Ephesians 6:10-12 “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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 are five primary schemes of the devil today:

Scheme 1: Convince you that he is not real.

Many people today, especially in urban, educated, and progressive circles, do not believe in the devil. This disbelief allows the devil to advance his agenda unnoticed. Paul warns us to wake up spiritually and recognize the ongoing battle between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. When we fail to see the devil as the true enemy, we misidentify the root of our problems and create ineffective solutions.

Scheme 2: Underestimate the devil’s power.

While many Christians believe in the devil, they often underestimate his influence. The Bible describes the devil as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), a great dragon (Rev 12:9), and a crafty serpent (Gen 3:1). He is powerful and has a whole army against us. The more committed you are to living a set-apart life for God, the more the devil will attack you. The devil targets those who are on the verge of making significant cultural impacts, tempting them to compromise their faith.

Scheme 3: Attack your mind.

The devil blinds the minds of unbelievers and creates confusion, trouble, and chaos (2 Cor 4:4). Even after becoming a Christian, the battlefield of the mind continues. The devil wants you to doubt God’s love, forgiveness, and promises. False teachings and heresies can infiltrate the church, leading believers astray. The devil twists biblical values to align with secular worldviews, creating confusion and weakening our faith.

Scheme 4: Attack your body.

The devil targets your physical health through sickness, addiction, and other ailments. Jesus’ ministry was marked by healing the sick and casting out demons, recognizing that many physical ailments are the work of the enemy. As a church, we must pray against diseases like cancer and drug addiction, believing in God’s power to heal and set people free.

Scheme 5: Manifests in your behaviors.

Paul warns the Ephesians not to live like the world, with hardened hearts and futile thinking (Eph 4:17-19). Behaviors like anger, lying, stealing, and gossiping give the devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:27). The devil is subtle and crafty, often attacking when we least expect it. We must remain vigilant and put on the full armor of God to stand against his many schemes. While the devil is powerful, our God is more powerful (Rom 8:35-39). Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). We must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, putting on the full armor of God to stand firm against the devil’s schemes (Eph 6:10-11). Over the next five weeks, we will explore how to utilize the full armor of God to resist the devil and stand firm in our faith. (Martin Lloyd Jones book on Christian Warfare elaborates on these and many more schemes) Watch the full sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwfAJo8GbGg