The devil (part 4)

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid" (Hebrews 13:5-6).

The devil employs many different tactics in his campaign to destroy our lives. Let’s look at a particularly effective one.

Fear. This is one of Satan’s favorites. If he can make you afraid enough to walk away from God’s protection, the devil has won.

It seems ridiculous—how could fear drive anyone away from God’s protection? There are several ways, actually.

Sometimes the devil attacks your self-worth. You are haunted by the idea that you are worthless, a total failure who has nothing to contribute. You are afraid of disappointing loved ones. You are afraid of disappointing God. Satan wants you to believe that God doesn’t care about you, that you are beneath His notice. You are on your own with the problems of life. Maybe it would just be best to end it all right now, and put an end to the constant fear.

Sometimes the Evil One crushes you with guilt and regret. He constantly gives reminders of all the terrible things you’ve said and done, all the opportunities that you’ve wasted. He whispers in your ear that God could never forgive anyone as bad as you. He wants you to be afraid of God’s punishment, so afraid that you won’t go anywhere near a church or a Bible.

Sometimes the Prince of Lies uses worry to draw your attention away from God. Satan wants you to fret about your finances, your health and your relationships. He wants you to worry about terrorism and domestic crime, climate change and the political situation in Washington. He wants you to get so negative about things that you stop trusting God to take care of you, your family, your loved ones.

Despite what the devil says, you have no reason to be afraid. God does love you. He is willing to forgive anything you’ve done wrong. He will support you in every difficult situation, if you lean on Him in trust. Don’t let Satan convince you otherwise.