We always hear that the enemy wants to take down Christian leaders. We read passages stating that the enemy goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour. Many times Christian leaders sadly are too busy or maybe to confidant in their own power that they forget that the enemy is seeking to devour them. Sadly many leaders lives and even families are destroyed because of the tactics of the enemy. As I read the book of Acts God opened my eyes to see some of the enemies tactics towards Christian leadership. So I thought I would share them with you and God willing God will keep our eyes wide open to be aware of these tactics.
Enemy attacks with slander
Acts 14:1 NOW it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
Act 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
So Paul and Barnabas go into Iconium and speak a great message of the gospel. Many of the Jews and the Greeks believe the gospel. But the Jews who did not believe go to the believing gentiles and poison their minds about Paul and Barnabas. They began to speak evil of them. They began to spread lies about Paul & Barnabas in order to turn people away from the gospel. They began to attack their reputation. Or maybe began to bring up the past. What ever it was they began to spread lies and it began to turn people against them and the gospel.
Even to this day this is still happening. Gossiping and backbiting against individuals to ruin their reputation and destroy their reputation. This is the work of the enemy, the devil.
The tongue is a powerful thing. James 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Read the book of James chapter 3. So many in this church have came to me hurt because someone said lies about them to others. Youth, & adults. So many times if a new person comes in and begins to get involved I have seen so many attack these people because God is using them. Because people are jealous of them they began to say evil about them. They look for things to pick at and attack. Stop! Don’t forget what Jesus said. Luke 12:3 “Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. This kind of talk has hurt so many people. It has torn apart churches. It has torn apart ministries. It has ruined lives. Just like it did here. This is how the enemy works and many times to stop the work of God he will began to spread lies about others.
Enemy attacks with hatred
Act 14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Act 14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
Act 14:5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,
Act 14:6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
Paul and barnabas did not stop but rather they stayed longer to make sure that people learned the truth. Luke even says that they spoke boldly in the Lord. God backed them up by granting them signs and wonders.
Because of the gossip the whole city was divided. Some sided with Paul and Barnabas, and the other with the Non believing Jews. This gossip wasn’t enough so the unbelievers planned to kill paul and Barnabas. The disciples found out about it and left.
This is another way the enemy attacks. He fills heart with hatred!. It is not enough for these people to not agree. They are so enraged at Paul and Barnabas that they feel that it would best if they were dead.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Do not be surprised when people hate you for believing the gospel.
Enemy attacks using Praise(Pride)
Act 14:7 And they were preaching the gospel there.
Act 14:8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.
Act 14:9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,
Act 14:10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.
Act 14:11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
Act 14:12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
Act 14:13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
Paul and Barnabas leave Iconium and as they began to preach in Lystra. The bible states that Paul sees a man that had never walked. This man was listening to Paul speak and God moves Paul to heal this man. Paul says stand up straight on your feet. This man does not hesitate but jumps up and walks. But as the people see this, they began to tell each other in their own language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” They call Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Mercury”(Hermes)
The people in Lystra had a legend that once Zeus and Hermes had visited their land disguised as mortals, and no one gave them any hospitality except for one older couple. In their anger at the people, Zeus and Hermes wiped out the whole population, except for the old couple.
No wonder the people of Lystra were so quick to honor Paul and Barnabas!
So the priest of Zeus come out with Oxen and garlands wanting to sacrifice with the multitudes.
Wow this is so different than the other cities. They other city they wanted to kill them and now here they want to sacrifice to them. The whole city is praising them as Gods!
I believe that this was another attack of the enemy.
He had tried to ruin their ministry with gossip and lies. He tried to harm them physically, and cause great hate for them. Now I believe that the enemy is appealing to their ego. I believe that this is a very dangerous situation. When people began to praise you for the work of the gospel.
We like for people to think of us greater than we are. We like people to think that we are more spiritual than we are. We paint a picture of who we are because we want praise or we want others to look at us as more spiritual than we actually are.
The Enemy Attacks With Slander
Acts 14:1 NOW it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. Act 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. So Paul and Barnabas go into Iconium and speak a great message of the gospel. Many of the Jews and the Greeks believe the gospel. But the Jews who did not believe go to the believing gentiles and poison their minds about Paul and Barnabas. They began to speak evil of them. They began to spread lies about Paul & Barnabas in order to turn people away from the gospel. They began to attack their reputation. Or maybe began to bring up the past. What ever it was they began to spread lies and it began to turn people against them and the gospel.
Even to this day this is still happening. Gossiping and backbiting against individuals to ruin their reputation and destroy their reputation. This is the work of the enemy, the devil.
The tongue is a powerful thing. James 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Read the book of James chapter 3. So many christians I know have came to me hurt because someone said lies about them to others. This is how the enemy works. He will use lies and slander to stop the work of God.
Acts 14:1 NOW it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. Act 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. So Paul and Barnabas go into Iconium and speak a great message of the gospel. Many of the Jews and the Greeks believe the gospel. But the Jews who did not believe go to the believing gentiles and poison their minds about Paul and Barnabas. They began to speak evil of them. They began to spread lies about Paul & Barnabas in order to turn people away from the gospel. They began to attack their reputation. Or maybe began to bring up the past. What ever it was they began to spread lies and it began to turn people against them and the gospel.
Even to this day this is still happening. Gossiping and backbiting against individuals to ruin their reputation and destroy their reputation. This is the work of the enemy, the devil.
The tongue is a powerful thing. James 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Read the book of James chapter 3. So many christians I know have came to me hurt because someone said lies about them to others. This is how the enemy works. He will use lies and slander to stop the work of God.
Enemy Attacks With Hatred
Act 14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
Act 14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
Act 14:5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them,
Act 14:6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.
Paul and barnabas did not stop but rather they stayed longer to make sure that people learned the truth. Luke even says that they spoke boldly in the Lord. God backed them up by granting them signs and wonders. Because of the gossip the whole city was divided. Some sided with Paul and Barnabas, and the other with the Non believing Jews. This gossip wasn’t enough to stop the work of God so the unbelievers planned to kill paul and Barnabas. The disciples found out about it and left.
This is another way the enemy attacks. He fills heart with hatred. It is not enough for these people not to agree. They are so enraged at Paul and Barnabas that they feel that it would best if they were dead. Jesus warned the apostles about this in John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Do not be surprised when people hate you for believing the gospel. The enemy will use hatred to try and hinder the work of God.
Enemy Attacks Using Mens Praise(Pride)
Act 14:7 And they were preaching the gospel there. Act 14:8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. Act 14:9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, Act 14:10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Act 14:11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Act 14:12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Act 14:13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.
Paul and Barnabas leave Iconium and as they began to preach in Lystra. The bible states that Paul sees a man that had never walked. This man was listening to Paul speak and God moves Paul to heal this man. Paul says stand up straight on your feet. This man does not hesitate but jumps up and walks. But as the people see this, they began to tell each other in their own language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” They call Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Mercury”(Hermes)
The people in Lystra had a legend that once Zeus and Hermes had visited their land disguised as mortals, and no one gave them any hospitality except for one older couple. In their anger at the people, Zeus and Hermes wiped out the whole population, except for the old couple. No wonder the people of Lystra were so quick to honor Paul and Barnabas! So the priest of Zeus come out with Oxen and garlands wanting to sacrifice with the multitudes.
Wow this is so different than the other cities. The other city they wanted to kill them and now here they want to sacrifice to them. The whole city is praising them as Gods! I believe that this was another attack of the enemy. Satan had tried to ruin their ministry with gossip and lies. He tried to harm them physically, and cause great hate for them. Now I believe that the enemy is appealing to their ego. I believe that this is a very dangerous situation. When people began to praise you for the work of the gospel.
We like for people to think of us greater than we are. We like people to think that we are more spiritual than we are. We want praise or we want others to look at us as more spiritual than we actually are. In this lies the danger of Pride. Of course we know that the bible tells us that God hates pride. We know and understand that this was the very reason lucifer was kicked out of heaven. So we must be careful when people began to praise us for the work that God is doing. In this situation Paul renounces this praise and gives the glory to the only one who deserves it.
Now of course this is not the only way the enemy attacks Christian leadership but this is definitely three ways the enemy attacks. May God be merciful to us and may He allow us to keep our spiritual eyes open. Leaders lets not lean on our own abilities but stand only on the power of God’s might. Let our leadership always point to the one who gave His life to save rotten sinners like you and I.
Popularity: 25% [?]
November 13th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Way-to-go sir! These are great ways to expose the enemy!
November 27th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Just a friendly observation. You did not proof read your work. I found two mistakes:
1. understand that the this was – the the should not be in this.
2. They other city – They should be The.
May God Bless You Abundantly.
John.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Jason, thank you for bringing these things out. I’ve read this passage many times but did not see the “attacks” in this way, that is, in ways that the devil continues to use. Thanks!
December 14th, 2009 at 12:19 am
Thanks John.
I do proof reading and run spell check and pray that I didn’t miss anything but alas I sometimes miss. Made the changes and appreciate the correction.
Thanks