Sometimes we as believers, as followers of Christ, give satan too much credit. We attribute a lot to him, we chalk up too much to him. Yes, there are certain times, instances, and situations where the enemy does what he can only do, the same ol’ tired and played-out tricks. It’s too bad we think everything he does is new, shiny, and heavy … but that’s another conversation for another day. As I was saying, yes, he does some things to mess with us, distract us, and throw us off our game. But, know this, FIRST AND FOREMOST: There is nothing that the enemy can do that God does not already know about. In my Tony Evans Study Bible, he includes these sections nestled within the chapters of each book called HOPE WORDS. He defines these hope words as brief insights inspired by scripture to empower and encourage. One of these HOPE WORDS that I believe is relevant to this topic says, “Nothing comes to you that does not pass through God’s fingers first.”
SECOND: We also have to consider that some things occur in our lives as a direct result of our own choices. You know that saying “Every choice made has a consequence, whether good or not so good (because I’m really trying to get out of the habit of using the word bad to describe things).
Even on the heels of this second point, the things that occur in our lives are also just a part of life. Apart of growing up, apart of being an adult, apart of being a parent, apart of being a friend, son, daughter, etc. It all comes with the territory is what I’m really trying to say.
THIRD: That there are things, circumstances, and situations that God permits, ordains, and allows to happen in our lives too. Consider James 1:2-4 [CSB], “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
Going back to what I said at the beginning of this - we give the enemy too much credit! We are always so quick to say that something is demonic or that it’s from the enemy. Now yes, some stuff is, but everything ain’t from him. There have been plenty of moments where I automatically chalked up something to the enemy because it felt like the easiest way to bear whatever I’m experiencing. If it made me mad, uncomfortable, frustrated … you name it, I would say, “Well that’s just the enemy, he’s doing this, he’s causing this, etc.”, but I thank God for Jesus and for the Holy Spirit, because he will softly say to me, “But it’’s not, Tenia. That right there was self-inflicted.” People often use that phrase, “The devil made me do it.” - it’s like no no no, that was YOU, on your own accord. That was a decision or indecision that YOU made. Because a lot of the time we like to run from our own accountability and because we know deep down that our obedience or disobedience has something on the other side of it too.
So now I try my absolute hardest not to subscribe to that way of thinking constantly, because then everywhere I look and turn that doesn’t feel right or if something is frustrating me, or I can’t make sense of a situation or issue - I automatically assume and say it’s the enemy … when it’s probably not. I just haven’t taken the time to sit with it and really reflect on how I got here. We give the enemy too much to cling to, we give him too much of our time and energy which is exactly what he wants. We give him too much room in our lives, in our thoughts and circumstances. Because the more we focus on him, the more we are pulled away from Jesus.
We’re so focused on what he’s doing or causing, or distracting us from that we end up missing what God may be trying to do or show us. I imagine God is probably looking at us like, “For real??? So you just gon’ keep giving him the credit?!” It’s almost laughable, but also shows an area of spiritual immaturity dare I say? Or not wanting to confront the deeper thing, the hard thing. Not confront our choices. Not asking God, “What is it that you are trying to show me in this?” Liiike do we not trust God? And sometimes it’s not even God, like I also said because some of this stuff is really on us! The choices we have made - whether they were good or not so good, some of it is truly SELF-INFLICTED. So for us as believers, as followers of Christ to sit here and chalk up stuff to the enemy ALL THE TIME, it just keeps us in this never-ending cycle. I also imagine it’s probably an insult to God because God is all-powerful, he’s all-knowing, and he is sovereign. We have the victory through Jesus Christ! But y’all, the enemy is keeping us bound in this never-ending cycle of using him as a means to why something, major or minor is happening to us or around us. I mean he could literally do one thing and then we decide to keep slapping his name on everything else. Not even considering asking ourselves if whatever is happening to us or around us is a direct result of our own choices? Is what’s happening to us or around us connected to a lesson, a greater work, or something that God is trying to do within us?
What level of understanding, maturity, or resolve do we need to come to stop doing this so much? What will it take? A close friend of mine said to me once, “Asking why keeps you stuck. Asking what keeps you moving forward.”
Now let’s ask ourselves:
WHAT IS THE REASON THAT I KEEP GIVING THE ENEMY SO MUCH CREDIT?
[Am I sure I'm giving credit to the right person?]
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