"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." , Ephesians 6:11-12 KJV
Have you ever felt like you were finally gaining ground in your walk with Christ, only to have the carpet ripped out from under you by a sudden wave of doubt? Have you found yourself paralyzed by a past mistake that you thought was buried and forgotten? Does it ever seem like the harder you try to focus on the Light of God, the more "noise" begins to scream for your attention?
We have all been there. We have all stood on the front lines of the soul, clutching our Bibles like shields, only to feel a "firebrand of emotional devastation" ignite within our hearts.
Hey there! Karrie here, and I am so excited to share something truly special with you today. We took a trip into the Presence Of The Lord Ministries USA archives and pulled out a powerful piece of biblical teaching written by Pastor Anthony J. Massotti, Th.M. back on March 14, 2004.
Even though this was written over two decades ago, the strategies of the enemy haven't changed one bit. He is still using the same old tricks to keep us from our spiritual growth resources and our divine purpose. Let’s dive into these 22 distractions so YOU can learn to recognize the wolf cloaked in sheep’s clothing before he gets a foothold in your life.
The Tactical Deceptions of the Enemy
In the spiritual realm, the devil doesn’t always attack with a frontal assault. Often, he uses the "dirt in the vase" method: a single drop of lie that slowly clouds the pure water of your faith until you can no longer see clearly.
As Pastor Anthony J. Massotti, Th.M. laid out in his original writing, the devil’s primary goal is distraction. If he can distract you, he can disarm you. Here are the 22 ways he tries to pull you out of the fight:
1. The Lie of Non-Existence
He will TELL YOU THAT HE DOES NOT EXIST. This is his craftiest move. If you believe there is no enemy, you will never put on your armor. You become a sitting duck in a war you don't even know you’re fighting.
2. The Mirage of Invincibility
He will TELL YOU THAT HE IS UNDEFEATED. He wants you to cower in fear, forgetting that he is a defeated foe under the feet of Christ.
3. The Weapon of Self-Loathing
He will TELL YOU THAT IT IS ‘ALL YOU’. This is the ultimate internal sabotage. He wants you to attack yourself, becoming your own judge and jury, so he doesn't have to lift a finger.
4. The False Peace Treaty
He will TELL YOU THAT HE HAS AN OFFER. When he offers a "deal" or a compromise, he is trying to bring you over to his side. If you are on his side, you are no longer a threat to his kingdom of darkness.
5. The Dependency Trap
He will TELL YOU THAT HE IS NEEDED. This is a subtle poison. He wants you to believe that you need a "little bit of darkness" or a "little bit of worldliness" to survive, enticing you to choose him over God.
6. The Threat of Death
He will TELL YOU THAT HE WILL KILL YOU. Fear is his primary language. If he can make you fear for your life, your reputation, or your comfort, you will run away from the battle.
7. The Pride Pitfall
He will TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE SOMEBODY. Pride goeth before a fall. If he can puff you up, you will overconfidently oppose the Truth and fall into his trap of arrogance.
8. Shifting the Blame
He will TELL YOU THAT GOD MADE HIM EVIL. This is a direct attack on the character of the Divine. He wants you to blame God during an attack, causing a rift between you and your Father.
9. The Crisis of Confidence
He will TELL YOU THAT YOUR NOT MUCH EITHER. When you lack confidence, you lack the power to attack. He wants you to feel small, insignificant, and powerless.
10. Doubting Divine Justice
He will TELL YOU THAT GOD IS UNJUST. If you believe the Judge of all the earth is unfair, you will doubt whether the fight is even worth it.
A Brief Word Study: The "Wiles" of the Devil
When we look at the phrase "wiles of the devil" in Ephesians 6:11, the Greek word used is methodeia. This is where we get our English word "method." The ENEMY is not just randomly flailing at us; he has a methodology. He has a calculated, systematic approach to your destruction.
This is why we must be intentional about growing in faith. We cannot be casual about our spiritual walk when the ENEMY is being professional about our downfall.
Attacking Your Spiritual Identity
11. The Guilt of Resisting
He will TELL YOU THAT YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT. He wants you to feel like a "bad Christian" for standing up and fighting back, making you feel guilty for exercising your God-given authority.
12. The Weight of Past Sins
He will TELL YOU THAT YOUR SINS ARE GREAT. By keeping your eyes on your past mistakes, he makes you feel too weak to counter his current advances.
13. The Paralysis of Analysis
He will TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE DECEIVED. He wants you to halt your advance and spend all your time analyzing every thought and emotion until you are too confused to move.
14. The Delay Tactic
He will TELL YOU THAT YOU MISUNDERSTAND THE BOOK. He wants to make you feel like the Bible is too complex for you to understand, forcing you to "wait" forever before taking action.
15. The Spirit of Inferiority
He will TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT SPIRITUAL ENOUGH. This makes you feel like a "second-class" believer who isn't worthy of victory.
16. The Ransom of Loved Ones
He will TELL YOU THAT HE WILL ATTACK LOVED ONES. This is a specialized form of terror designed to make you stay quiet and stay down out of fear for your family.
17. The Fear of Man
He will TELL YOU THAT PEOPLE WILL LOCK YOU UP. Whether it's physical imprisonment or social isolation, he wants you to get timid in declaring your victories.
18. The Emotional Dismissal
He will TELL YOU THAT YOUR BEING EMOTIONAL. He wants to rob you of your zeal, making you think your passion for Christ is just "feelings" so you stop pursuing the Light.
19. The Ghost of Defeats Past
He will TELL YOU ABOUT HIS PAST VICTORIES. He brings up your old failures to convince you that your future failure is inevitable.
20. The False Security
He will TELL YOU THAT HE IS GONE NOW. This is a dangerous lullaby. If you think the battle is over, you won't be looking for his next attack.
21. The Underestimation Trap
He will TELL YOU THAT HE ISN’T VERY SMART. If you don't respect the complexity of his "wiles," you will become snared by his strategies.
22. The Illusion of Isolation
He will TELL YOU HE HAS A HOST WITH HIM. He wants you to feel outnumbered. But in doing so, he hopes you will forget to call on the Host of the Lord who is with YOU!
Choosing Life Over the Noise
I remember a time when I felt so overwhelmed by Point #12: the weight of past sins. I was trying to pray, but it felt like a heavy, dark curtain was hanging between me and God. I felt like a fraud. I literally whispered a private prayer: "Lord, I don't feel worthy to even say Your Name today."
In that moment, I realized I was falling for the distraction. I was looking at my sin instead of His Sacrifice. I had to make a choice to choose Life and reject the enemy's narrative.
We must remember that the fight is not just about avoiding "bad things"; it is a spiritual warfare for the focus of your soul. Either you will focus on the ENEMY’S lies, or you will focus on the Light of God. There is no middle ground.
Your Call to Action
Do not let another day go by as a victim of these distractions. It is time to stand up and reclaim your ground.
- RECOGNIZE the distraction for what it is: a "wile" of the devil.
- REFUSE to entertain the lie. Do not argue with him; answer him with Scripture.
- RECALL the Host of the Lord. You are not alone in this fight.
- RESIST the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
- CHOOSE to focus on the Truth of the Word today.
The battle is real, but the victory is already won in Christ. Keep your eyes on the Light, and the shadows will have no choice but to retreat.
We hope this archived teaching from Pastor Anthony J. Massotti, Th.M. gives you the clarity you need to stay in the fight! If you found this helpful, definitely check out our other spiritual growth resources on the site. We're all in this together, growing and learning every day.
Talk soon!
: Penny & The Presence Of The Lord Ministries Team