One Thing the Devil Is After

Have you ever wondered why the devil does the things he does? Have you tried to figure out what he really wants from people? If it has ever crossed your mind, be sure to read this post till the very end. If you can’t read now, I want you to set a reminder to read this later, when you’re quiet and collected. Your life may depend on the wisdom God shares in this post.

I would like to start and anchor this blog with Jesus’ story in Matthew 4. Stay with me. We’d critically analyze that event, and I’m sure light would shine in your heart, and you’ll know what the devil is always after and never ever give it to him.

The Experience

Jesus had just finished a fast and was humanly hungry. Then the devil came. 

And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones would be made bread.

Matthew 4:3

The devil hoped Jesus would have to prove that he indeed is the Son of God. He hoped Jesus would have been like, “What does this guy take me for? What makes him think I cannot do this small miracle? When I am obviously going to raise the dead and rise myself?”

Could Jesus turn the stones into bread? Yes, he could. Jesus would later multiply bread and turn water into wine. But did he need to do so to prove His Sonship? No.

Secondly, the devil asked Jesus to jump, given that angels have been given charge over Jesus.

And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands, they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou shalt dash thy foot against a stone.

Matthew 4:6

Now, let me ask you. If Jesus had jumped, would the angels have let him fall to His death, knowing why God sent Him to earth? Of course not. They would have caught Him because He is the Son of God.

But did Jesus need to jump from anywhere to prove his identity? Obviously not!

To the third temptation,

And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Matthew 4:9

Now, did the devil have the world under his power? Yes, Adam gave it to him. If the devil didn’t have the world under his control, he would have been lying, and that scenario wouldn’t have been worthy to be called a temptation. Read this previous blog to understand how.

Humanly speaking, it would have been nice if Jesus had the glory of the world (as the devil put it) at the time. It would have made the acceptance of the work of the cross a lot easier. But did He need that to accomplish what God would have Him do on earth? No! he would defeat the devil alright and take dominion from him. But the devil doesn’t get to call the shots!

I also want you to look at these temptations differently. Do you think the devil had appeared to Jesus in person, with the tag: DEVIL?

And when scripture tells us that Jesus took on flesh and was fully man, don’t you think that meant that He was laden with emotions as we are? Don’t you think Jesus felt the things we feel today? {Hebrews 4:15}

I say that to say, could you consider the possibility that all those temptations were done in Jesus’ mind? And the devil latched on to what should have been a human weakness in Jesus – the same way you’re tempted to do something because of the weakness of your human nature.

The Reason

All the temptations Jesus faced required Him to prove a point – that He was the Son of God. But why did the devil need proof? Or didn’t he know who the Messiah was? Why does the devil need you to prove anything to him or anybody?

What is the devil’s aim?

The devil was simply after Jesus’ state of mind, the condition of His heart. And he wanted to begin by changing Jesus’ perception of His identity as the Son of God.

Could he do that?

Yes, because Jesus was in the flesh!

His aim was to make Jesus question his position as the Son of God. He wanted Jesus to do something to show who He was – which would contradict God’s will. In the same way, the devil is looking for ways to make you question your place in God’s family. He wants to distort the state of your heart, and probably fill it with questions or indignation against God.

The Devil Is After the Perpetual State of Your Heart

…because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

John 8:44

The devil comes to lie to you that you’re not enough or that you’re a filthy person, unworthy of God’s love. Even through circumstances and economic situations, He can tell you that God cannot meet your needs. He tells you how you do not deserve to have that good thing, or how your bad condition is God’s punishment for your sins. Funny enough, he can also lie to you through people and the words they speak to you.

But in all honesty, he isn’t interested in whether you’re poor or rich. He isn’t merely after your job. The devil isn’t really interested in any other thing but the perpetual state of your heart. He wants to keep your heart soaked in pride, lust, anger, frustration, and everything ungodly, to actively limit God’s work in your life.

What the devil wants to achieve with the violence going on all over the world is to keep people in perpetual fear, so he can wreak more havoc. The reason he’s destroying more homes and marriages is so that fear and insecurity can grip the hearts of the unmarried, and he can destroy more homes.

He knows that if he can perpetually keep your heart fearful and miserable, there’s no other thing he cannot do to you.

And seriously, he’s all about discrediting the finished work of the cross. But, of course, that matter encompasses the entirety of his miserable defeat – and he hates to be reminded of that.

The Solution – What Should You Do?

What did Jesus do?

Jesus countered the devil with the Word! He didn’t start asking God to send help or kill the devil or for fire to come down and consume the devil. He simply told the devil God’s stance on those matters. He let the devil know God’s will!

Resist the Devil with the Word

When the devil comes at your heart, resist him with the Word and what God has done for you in Christ. Trust me, this is devil-repellent!

Resist the devil with God’s will for you. Remind him of his defeat! I bet you, he hates hearing that side of the story!

It is typical to start crying to God for help, which is a good move. But my dear, God has provided all the help He would provide in Christ. He dropped His last card on the table when Jesus died and rose. So you don’t need to waste time doing any other thing. Just start to declare (in faith) who you are in Christ, what Christ has done for you, and how defeated the devil is.

Not too long ago, the devil started whispering some things to me, and gradually, I was paying attention. He started to nudge me towards perceiving that my God-orchestrated life was in shambles. Honestly, I was giving him ears, and I started to feel miserable. But, then, do you know what else he did? He put his filthy hands in some areas of my life to prove that he was right. And I kept listening.

Until one day, I had unconsciously paid so much attention to him, the misery he projected started to eat me up, and I broke down in tears. At that point, I started to ask God to help me. But what did I want God to do at that moment? Send me angels in shiny armors? When He already gave me the weapons of His Word? I knew I had to open my mouth and give the devil a chase. I cried and cried until I finally did. Immediately I reminded the devil of his defeat; all those lies ceased. And I saw again how beautifully God has made my life. And this is just one of many experiences I could share with you.

Resisting the devil isn’t a one-off thing. His defeat has been achieved by Jesus once and for all. But we must resist him every day!

Step 1 – Know the Word for Yourself

And resisting the devil means you must know the Word, not merely memorize the bible. You must know what God has said concerning you (through the Word and prophecy). God’s Word and perfect will must be engraved on the tablet of your heart.

Step 2 – Visit Our Faith Confessions Category

I’ll also encourage you to continually visit our faith confession category. You’ll find spirit-inspired confessions with which you can get the devil on his heels. Trust God, they work because I’m not here to sell you audio!

Step 3 – Be In the Right Company

Finally, surround yourself with people who know what God has done in Christ and will not hesitate to draw your attention back to the finished work of the cross. Join an assembly of believers who are given to the Word. If possible, have their phone numbers on speed dial!

So, where’s that part of your life the devil has been lying to you about?

What’s that thing the devil wants to use to prove to you that God does not love you?

I hope you now you know that his real ambition is a comfortable spot in your heart.

Call him out today, and put him where he belongs – total defeat, and never let him have a second in your heart!

Don’t forget to share this piece with your tribe. God bless and keep your heart!!