How the Spirit of Distraction Messes With Your Faith
Satan is behind the spirit of distraction because he’s a flesh master. The devil and his cohorts worm their way into a Christian’s spiritual life through their senses. What they do is similar to texting while driving forcing you to encounter dangerous situations.
If he gets you to compromise your Christian beliefs, all the better. If he can kill you to stop God’s plan for you on earth, he probably moonwalks like Michael Jackson did.
Distraction is defined as “a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.” It’s no wonder Christians lose their focus. In an Internet-driven world, our minds wander quickly. Many of us buy into the worldly notion that unless you sync your brain and spirit with technology, you won’t survive.
Spoiler alert! That’s a lie from hell. Why is it important to know his tactics? Here’s why.
2 Corinthians 2:11
to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Keeping reading to discover how the spirit of distraction prevents you from giving your full attention to Jesus.
What Is The Spirit of Distraction?
Why should satan develop new tricks when the same traps work again and again? As soon as Eve reached for the forbidden fruit, God’s words left her. The seeds God planted inside her fell by the wayside, on stony places or among thorns (see Matthew 13).
There was no good ground of her heart to yield a harvestable crop. What Adam and Eve did in the Garden (disobeying God) is known as the fall of man. All satan had to say is, “Can it really be?”, “You certainly will not die”, “Your eyes will be opened”, and “You will be like God” as noted in the following scripture.
Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God made. And the serpent (satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened [that is, you will have greater awareness], and you will be like God, knowing [the difference between] good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
When Satan Sidetracks You Look for These Signs of the Spirit of Distraction:
- Instills doubt in your heart so you no longer believe God.
- Questions the truth of God’s Word.
- Twists the Word of God to suit fleshly desires.
- Makes evil look good.
- Introduces pride as a worthy option (seeing yourself as God and disobeying Him).
As soon as juicy nectar ran down the couple’s faces. satan tricked them with thoughts. Does all this have a familiar ring to it?
For example, you’re about to delve into a Bible study, meditate on scripture, pray or praise God. Maybe, you intend to go to church to hear a guest preacher. Then, you hear words like these?
“I should check my social media accounts.”
“Target has a sale. If I don’t go now, I’ll miss a deal.”
“I really feel tired. I’ll stretch out on the couch for a nap and pray later.”
“What’s the point of going to church—all they want is more money.”
“I don’t feel worthy enough to come before a holy God.” – You have that thought right after satan reminds you of a recent sin. Your next thought (which isn’t yours) is, “Is this how a Christian acts?”
Satan uses spiritual distractions to sidetrack our faith with words. He loves finding people who are distractible.
Other Spiritual Distractions Satan Uses
- Hidden truth. Once distracted, you’re an easy target to believe lies. He assures you that the Bible is outdated and unrelatable. People find ways to discount the Word of God and their prompter is always satan! When philosophies or the newest religion piques your interest, you believed satan’s lies.
- Temptations. satan wants you to have a calloused heart. That way you’ll see evil as good and good as evil. Then, sinful desires won’t be a big deal for you because holy living isn’t on your spiritual radar.
- Sickness and disease. God NEVER authors sickness and disease, EVER. He’s your healer. For decades, wrong teaching on this subject has caused people to believe that God slowly murders those He loves. satan’s ploy is to get you to blame God when loved ones aren’t healed and die. See this link for more Biblical teaching and ways to treat your body well for better health.
- Worry and fear. God’s plan for you has nothing to do with fear. It paralyzes you. If you “take no thought” as Jesus recommended in Matthew 6:25-34 about your life and what you need, you stay busy doing other things. Other things include focusing on Jesus and His plan of salvation for you and others. He is your joy and eternal reward.
Breaking the Spirit of Distraction
- Realize you’re in a spiritual battle 24/7. Satan is persistent and never gives up. Be just as determined as he is to overcome his tactics.
- Take a warrior stance. Psalm 144:1 – Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my great strength, Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle. Just like a car, you won’t go anywhere spiritually if you stay in neutral.
- Submit and resist. James 4:7 – So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. You can’t fight satan flesh to flesh (you’ll never win). Instead, you should realize you have God’s authority to stand against “the prince of the power of the air.” You don’t huddle in a corner waiting for satan to flee. He wins every time by convincing you that you’re powerless against him. To know how to fight him, review these “3 Steps to Fight a Spiritual Battle and Win.”
- Remember that the blood of the lamb (Jesus’) and the word of your testimony (what you profess) are how you conquer the enemy (according to Revelation 12:11).
- Pray at all times in the spirit (Ephesians 6:17-18). Calling down heaven to earth means you get immediate help. Put your angels to work on your behalf. Give them something to do! Satan hates people who pray. It reminds him you worship GOD, not him.
Remember Jesus Already Defeated Satan
In the heat of the battle, it’s easy to forget that Jesus walloped satan. That evil one is destined for a very hot lake! While satan accuses Christians, Jesus intercedes for them.
Recognize what’s behind the spirit of distraction—satan is desperate. He hates God. That means he hates you. He’s in charge of other fallen angels to ensnare you. Be wise and discerning. Don’t fall for his spiritual distractions.