The devil

As many of you here know I have been battling a great spiritual depression. I've felt so far from God these past couple of weeks and finally I understand why.

All throughout this battle it did not occur to me or any of you that the devil was doing his work on me.

He works behind the curtains to make sure no one notices him, and I sure didn't.

But God has given me someone in my life who discerned this for me and encouraged me I still was a child of God. Satan used my sin and self-reflective attitudes to my destruction, and caused me to doubt my salvation among other things.

But now I truly believe it has been the devil's work this whole time. He has been the one bringing me down with all my weaknesses, tearing me apart from God.

Why do we as a church largely ignore the devil? He is the one who brings us down, but God is the one who brings us up!

This depression I have been facing has not been my sin (which is also from the devil) but from the devil convincing me I wasn't good enough, when God was reaching out all along.

1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
 
Guilt, oppression and condemnation; the devil uses these things because they can weigh heavy on our emotions which can tear us apart in an instant. When engaging in any type of spiritual warfare, it is important to understand our own vulnerabilities and have fellow brothers and sisters beside us lest we stumble. Praise God that a fellow brother/sister was able to discern what was going on so you could continue your walk with the Lord!
 
Yep... There's a reason the primary title of Satan is "The accuser of the brethren"..... He's the "Prosecution" in Heaven....

See... The hardest thing to do is to ACKNOWLEDGE that it's all true rather than trying to lie or to change the subject or to try to twist it around that somehow, it's not your fault..... See... everything you are being ACCUSED of is true....

Unfaithful
Worthless servant
Proud
Envious
Presumptuous and self willed
Uncaring
Unethical
Immoral

AND
We fully deserve Cursing
Death
Eternal separation

Etc.....

The key is to go before God - Humble, and in Confession mode - YES - this is all true...

Then... Humbly beg God to give you HIS true Repentance - that without Him - you can't turn from any of these things..... See... That's the idea behind the Power to start Overcoming... Without Jesus - The Flesh and Sin RULES OVER us....
 
As many of you here know I have been battling a great spiritual depression. I've felt so far from God these past couple of weeks and finally I understand why.

All throughout this battle it did not occur to me or any of you that the devil was doing his work on me.

He works behind the curtains to make sure no one notices him, and I sure didn't.

But God has given me someone in my life who discerned this for me and encouraged me I still was a child of God. Satan used my sin and self-reflective attitudes to my destruction, and caused me to doubt my salvation among other things.

But now I truly believe it has been the devil's work this whole time. He has been the one bringing me down with all my weaknesses, tearing me apart from God.

Why do we as a church largely ignore the devil? He is the one who brings us down, but God is the one who brings us up!

This depression I have been facing has not been my sin (which is also from the devil) but from the devil convincing me I wasn't good enough, when God was reaching out all along.

1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
I told you what to do... believe God and His word. I also told you the battle was in your thoughts and I told you how to overcome them. It's easy to blame the devil, and we'd be right too, to a degree, but in the end if we don't resist him and follow God's advice then he seems to win. By following God's suggestions we in fact resist the devil and so he flees from us knowing he can't win. Which is a better suggestion: Listen to God or Don't listen to the devil? If I say "Listen to God" it includes the devil our flesh and the world around us. If I say "Don't listen to the devil" then we still listen to the flesh and the world, which he's had access to for a very long time. Listen and obey the suggestions of God and the devil will flee from you.
 
I told you what to do... believe God and His word. I also told you the battle was in your thoughts and I told you how to overcome them. It's easy to blame the devil, and we'd be right too, to a degree, but in the end if we don't resist him and follow God's advice then he seems to win. By following God's suggestions we in fact resist the devil and so he flees from us knowing he can't win. Which is a better suggestion: Listen to God or Don't listen to the devil? If I say "Listen to God" it includes the devil our flesh and the world around us. If I say "Don't listen to the devil" then we still listen to the flesh and the world, which he's had access to for a very long time. Listen and obey the suggestions of God and the devil will flee from you.
Of course I know to obey God. It's just really hard to feel saved and do that when the devil is constantly making me tear myself apart.

I've finally been able to see this battle and all I get is "I told you what to do..."

I knew what to do, but I didn't see the devil working to condemn me for what I wasn't doing.

It's kinda hard to obey God and such when you feel so far away from him.

But thanks for your advice.
 
Of course I know to obey God. It's just really hard to feel saved and do that when the devil is constantly making me tear myself apart.

I've finally been able to see this battle and all I get is "I told you what to do..."

I knew what to do, but I didn't see the devil working to condemn me for what I wasn't doing.

It's kinda hard to obey God and such when you feel so far away from him.

But thanks for your advice.
I'm glad you got your breakthrough.
 
As many of you here know I have been battling a great spiritual depression. I've felt so far from God these past couple of weeks and finally I understand why.

All throughout this battle it did not occur to me or any of you that the devil was doing his work on me.

He works behind the curtains to make sure no one notices him, and I sure didn't.

But God has given me someone in my life who discerned this for me and encouraged me I still was a child of God. Satan used my sin and self-reflective attitudes to my destruction, and caused me to doubt my salvation among other things.

But now I truly believe it has been the devil's work this whole time. He has been the one bringing me down with all my weaknesses, tearing me apart from God.

Why do we as a church largely ignore the devil? He is the one who brings us down, but God is the one who brings us up!

This depression I have been facing has not been my sin (which is also from the devil) but from the devil convincing me I wasn't good enough, when God was reaching out all along.

1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

There will be times in your life when you won't receive immediate relief from satans attacks. During those times rest in the knowledge that you have victory in Jesus and His grace is sufficient.
 
I like to read Romans chapter 8 or a regular basis. It helps maintain strength against those relentless attacks.
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen and amen.
 
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