11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12  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.

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

♦️Most of us are not concerned with an adulterous affair, bank robbery, murder, etc.

The temptations and spiritual attacks we are subject to are much more stealth, destructive attacks that destroy our faith and erode our resistance not from the outside, but from within.

The verses I have chosen today are the building blocks of surviving crisis 

1. Jesus said we would have some trouble

2. Paul said, Our battle is not with people, but rather a spiritual battle

3. He refers to satan's "wiles" and "devices".

Anytime  you think your problem is with a person - you become paralyzed to resolve it, and you will not have peace over it.

We all have conflict, sometimes at work, at home, even in the church environment . . .

We do not want to allow satan to get an advantage of us by being 

IGNORANT of his DEVICES and SCHEMES (wiles)

I have chosen to reveal four of his most deadly devices in this message today.

1. Discouragement

Every person has Been discouraged.

Loss of courage, when faith leaves, you are beaten by your own words.

You despise yourself and you even think about getting out of the battle completely.

Elijah. Sought God to let him die.

Discouragement can spiral down into depression and become a very serious condition.

Friends don’t let friends stay discouraged . . . Be encouraged!

2. Disagreement

Lack of agreement. Conflict. Argument. Each seeks their own way and no one wants to hear the other person's perspective. 

It is not necessary for everyone to think alike to have agreement, but we must work in the spirit of unity. Otherwise, disagreement will destroy the work. Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Peter, 

3. Disillusion

Loss of Vision, loss of perspective, vertigo, the goal is no longer in sight. 

You cannot remember WHY you are doing what you are doing!

4. Disappointment.

Failure of the appointed thing, the expected result was not seen, You reached for it, and fell short of the goal. You feel defeated, faithless, worthless, foolish . . .

get a clue - things will not always go YOUR WAY ! ! !

Jacob faced disappointment after he worked for Rachel, the woman he loved, and got her sister, Leah instead. SEVEN yoars - he worked longing for the day she would be his bride - then upon raising the veil - he saw Leah! What a disappointment.

But - what about Leah? Can you imagine living your life every day knowing you are undesired, unloved, a disappointment to your husband, seeing the love in his eyes for Rachel and seeing regret in his eye for her?

Perhaps the most important thing in our lives and the thing that makes the difference in success and failure is HOW DO YOU HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENT ?

I would say that Jacob and Leah handles their situation prett<

“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, We were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing: Then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; Whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the south. They that sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”