Satan Wants to Stop You – Part 1

For we wanted to come to you — certainly I, Paul, did, again and again — but Satan stopped us. 1 Thessalonians 2:18

Paul writes, ‘We wanted to come to you – even I, Paul, time and again – but Satan hindered us.’ Note the words ‘time and again’. When you have an assignment from God, Satan will repeatedly attack you and try to stop you from fulfilling it. Observe three things: 1) His attacks reveal that he believes you’re capable of accomplishing your goal. That’s why when you’re down, he wants to keep you there. He knows if you rise again, you’ll be stronger and more effective than ever. 2) He always attacks the birth of something significant in your life. It may be the birth of your ministry, as with Jesus in the wilderness temptation. It may be the birth of your ‘child of destiny’, like the birth of Moses, which initiated the killing of newborn males in Egypt in an effort to stop the exodus. 3) He uses those closest to you as a gateway to your heart. Jesus said, ‘Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ (Matthew 10:36). So what should you do? Pray for them. Your intercession is often the only covering they have, so pray daily for the grace and mercy of God to be downloaded into their hearts. And above all, never forget that your attitude is more important than the adversity you’re experiencing. Attacks pass, but your attitude, if bitter or demoralized, can grow into a root of bitterness that will poison every day of your future (see Hebrews 12:15). Your influence in God’s kingdom determines the level of attack the enemy launches against you. So don’t get discouraged – keep on keeping on!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me recognize what Satan wants to stop me from doing, something You will, and help me to persevere forward. In Jesus’ Name, Amen