3 Ways to Recognize and Silence the Real Devil

Debbie W. Wilson's blog is about refreshing faith. It's full of positive counsel to grow in hope and spiritual maturity. She recognizes some of the struggles in the walk of faith, like dealing with a very real devil. In this Discernment UPGRADE, Debbie shares three ways to deal with the devil's attacks—to stop him in his tracks!

"On Halloween, horned devils and gruesome looking goblins may show up at your door asking for treats," she said. "However, the real devil is much more subtle—and dangerous."

I (Dawn) think the scary thing is that—even though people wear red horns and costumes of what they mistakenly think the devil looks like—so many people don't believe the devil is real! How do we silence the devil if we don't believe he exists? Debbie has some profound thoughts here.    

Debbie continues . . .

For several weeks the thought that an answer I’d given at Bible study had misled and confused my friend taunted me. I hadn’t seen her to address it.

Over mugs of steaming tea, I asked, “Can I ask you about the question you raised in Bible study?”

Her brown eyes widened. “What question? I don’t remember a question.”

I’d worried my answer to my friend’s question had led to an inaccurate understanding of the topic. Her response showed I’d been duped by our spiritual enemy’s lies and accusations—again.

The Bible describes our spiritual enemy, the devil, as a roaring lion that prowls around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10).

Are you familiar with his accusations?

Satan also sows seeds of fear and doubt.

After a medical appointment, I mentioned to my husband what the nurse had said in passing that had left me feeling discouraged.

“That sounds like a poisonous dart,” he said.

“Reading through the Gospel of Mark, I’ve noticed that the first thing Jesus does when He meets someone tormented by demons is to tell the demons, ‘Be quiet.’”

The enemy had used this woman’s medical position to give her words power they didn’t deserve.

So how do we protect ourselves from the devil’s arrows?

Dealing with the Real Devil's Attacks

1. Stay Alert!

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT).

Copperheads live in our area. When I’m outside during warm months, I look where I’m gardening and where my dogs walk. Like copperheads, Satan blends in with otherwise safe and normal surroundings.

Knowing he is there should make us alert, not afraid.

Notice how Peter describes our enemy:

• He prowls: my computer dictionary defines this as, “move around restlessly and stealthily, especially in search of … prey.”
  • He slips in when we are weary or our defenses are down, like when we are in so-called safe places—like Bible study or a doctor’s appointment.
• Roaring: Lions roar to paralyze and intimidate their prey. 
  • I read that a lion’s intimidating roar can be heard up to 5 miles away. Their roars scare off hyenas and send fear through those they hunt. Lions that are too weak to hunt roar to scare off would-be attackers.
• Looking for someone to devour: 
  • The devil is always looking for opportunities to pounce. His goal is to destroy—our faith, joy, peace, fruitfulness, and relationships.

2. Be Discerning

Satan masquerades as an angel of light, pretending to offer correction. Yet, Satan just accuses and condemns.

While Satan hurls vague accusations of guilt and shame and offers no constructive steps to change, Jesus is our advocate.

The Holy Spirit’s correction is always specific, clear, and empowering (2 Corinthians 7:10). The Holy Spirit never shames you.

When we are in a spiritual battle, other believers can help us find truth. Let a trusting believer know your battle.

My husband’s insight exposed the dart and freed me.

3. Follow Jesus’s Example

If a fear or accusation continues to taunt you after you’ve confessed it, you are dealing with one of Satan’s fiery arrows.

If you feel guilty but have no clear wrong to confess, use your delegated authority (Ephesians 1:18-23) and follow Jesus’s example.

Tell the accuser, “Be quiet” (Mark 1:25).

I’d like to hear your insights. What helps you recognize and stop the real devil’s attacks?

Debbie W. Wilson is an award-winning author, Bible teacher, and former Christian counselor who speaks and writes to connect fellow sojourners to the heart of Christ. She and her husband lead Lighthouse Ministries, a non-profit Christian counseling and Bible teaching ministry. Despite time in Boston, the Midwest, and Southern California, Debbie still says y’all. Her family, which includes two grown children and two mischievous standard poodles, calls North Carolina home. Connect with Debbie, find free resources, and learn about her books, including her new release Little Strength, Big God at debbieWwilson.com.

Graphic adapted: Courtesy of Mikhail Nilov at Pexels.

Hunting Down Peace

Kathy Carlton Willis is simply a dynamo! She accomplishes more in one day than I do in a week. She may be challenged, but she knows where to go for peace. In this Peace UPGRADE, she explains how to hunt down peace when stresses and troubles come.

“As Christians," Kathy says, "we have a pretty good idea about the benefits of peace, but it’s time to put it into action."

I (Dawn) like what Kathy says about activating peace—it goes beyond a feeling. We need to pursue peace—to track it down!

Kathy continues . . .

The Bible shows us how peace can change us.

What would happen if we activated peace to make a difference in our own lives and in the world around us? I don’t think I could ever get enough of this kind of peace.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27 NLT).

When was the last time you looked at peace as a gift from Jesus? It’s a peace that soothes both the mind and the heart—He knows right where we need it!

Jesus lived on earth long enough to know that the world apart from Him does not offer this kind of peace. It’s like an exclusive bonus when we’re in a growing relationship with Him.

This gift will help us not be troubled or afraid. When we find ourselves feeling worried or fearful, we know what we have to do.

We need to hunt down peace!

And we know where to find it. So, it’s just a matter of receiving that gift He has lovingly prepared for us.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT).

Rather than waiting for peace to find you, I challenge you to hunt down peace and make it a living, breathing part of your life.

Here are some ways to do that, from Philippians 4:6–7.

1. Don’t worry about anything.

Easier said than done, but if you read the rest of this passage, it will tell you how it’s done.

2. Pray about everything.

If you haven’t prayed about it, do. And if you have prayed about it, pray some more. And if you have covered this thing you worry about in prayer, then pray for everything else.

This verse says we are to pray about everything.

3. Tell God what you need.

He knows it, but it helps you when you talk about it with Him.

When we tell God what we need, we put ourselves in a state of reliance, dependent on Him for the outcome.

4. Thank God for all he has done.

Take time in your prayer to do more than simply telling Him your needs.

Show gratitude for all the answered prayers and provisions you’ve previously received. Rehearse the blessings.

It blesses God when we appreciate what He has done for us. And it puts us in a better frame of mind.

5. Experience blow-your-mind peace when you do these things.

This peace doesn’t make sense, and we can’t humanly try to understand it or recreate it without God.

6. Live for Christ, and His peace will guard your heart and mind.

This peace is a gift, yes, but it will stay active as we devote every breath, every act, every choice to His service.

When we do that, His peace guards our hearts and minds. It guards against the things that attempt to destroy our peace, as well as Satan’s tactics to get us to not live for God.

Once we incorporate the principles of Philippians 4 into our lives, we’re ready to see peace permeate every part of our lives.

Here are some examples of action steps to experience more peace.

Action Steps to Peace

1. Seek healthful peace.

When we lack peace of mind, it affects our health.

God’s peace will give us a calm assurance, delivering rest to body, soul, and spirit.

When His peace envelops us, it becomes like a bulletproof vest.

Stress and worries don’t penetrate our peace.

2. Enjoy the peace of healthy relationships.

When you not only take on the traits of a peace-filled Christ-follower, but also become a peacemaker with others, you will find relationships grow and strengthen.

Peace helps you learn how to respond rather than react.

• Responding is acting based on pre-determined principles (for Christians, biblical foundations).
• Reacting is acting before thinking, based on how the circumstance makes you feel.

A peace-focused believer notices when tension is building in a situation and addresses potential conflicts before they harm relationships.

3. Embrace hope even in seemingly hopeless situations.

As you cling to hope, a stronger peace surfaces.

Hope and peace are natural heartmates. One influences the other. God’s peace feeds your hope, and hoping in God matures your peace.

Hope is an expectation for better things ahead. When you rest in that assurance, peace is your pillow.

4. Seek contentment in your current dissatisfaction.

You will never know God’s success if your primary focus pushes you to acquire more material belongings and accomplishments. God didn’t design us for that kind of perceived success.

But His peace will help you be content, no matter the conditions in your life.

Think of the circumstances your friends and loved ones are facing. How can you bring more peace to their lives to help alleviate their burdens?

Kathy Carlton Willis is God’s Grin Gal. She writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. Over a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she has several books in her Grin Gal brand. Today’s Upgrade with Dawn is inspired by Kathy’s latest Bible study, The Grin Gal’s Guide to Peace. Consider using one of Kathy’s books for your next small group or study. More information at www.kathycarltonwillis.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Joe Pohle at Unsplash.

Do You Have Spiritual Dementia?

Kathy Collard Miller is one wise woman! She's learned that wisdom in the trenches of spiritual growth. In this Spiritual Maturity UPGRADE, she creates a unique application—spiritual dementia—to physical dementia."Larry and I were challenged as we took care of his mother who had Lewy-Body Dementia," Kathy said. "Then I later realized I have spiritual dementia"

I (Dawn) wondered, "What is spiritual dementia? Do I have it? How would I know?" Kathy didn't leave me wondering.

Kathy continues . . .

My 91-year-old mother-in-law, Audrey, had wagged her finger at me, exclaiming,

“You are so mean, Kathy. You dropped me off yesterday several blocks away and I had to walk home in the hot sun.”

I was stunned how to answer. Of course, I hadn't done that, but because of her dementia, she believed it was true. She had a form of dementia called Lewy-Body (www.lbda.org) and with that came paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations.

In that journey of caring for her, Larry and I learned a lot.

To my shock and dismay, I learned I have spiritual dementia.

To some degree EVERY Christian has spiritual dementia.

Here are three primary symptoms.

1. Spiritual Delusions

Audrey had delusions which were very real to her. Nothing Larry and I said ever changed her mind about anything, even obvious proof.

I knew the Lord was speaking to me. I am faced with spiritual truth constantly, and some of it I reject.

I read the Bible and mentally cast away anything that is not within my already-determined belief system . . . or feels like too much of a challenge to obey.

I began to evaluate:

• Am I casting away truth?
• Am I rejecting God’s ideas because I can’t acknowledge I don’t know everything?

Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).

2. Protecting Your Image

Audrey often said, “Someone stole my hearing aids.”

When I found them, she replied, “They put them back.”

Because of her paranoia, Audrey wouldn’t take responsibility because then she would be faced with knowing she is incompetent.

I see myself in her reaction.

My goal is to appear competent, dependable, and efficient. If I can’t answer some biblical question or my answer turns out to be wrong, I try to explain it in different ways. I have a hard time admitting I’m wrong.

3. Taking Things Personally

When Audrey lived in assisted living before coming to live with us, if someone was whispering, they were whispering about her. If someone was upset, they were upset with her. She took everything personally as if it was a reflection of her.

I can be the same way.

When I fixed Audrey's breakfast, she said, “I couldn't eat all the cereal because you put too little milk with it and it got too dry.”

Hearing the accusing word “you” raised defensiveness within me. I thought, “She thinks I always do everything wrong.”

But then I remembered Audrey was raised in the depression and wasting anything was shameful. She was actually saying, “I hope you won't think badly of me because I wasted the cereal. But I couldn't eat it. It’s too dry.”

Knowing the underlying reason helped me be gracious toward her and reminds me to be compassionate toward others.

Maybe it's not all about me but their own struggles.

When the new believers he mentored had problems, the Apostle Paul didn't take it personally.

He wrote,

“. . . Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God” (2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV). 

We can trust God knows the truth about us.

Every one of us struggles with spiritual dementia to some degree. God will help you just like he is helping me.

Which symptom of spiritual dementia (if any) do you struggle with?

Kathy Collard Miller has continued to be in awe of God’s ability to use her through writing over 60 books and speaking in 9 foreign countries and over 30 US States. Her newest women’s Bible study book, God’s Heart for Your Marriage (available in print and Kindle), is perfect for individual or group study. Kathy and her husband, Larry, of more than 50 years, are parents, grandparents, and lay counselors, and they live in Boise, Idaho. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Benjamin Balazs at Pixabay.

Am I a Samaritan?

Susan K. Stewart is a practical, biblical woman. She takes a no-nonsense approach to life, but with a tender heart. In this Compassion UPGRADE, she asks a thought-provoking question: Am I a Samaritan?

“My goal that Sunday morning was to slip into the last row of chairs after the service started, then leave quietly during the closing hymn,” Susan says.

“But God has a way of thwarting our plans for His.”

My heart (Dawn’s) was so touched by Susan’s story; and the lesson she drew from this tough life experience is life-impacting.

Susan continues . . .

The week before an anonymous reporter told the sheriff’s department our seventeen-year-old son had been beaten by his father.

On Sunday, our son was still at a Child Protective Services shelter. We would not know when he could come home until a hearing still ten days away.

To compound the pain of this situation, my husband had been arrested for those allegations.

The small-town weekly newspaper reported all arrests. So, there it was for all the public to see.

When child abuse is reported, not only do the officials treat the accused parent as guilty, so do others. Although I was able to make the required bail, it was still agony to go in public.

Even knowing the falsehood involved, there was no bandage to cover people’s reactions.

A Hurting Heart on Mother’s Day

We tried to quickly sit down while the worship team slowly gathered on the stage and congregants took their seats.

Those who didn’t know us well made sideways glances at us and left the chairs next to us empty. Those who knew us only gave distant greetings. Maybe they believed the report; maybe they didn’t know what to say.

I felt even more alone.

Then Nora walked across the auditorium to give me a hug.

While that may not seem significant most Sunday mornings, on this particular Sunday it was a balm I needed. Not only due to the situation we found ourselves in, but it was also Mother’s Day.

It would have been easy to have stayed at home. After all, we all know what Mother’s Day at church is like.

Moms proudly standing with adoring children, various moms receiving special recognition—the mom whose child is in protective custody or in jail isn’t invited to stand—and the Proverbs 31 sermon.

But the Holy Spirit shoved me out our front door. He knew there was a living sermon for me.

An Unlikely Samaritan

This lady who went out of her way to share love with me was not a close friend. Nora and I had differences. Honestly, she wasn’t someone I expected to approach me. If I had given it any thought, I would have expected her to be one of those who might stand nearby and whisper.

In spite of our sometimes less than cordial relationship, Nora recognized my breaking heart, sought me out to show Christ’s healing love, and became a Samaritan to me. It would have been easier for her to pass by on the other side of the road.

Instead, she publicly acknowledged I needed healing.

Am I a Good Samaritan?

Even though the charges were ultimately dropped by the court, we continued to face some dark hours. During the time in the valley, I was focused on our family’s pain.

As the Shepherd brought us through, I began to look outward more.

• Was I passing on the other side of road when someone was hurt? 
• How did I react to negative reports about others?
• Had I become like the priest or the Levite who moved away from the injured?

I’ve not always followed Nora’s or Christ’s example.

I’m too quick to be concerned about appearances or believing the “news” about someone’s struggle.

Had it been another mother that morning going through inner pain, I may have been one of those whispering and sitting in a different row.

Also like the Samaritan, Nora moved on with her life.

She and I didn’t become friends. In fact, after that one hug, she only asked a couple times how things were going. She’s not the one I asked to be at the court hearing with us. Our lives didn’t converge beyond the soccer field. She’s not even a Facebook “friend” now.

It isn’t necessary to be BFFs to share a healing hug or note of love.

Jesus’s parable (Luke 10:25-37) uses a Samaritan and Jew; people who hated each other. These men wouldn’t not have talked to each other under different circumstances.

The Samaritan followed what was right, not what was expected.  He was “the one who had mercy” (Luke 10:37).

I don’t imagine they had coffee together after the incident. Showing God’s love is for everyone, not just the people we like.

Nora is forever my Samaritan, who crossed the road to offer healing and comfort. She is the Samaritan who made sure my heart was cared for that morning.

She continues to be an example I now try to follow.

Who has been your Samaritan? Are you a Samaritan? How can you strive to be a Samaritan to the unloved?

Susan K. Stewart, Managing Editor with Elk Lake Publishing, teaches, writes, and edits non-fiction. When she’s not tending chickens and donkeys, Susan teaches, writes, and edits non-fiction. Susan’s passion is to inspire readers with practical, real-world solutions. Her latest book, Donkey Devos: Listening When God Speaks, is a devotional based on life with her donkeys. You can learn more at her website www.susankstewart.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Natalia Navrilenko at Pixabay.

Mashing My Remote Control Didn't Help

In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, I want to share four lessons I learned about "control."

I mashed the buttons on the TV’s remote control, but nothing happened. Already stressed from bad news, I frantically mashed the buttons harder.

I knew I was upset and disappointed by my circumstances, but I didn’t realize how angry I was too. In my anger, I fiercely tried to “will” the remote to do my bidding.

“I will conquer you, you stupid thing!”

But nothing I did worked.

My husband asked me a simple question, and as it turned out, the remote needed new batteries (Duh!). The remote required change at its core.

Later, I took time for some heart examination. I thought about how I'd felt so out of control, and the foolish, fierce anger that erupted over a relatively small inconvenience.

In that process, I learned—or at least, was reminded of—four lessons about God.

Four Lessons When Life Feels Out of Control

1. God Is in Control.

I felt out of control, but God is never "out of control." He reigns as the sovereign God. He is in complete, absolute control.

On that day when I felt so overwhelmed, I needed more than “remote control”—a general nod that God is somehow remotely involved in the affairs of the world. I needed to embrace God’s intimate control in my life: His personal knowledge and interaction.

God is the potter and I am the clay (Romans 9:19-24). I may feel God is making mistakes or being harsh as He shapes my life, but that’s just the clay speaking.

In my Spirit-indwelled heart I know:

• The Potter knows what He is doing;
• He knows why He chose me, a lump of clay; and
• He knows what tools He will use to shape me.

God is God. I am not. God works “all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). He rules over all His creation, and that includes me.

2. God Has a Plan.

When I feel out of control, I often scramble to make plans to alleviate my anxiety. In that stress, I’ve sometimes choose a wrong direction and only get into more trouble.

God, who created us, wants to guide us. His plan includes direction for our lives.

As a young woman, I memorized Proverbs 3:5-6. I knew that I could trust God to direct my life, to show me which path to take. When we choose our plans rather than His, there’s no guarantee for the results.

God’s plan may not look like ours, no matter how hard we "mash the buttons" of our plans. His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).

That’s why James urges us to ask for wisdom (James 1:5). We need to ask, and then we need to expect God to give us wisdom. We need to be alert and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s direction.

We are to move forward one step at a time as our Father God gives more light. Then we can be a good steward of our time and resources.

[Let me clarify one thing. We can make plans, but we need to be prepared and willing for God to hijack our plans, which may look nothing like our own. We need to plan wisely, but hold those plans loosely. God gets the last word (Proverbs 16:9).]

3. God Is with Us.

God promised His presence to His people. When we feel overwhelmed, we need to remember that our Father has not left us.

In His presence, we will stop being dismayed or overwhelmed, because His ever-present wisdom and power come to our aid.

Father God sees us, knows all about us, and cares about our struggles.

All three members of the trinity are present in our lives! The Father says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10a). The Son, Jesus, says, “Lo, I am with you” (Matthew 28:20). The Holy Spirit is our ever-present Helper (John 14:17).

4. God Designed Our Suffering.

This is a hard point but a crucial one.

When we are overwhelmed by circumstances, especially in times of deep struggle or suffering, we need to consider God’s hand in our pain.

Our God has lessons for us in our laments. He does not design our circumstances willy-nilly without specific purpose. Our God is a God of order, not haphazard thoughts, words, or actions.

So what is He doing in our overwhelming circumstances?

First, God wants to give us a greater vision.

God wants us to see and understand who He is and what He can do. He wants to teach us how to be more like Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has a big role in conforming us to the image of the Son.

God is not put off by our anger or frustration; and He also does not ignore our tears. He understands our weakness—that we are “dust” (Psalm 103:13-14). But He wants to lift us higher and give us a vision of His work in us.

As we embrace what He is teaching us, we will have more potential to give Him glory!

Second, God wants to change us.

We want to fix our brokenness. We may try many “fixes” in the process, but God wants to smash our self-effort so we will lean into and submit to His process of transformation.

We can resist His design in our struggles and suffering: becoming bitter, angry, and perhaps paralyzed in coping with our pain.  

Or we can respond to God’s design with trust and contentment, believing our Father—while sovereign in all things—is wise, loving, good, and kind.

In light of eternity, our temporal problems bear a different weight. Our present troubles won’t last very long in terms of eternity. In the moment, His hand may feel heavy, but it is working toward eternal purposes we may not currently see or understand.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

What do we make of the tough circumstances that challenge us, maybe threaten to undo us?

Tim Challies wrote about God's providencial actions in our lives in his post, "If God Would Outsource His Sovereignty." Challies wrote about a hypothetical scene in which an angel appeared to a group of Christians in church. The angel said the Lord had told him to distribute some "gifts of His providence." Everyone wanted the gifts of vast sums of money, rare talents, and high position. No one wanted the gifts of quadriplegia, grievous loss, infertility, widowhood, persecution, etc.

If we could choose our circumstances, we would likely never pick painful, hurtful, hard things! But God . . .

Challies concluded that as we receive gifts of providence from God's hand,

"we can rest assured that in the life of the Christian there are not two classes of providence, one good and one bad. No, though some may be easy and some hard, all are good because all in some way flow from His good, Fatherly hand, and all in some way can be consecrated to His service."

We might never choose painful, hurtful, hard things, but God does choose these circumstances for us because of their potential to transform us.

I encourage you to think about the four lessons above in light of your current struggle.

Personalize them:

• God is in control of my circumstance;
• God has a plan for me in my circumstance;
• God is with me throughout this circumstance; and
• God designed my suffering in this circumstance—even when it gets hard—for my good and His glory.

As I meditated on these lessons, I found my feelings changed, even though my circumstance did not.

It felt like putting a new battery into my remote control.

Are you overwhelmed today? Is there a struggle—financial stress, a physical issue, a relationship struggle, mental confusion, great loss, etc.—that consumes your thoughts and feelings?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Mohamed Nuzrath at Pixabay.