God is so sweet! A friend gave me a book for Christmas by Charles Stanley. It is titled When the Enemy Strikes...you'll never believe what chapter I am on! That's right! Chapter 4, The Enemy's Snares
He starts by telling a story.
A preacher was teaching a lesson to a group of children. He brought a very large spool of thread, called upon the biggest, strongest boy to be tied by this thread at the hands of a little girl. He gave her about 10 minutes as he continued to speak. The boy was unable to set himself free!
He says when a person admits that they do not know why they do the things that they do, or they cannot stop, it is like the thread...one little sin after another, then we are ensnared!
Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11
(Have you ever done the dishes at your house? Everyone has a different way of doing them...some want them all rinsed and stacked nicely...some just start washing...some put them in soap...some just use a soapy rag....anything we do we have a method, or wile of doing it. Ephesians goes on to tell us how to stand against the wiles of the devil. He knows were we are weak, and he will use what gets to us. Malohaut is doing a Bible study on the armour of God,
http://www.cgalliance.org/forums/showthread.php?p=95380#post95380
and that is how we stand, by placing on our armour. I have heard it said that our back is not protected with this armour, while we are covered head to toe, for we are to stand. It says having done all to stand..STAND! Don't run, our back is not covered...simply stand by the power of God! I liken this to those times when we my not feel like praying, or feel our prayers are being heard, or we read the Bible and don't seem to get much out of it...just keep on standing...keep on keeping on! God will honour your faithfulness.)
The book says that the enemy sets four snares against us:
DEBATE
DIVISION
DOUBT
DECEPTION
DEBATE: He always wants to engage us in conversation loaded with but, and if statements. He continually seeks to place qualifiers on who God is, who you are, and how you might relate to God or other people. The truth of God has no butts, no ifs, no qualifiers, or disclaimers.
He says if you find yourself in a conversation with someone that constantly says, "but," or "what if," or "what about," the enemy is using that person-not for an honest discussion for getting to the truth of the issue, but a debate solely for the please of disagreement.
(I would interject here, if you find yourself around anyone that would cast doubt on the things he mentioned, for any reason, you need to get away from that person.)
DIVISION: The enemy always seeks to divide people. It is critically important in defeating the enemy that we continually seek to unite with and remain united with believers who truly are seeking to follow and serve Christ Jesus. We must become yoked with those who are joined with Christ. We need to be clear that brothers and sisters in Christ are not our enemies.
Words of accusation:
The foremost tactic the enemy uses in dividing people is accusation. In Revelation 12:10 he is referred to as the accuser of our brethren, who accuses them before God night and day.
Accusation breeds distrust, anger, hatred, emotional pain, rejection, resentment, and bitterness. No one wants to be around someone who is accusing him or criticizing him all the time. We run from someone who does that, putting as much space between us as we can...that's division.
The love of God is what unites us Romans 8:35~39.
Words of love and acceptance in Christ Jesus produce the exact opposite of accusations.
DOUBT: If the enemy can get you to doubt God's presence, God's love for you, God's forgiveness, God's purpose for you, or God's commandments, he is well on his way to getting you to yield to temptation. He seems to specialize in several categories of doubt.
Doubt About God's Word
When you begin to discount or dismiss God's Word, you'll find there is no end to discounting it or dismissing its value.
Doubts About Your Relationship with God
He wants you to question your salvation, the fact that you have a Heavenly home, and he works on feelings. If you feel this way, how could you be saved? All lies of the enemy and wiles to get you to doubt. Some of his favorite lies:
1. Saved people don't sin.
2. Some sins are beyond forgiveness.
3. Gods gets weary of people sinning and repenting and will stop forgiving them.
(I believe that is why Ephesians tells us to put on the helmet of salvation. We cannot let the enemy put doubts in our mind about our salvation.)
He also likes to instill doubts about our ministry:
+If God called you to do that, you would be more successful.
+Who do you think you are trying to live this way and serve the LORD?
+What good is all that church stuff anyway?
+What difference can you make?
DECEPTION:
Deception is a lie about the true reality of something. Deception occurs when we believe things are good, but they aren't; when we believe things are hopeless, but they aren't; when we think something is true, but it isn't. Deception is perhaps the enemies foremost snare.
The lies of the devil always have the ring of truth to them. The best counterfeit is always as close to the authentic item as possible. The same for the best lie-it is just one degree from the truth. He tells us we cannot live Holy as God says. He tells us we are too busy. He only wants us to think about today, to live for the moment, and not worry about where bad choices will lead us.
If we could see the final outcome of sin, we would never engage in the first act of any sin. Sin leads to death, destruction, and diminishing of every good thing. It destroys relationships, reputation, and the opportunity to reap great blessings. It hinders growth and keeps us from fulfilling our God-given destiny. It destroys inner peace, joy, and feelings of deep satisfaction It diminishes self-worth and dashes hopes, dreams, and goals. Sin shackles and limits us in ways that cause us to retreat into ourselves and to hide from the world.
He likes us to think that it can't happen to us! That we will not reap the consequences of sin, that we are different.
His biggest lies are about Jesus, he wants us to believe there are other ways to be saved.
The answer Caleb, as in all things of God, is praying without ceasing, and staying in God's Word. I encourage you to follow Malohaut's teaching. It is good to be aware of the enemy and the wiles he uses, but that knowledge is useless if we do not dress for Spiritual battle at all times, with the whole armour of God.
Thank you for allowing me to share. I needed that!

God says to draw nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to us...but we need our armour, the closer we are, and the more we try to serve the LORD, the more the enemy will fight!