From the founding of the local New Testament church—on the Day of Pentecost, in about 30 A.D.—to the present, believers have been engaged in spiritual warfare against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:12) Our only hope and help against these other worldly powers is “the whole armor of God.” (Eph. 6:12ff.) Satan’s attack is two-pronged, involving “wiles” and “fiery darts.” (Eph. 6:11,16)
Jesus warned against the wiles that His followers should beware of when, in His sermon on the mount, He plainly said, “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matt. 7:15) In his emotional farewell parting from the elders of the church at Ephesus, the apostle Paul would say: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock…for this know, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:28,29) Peter, John, and Jude, among others, would sound the same solemn warning against “certain men crept in unawares…turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4)
These stern admonitions against the false prophets in sheep’s clothing remind me of what I once read about the “Judas goat.” At one time, in certain meat companies, a goat would go to work about 7 each morning, escorting a herd of sheep from the unloading pens near the docks to the slaughterhouse, where the sheep would be killed and dressed. Two to three hundred ewes and lambs might follow the “Judas goat” each time. Sheep cannot be driven like cattle and hogs, but they will follow a leader. It is estimated that one “Judas goat,” over the course of its life, might lead four or five million sheep to their deaths.
The wiles of the Devil, using ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing, are even more dangerous and deadly. Throughout the centuries of church history, the number of unsuspecting lambs led to the Devil’s slaughterhouse is incalculable.
Beware the wiles of the Devil; he is first deceitful in his disguised attack. But he is also deadly, with “fiery darts” that can only be quenched by the shield of faith. (Eph. 6:12) Some of those deadly darts are:
Doubt. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom.14:23) Satan tried, successfully, to get Eve to doubt God: “Hath God said?” He tried to pull the same wool over our Lord’s eyes: “If thou be the Son of God….” (Matt. 4:4,6) He is still firing those darts today, trying to get God’s children to doubt His love, goodness, call, and promises.
It is nothing new. The children of Israel saw Goliath and said, “He’s so big no one can kill him.” David saw Goliath and said, “He’s so big, how could I miss him?”
“Doubt sees the blackest night; faith sees the day. Doubt dreads to take a step, faith soars on high.”
One believer, whose close friend was killed in a car accident, cried out to God: “Lord, I don’t understand You. Why did You allow this death?” Isaiah recorded the answer in advance, “Have you not heard? The everlasting God…neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” (Isa. 40:28) Again, the bereaved friend cried, “Lord, you are beyond my understanding, but I still wonder, have You turned your back on the world?” And again, God answers: “God reigneth over the heathen; God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness.” (Ps. 47:8) Finally, the distraught friend cries: “Lord, I do believe you are ruling this world, but do you care about the pain?” God hears and proclaims, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” (Ps. 86:5)
Some other fiery darts:
Discouragement, the fruit of which is nothing. Peter, discouraged, said: “I go fishing!” The Bible says, “And that night, they caught nothing.” (John 21:3)
Defeat. Moses felt the sting of this dart when he struck the rock twice rather than simply speaking to it as God had instructed; he was not able to enter the promised land because of his disobedience, which led to a momentary defeat. (Numbers 20:2-13)
Distraction. “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:52) Not being fit does not mean the man will miss heaven; it means he is not yet ready for heaven. He has been distracted. The young John Mark was distracted. As was Demas, whom Paul said had forsaken him because he loved the world.
Disinterest. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebs. 2:3) It is subtle, but how many once-faithful followers have just “neglected” spiritual disciplines?
Disillusionment. Think of someone who had looked up to the prophet Jonah before he boarded a ship to Tarshish. Or, in 30 A.D., some Hebrew youngster who, before the Upper Room, had considered Judas a role model. The answer: “Looking unto Jesus.” (Hebs. 12:2)
Discontentment. Paul had to learn in whatsoever state he was in to be content. (Phil. 4:11)
Disobedience. “If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted? If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” (Gen.4:7)
Disloyalty. “No man can serve two masters; a house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Matt. 6:24; 12:25)
Beware the fiery darts of the wicked one!
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph.6:13
YOU and GOD 