Satan attacks the most when .....
 

I have heard this alot. "Satan attacks the hardest when your doing something right"

I cant seem to find where that is in the Word. Can someone help me out?

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

I don't think it's there, either. I think it's a general principle that some believe to be true.

Generally speaking, all of the righteous saints in the Bible faced incredible challenges and hardships, persecutions, and even death.

In light of that, and of what we know about the devil, people make the kind of statement you shared, attempting to put the two concepts together, like so:

Challenges and hardships = the hindering, attacking word of Satan

Is that spelled out in the Bible? Someone will have to help me out, because I don't remember seeing that, so specifically, at least.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Matt 12
43“When an •unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.bf 44Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45Then off it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.

and Luke 11:26 commentaries discuss this testing, describing it as someone "partially reformed," etc.

"The house is swept from common sins, by a forced confession, as Pharaoh's; by a feigned contrition, as Ahab's; or by a partial reformation, as Herod's. The house is swept, but it is not washed; the heart is not made holy. Sweeping takes off only the loose dirt, while the sin that besets the sinner, the beloved sin, is untouched. The house is garnished with common gifts and graces. It is not furnished with any true grace; it is all paint and varnish, not real nor lasting. It was never given up to Christ, nor dwelt in by the Spirit."

which seems kind of harsh, if one is just trying to do the right thing, but i think everyone starts out trying to fit Christ into their lives instead of fitting their lives into Christ, so to speak. So what may be happening is that someone seeking to accomplish salvation by works is having their heart tested to reveal their true motives.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

2He did what was right in the LORD's sight but not wholeheartedly.

this is from 2Chron25 written about Amaziah, and the commentary here might provide some insight. It is a strange account to read, as we must discern Amaziah's motives for turning from God, and no direct answer is given even when the prophet asks him.

It's just common strategic sense if you're an enemy of the devil. Any threat to someone makes that one fight.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Yea I could see that. But in the past week I have felt that maybe attacks are more and more when we are weak in the Spirit and walking in our flesh. Not saying that if we are truly living right that the enemy won't tempt us. I do belive however that if we realize who we are in Christ and the power we have in us by the Holy Ghost, and knowing the we overcame the enemy just like Jesus did on the cross then what can the devil do to us?
I have have a burdenfor the Saints of God. I look around and can feel so many have defeat in their hearts. When the enemy tempts or when situations happen in life that we don't like , I am seeing more people react with the mind of defeat. But we shouldnt. We shouldn't be worrying and getting upset so easily , we should be standing firm and rebuke those feelings in the Authority that is in us. Yea trials come...but the enemy searches who he may devour. But if we stand strong in the Lord and KNOW who we are in Christ and the power that is in us ..when the devil comes near us he will see that we know what he knows and that is he, is already overcome. And we can use the Word against him and he has to flee!
But as long as we don't realize we have that power and Authority then the enemy can have fun with that.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

well, with that in mind, it is a good idea maybe to recognize that when you are doing it right, someone wants to kill you for it :lol

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

we even have a saying, "no good deed goes unpunished," that reflects this. So it is prudent to recognize when you may be embarked upon a good deed that you envision an outcome that may not reflect God's purpose, which may be to reveal sin in others, which is going to produce friction of one kind or another in the natural world, and to not get discouraged by this.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

That's an understandable point of view, until you remember Job. He was not weak in his faith, and even went so far as to pray daily for any sins his children may have committed in ignorance. And yet, everything he owned and held dear on this earth (his children, his cattle, his wealth and his health), was taken from him - save for his wife and his life - and even his wife turned on him, and told him to just curse God and die.

I don't believe every trial we face comes from the devil. Sometimes they're of our own making, in fact. Nevertheless, as Bro. Blume pointed out, it just makes sense to acknowledge, that the devil will attack when we're opposing him and his kingdom.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Yes I had considered the book of Job. But Job was so strong in faith and Satan knew that. That's why he said. " Hast not thou made an hedge about him....."
So Satan knew he was protected and Jesus had to allow him to attack him. But yet Job still did not sin. And was blessed even more.
I guess my point is in HOW people react to troubles. They can react in power or react in defeat. But resist the devil and he will flee. :)
I do agree with you....not every trial we face is of the devil. Alot of troubles we "blame" on the devil when we should look at ourselves.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Job was likely guilty of salvation by works, as reflected in his change of address to God at the beginning v the end of the Book, at least according to some interpretations.

I just read an article on peoples' reactions to stress that applies to your
"HOW people react to troubles. They can react in power or react in defeat"
which speaks to this. Those who are informed beforehand that stress can elicit better responses when it is seen as a challenge--reacting in power, so to speak--rather than an obstacle--reacting in defeat--did much better on exams than a control group.

Wow!! That is very interesting!
Thanks for sharing that.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

can't find the stress article now, but it's basically whether one views the stress as eustress or distress. The Job opinion is reflected in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZKuixGmiMw

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

My life's experiences doesn't bare this out to be true, so far.

For me, satan attacks the most when I am carnal-minded. He attacks alot when I am sleepy too.

Same here, brother!

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Most of the time, we are in warfare with our fleshly nature that does not want to submit to the mind of Christ... "But let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus"...

What mind did Christ have? Obedience. He was obedient and submitted His will to the purpose that had to be accomplished in Him.

And our flesh fights hard "against the pricks" of the Spirit of the Lord... but greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

Personally, I think most of our battles begin in our own flesh and heart, and the enemy then sees us struggling to be obedient and submissive to Christ, and capitalizes on that, and ushers in more temptations that he knows we also struggle with, and it becomes a battle with our flesh and the enemy.

Oh I couldn't agree more! Actually I was just talking about this very thing to my husband thus past week. About it stemming from our flesh.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

Many times we give the enemy more credit than he deserves. We want to blame things on the enemy, when it is just our flesh resisting obedience to the mind of Christ within us. I really think most of our troubles begin in our mind, and then the enemy uses temptations when he sees us struggling.

I would also like to point out, that many times when suffering, or trials, or difficult circumstances come into our lives, we want to put blame on the enemy, and this is probably the worst thing we could do. Because it may be the Lord himself allowing these things in our lives to perfect us.

Read 1 Peter 4 to better understand this concept. Here are a couple of great scriptures from that chapter:

1 Peter 1:4
1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Yes!! Thank you so much for your wisdom!

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

LUKE 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

I think in the spiritual realm when you're living a holy and acceptable life it gets the attention of the the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

When I would do good, evil is present with me. The enemy comes in like a flood. Whenever you're in the will of God, you better be ready for a spiritual war.

I'll have no problems for months and months. Money will be good. I'll be happy and just having the time of my life. And then BAM like a flood everything seems to go wrong at once. And I immediately know it's my season. My time to be tempted again.

80% of our problems are self inflicted due to bad decision making. 20% is completely out of our control. We can prevent the majority simply by trying live in obedience to the word. If people would just keep the 10 Commandments they'd eliminate a lot of their problems. If people would just love thy neighbor as their self a lot of problems would be diverted. Not fornicating would eliminate a lot of problems.

I am the most unfaithful Apostolic there is but I learned a long time ago that it's a great idea to adhere to the word, has prevented a lot of problems for me.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

amen--but it seems we started a discussion about satan intervening in situations via other people and kinda turned to personal temptation and sin here. Or i guess not, but that is what i was thinking anyway :lol

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

The easiest explanation for the OP to me would be that of course when your doing right the devil comes knocking. When your not doing what you know is right...well your kinda working for him already so no reason for him to rock the boat. Not to sound harsh or like I've figured it all out. As someone may have already stated we are programmed to think doing good equals peace now. But maybe we just need to be at peace with being embattled.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

The devil is defeated. He is bruised under our feet. Jesus made an open show over all principalities and powers. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.

The issue is the flesh, first our own, then others. If a person is full of the Holy Spirit, walking by faith and not by sight, the Holy Spirit in them will shine light upon those who love darkness more than light, because their deeds are evil. The Holy Spirit came into the world, among other reasons, to reprove it.

People you are near to, work with, or that are in your family, if they are living in ungodliness, will experience a pricking of their heart whenever you are around. Conviction runs contrary to their flesh, and so, don't be surprised when many around you treat you poorly. Jesus told us to expect it!

And He never placed any blame for this on any devil.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

of course, you might be treated poorly for being a jerk, also; conviction does not = pointing fingers at people.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

We reap what we sow. If we are being jerks, we should expect the same in kind.

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

yes, broadly speaking, but as believers we are not supposed to be a jerk to a jerk--even to provide an example; trust me, i keep trying this, and it never works :lol--and in the natural, jerks are often accorded more respect. weird, huh?

Re: Satan attacks the most when .....
 

people are naturally led to try to mentally put concepts like this into neat little boxes; yet it is possible to be a jerk--or "egotistical," prolly--by being too 'demonstrably' nice, and times when it is better to just point!