THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.[John 3:18.]”

5. To Lead You to Worship Idols Instead of God

An idol is anything that we prioritize above the Lord. In the Old Testament, this was evident as people worshipped physical objects. Although most Christians do not worship a golden calf or a statue of Jesus, there are still many idols that have taken root in our hearts.

From idolizing celebrities to spending countless hours on social media or obsessing over our self-interests, anything can become an idol. This stratagem of the enemy is more insidious as we may not realize it immediately. In fact, we can spend years venerating things that appear good on the surface, only to discover that "it" has become our life's primary focus. Therefore, what began as a positive pursuit, like daily exercise, vacations, making money, or finding a spouse, can become our primary source of hope and joy.

Eventually, we may look to these things more than we seek God. This is perilous because when these things fade, we are left feeling hopeless. Though God desires good things for us, we must never worship them more than the One who bestows them upon us. If something stands in the way of a life that is surrendered to the Lord, we must be willing to relinquish it when the Lord prompts us.The Word is very clear in Exodus 20:3-6 (AMPC) “You shall have no other gods before or besides Me. You shall not make yourself any graven image [to worship it] or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, [Isa. 42:8; 48:11.] But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

6. To Mislead You into Deception

It is more critical than ever for Christians to adhere to the Word of God. In today's society, we witness many individuals conforming the Word to suit their lifestyle instead of aligning their lifestyle with the Word. This is a ruse by Satan to entice Christians into cherry-picking Bible verses that make them feel good.

Rather than pursuing a life that follows the Spirit, we rely on our own desires and moral beliefs to determine what is true. In many ways, we become like Eve, willing to accept only portions of God's Word while preferring our will over His. The truth is, if the enemy can keep Christians lukewarm and hypocritical in their faith, he can dissuade many from following the Lord

We must bear in mind that Satan will do anything to create confusion, including exploiting Christians with varying beliefs, making it seem like dozens of different religions combined into one. We must acknowledge that anything we believe that contradicts the Word of God is simply another tactic of the enemy. Let us not grant the enemy any more influence over our thoughts and actions, but instead walk fully in God's Word. In fact a Man of God recently told me that many churches today have become more night club than places of worship, people are going to get a feel good message rather than sound biblical Word of God based doctrine. II Timothy 4:3-4 (AMPC) says ?“For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.” Rather, let us remember, Hebrews 4:12 (AMPC) “ For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.?

If You have Ears To Hear, Then Hear It!