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A Bugs Life
(Exposing the Schemes of the Lord of Flies)
by Carole Korakas
Buzzzz ... buzzzz ... buzzzz. Just the sound or thought of a bug evokes an aggressive reaction of "Swat. Squash. Splat." Our reaction towards Beelzebub (found in Luke 11:14-26) must be just as aggressive. Beelzebub means the "lord of flies." We can make a good analogy of the enemy, his demons and their activity by comparing them to flies.
As believers in Jesus, we are to "seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). That means seeking God above all else ... knowing Him, His ways, and His Word. He tells us in His Word, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, ..." (Hosea 4:6). We must exercise "His knowledge" so that we dont "give place to the devil," (Ephesians 4:27). Although we dont want to "study" or "focus upon" the devil, neither do we want to be ignorant to His schemes. We are instructed in the Word to "put on the whole armor of God," so that we "may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil," (Ephesians 6:11). Our "armor" is our spiritual defense that enables us to stand strong against our enemys clever, cunning and deceptive methods. This armor should be our permanent attire as we walk with the Lord. As we "draw near to God" ... through prayer ... and learn the primary strategies of the enemy, the Lord " will draw near" to us so that we can effectively "resist the devil" and cause Him to "flee" from us (see James 4:7-8).
Flies find the smallest of openings and enter into our homes. Demons also find small openings and enter into us.
There are several analogies in the Bible comparing us to a temple or a house. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. We were created to be a dwelling place for Gods Holy Spirit. Demons are also spiritual beings, but dont have a body to house themselves; therefore, they look for a place to live. We must make a choice to invite Holy Spirit to dwell in us.
Suppose there is a house that is not occupied or owned. If it is not occupied or owned, there is no reason that someone cannot claim it for themselves and move in. This is how the enemy works. If our spiritual house is not owned by Jesus due to our repenting of our sins and asking Him to be Lord of our lives and occupied by the Holy Spirit, then we have left a spiritual door open that invites Satan to be our master.
_ Prayer focus _
Dear God (Yahweh), I come to you through your Son, Jesus Christ. I admit that I am a sinner. Have mercy on me. Im not proud of my sins and confess them to you. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for me and rising from the dead. I surrender my life to you. Make me the person that You want me to be. Thank you for filling me with your Holy Spirit and empowering me to live for you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Suppose there is a house that does have an owner, but that house has an open door. Since the door is open, you are free to walk right in. Inside the house, you see your stuff your furniture, clothing, television and stereo system, etc. You might feel that you have the right to move in; after all, your stuff is in it.
This is a picture of our spiritual house when, even though we are owned/saved by Jesus, we have "stuff" that belongs to the enemy in it. Any sin, no matter how small, is an open door through which the enemy can enter into our lives. Some of these open doors may be listening to popular, ungodly music, sexual sins, evil possessions such as pornography, statues of idols, new age paraphernalia, or jewelry with occultic symbols. These things that belong to Satan and that come in as a result of these open doors could be anger, hatred, gossip, unforgiveness, revenge, jealousy or rebellion. If Satans things are in our house, he has a legal right to move in. Any sin, no matter how small we think it may be, is an open door through which the enemy may enter. However, when we repent, he must move out. We have to realize that Holy Spirit is not going to reside in the same house as the enemy. Notice His name, Holy Spirit; it describes His character holy and without sin. We cant walk the fence and be neutral when it comes to sin. We must take a stand for what is right ... and holy. God instructs us in the Bible to "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). In doing so, we are creating a habitat or dwelling place for Holy Spirit. We cannot serve two masters.
Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13). Since we are His house, we are to be people of prayer.
_ Prayer focus _
Repent. Ask God to forgive you and then stop doing what was causing a problem. This will close any doors that have been opened. Pray, "Lord, forgive me for my sins." Be specific and name them. God already knows what they are anyway. Its important that you know what they are so that you can stop doing them. Ask the Lord to help you take a stand to Him and to do what is right. We must turn from our sin if we want to be a dwelling place for His Holy Spirit.
Flies fly in the air. Satan is the prince of the powers of the air.
Ephesians 2:1-2 says, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
Not only is Satan at work in those who are disobedient, he is the ruler of the air. Sound waves travel through the air. If those sound waves dont glorify God, they are under Satans control.
Television and music are two things that can be used for either good or evil. We must closely monitor the things that we watch and listen to. Watching or listening to ungodly things leaves an open door through which the enemy can enter our lives.
We have been given dominion over the Earth, not the air. As such, we are only to pray concerning things in our domain on the Earth. We are not to pray against principalities or other things that are not in our physical realm. In doing so, we step into Satans domain. That could be compared to going illegally to another country and trying to conduct business; we would have no authority to do so and could be hurt because we are in their territory and are no longer protected by the rules and laws that govern our country. We must pray concerning the things that we have spiritual authority over.
A good example of demonic principalities is found in Daniel 10. In response to Daniels prayers, God sent a messenger to him. The heavenly messenger told Daniel that "your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days" (Daniel 10:12-13). This demonic principality detained the heavenly messenger for twenty-one days. Even though Daniel didnt get an immediate answer to his prayers, he continued to pray and fast. We also are to pray persistently. Even though we may not see an immediate answer, we can know that our prayers have been heard and will be answered.
We read in Jude 9, "Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you!" Michael chose not to curse or accuse the devil, but sought the sovereign power of God. Likewise, we are never to enter into a dialogue with demons by cursing them or accusing them of all manner of evil. If we do encounter a demon that has stepped into our realm of authority (on the earth, not in the air), then we, as Michael, may say, "The Lord rebuke you!" Or we may follow the example of Jesus when He simply commanded, "Come out!" (Mark 1:25, 5:8, 9:25; Luke 4:35)
_ Prayer focus _
We are not to pray "I come against the powers of darkness over _________." Daniel didnt pray against the powers and principalities that were delaying the answers to his prayers. Neither did Jesus pray this way. Instead, we are to pray "Lord, I repent on behalf of _________ and ask that you redeem it that it might glorify you."
Flies infect open wounds. Demons do the same with emotional wounds.
The enemy will often attempt to open emotional wounds that are a result of our relationships with others so that we experience feelings of rejection, hurt, jealousy, loneliness, bitterness, offense, etc. We may even be tempted to believe that no one will understand, that we are not whole, that we dont know how be ourselves, or that no one loves us. We must not lose sight of who we are. We must remember who we are in Christ. We must allow Him to direct our relationships and heal our heartaches.
_ Prayer focus _
Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. Thank you that I belong to you. Thank you that I am your child. I ask you to heal my heartaches and every feeling of rejection, hurt, jealousy, loneliness, bitterness, offense, etc. associated with them. I thank you that by Jesus stripes I am healed body, mind, and spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.
Flies are attracted to that which is spoiled and rotting. Demons are attracted to pornography and the unclean.
When we do things that we know are a sin, we are giving the enemy an open door through which to attack us. We must steer clear of things that we know are wrong. If we have a doubt concerning something, then we dont even need to do it.
John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
The enemy wants to steal your innocence and purity, kill your dreams and aspirations, and destroy your Christian witness and relationship with God. Every day you are faced with many choices; choices that lead to life ... and choices that lead to death. You must choose daily to flee from evil and follow Christ.
_ Prayer focus _
"Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. Thank you that Jesus is at your right hand praying for me. Thank you that Your Holy Spirit is at work in me causing me to do what is right and interceding for me. I ask that you help me resist all temptation (Name them) ... and help me follow you in all things. Thank you that I can resist temptation and make right choices because Christ gives me strength. In Jesus name, Amen."
Flies often bring the fear of harm. Demons greatest tool is fear.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." There are so many situations where we are tempted to respond out of fear.
- We may not do what we know to be right because we fear what others might think.
- We may not do what we feel the Lord is leading us to do because we fear failure.
- We may not share Christ with others because we fear what they might not accept what we have to say.
- We may not share our true feelings with others because we fear rejection.
- We may not exercise our gifts and talents because we fear we are not good enough.
- We may not try something new because we fear being laughed at.
Notice that these examples began with, "We may not." Fear immobilizes us. It keeps us from Godly action.
_ Prayer focus _
We must pray for the Lords presence. He is love and we read in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear. His presence will drive out the fear we have in our lives. Pray, "Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. Thank you that you have promised to always be with me and never leave me. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your love. Thank you that your love has set me free from sin and fear. In Jesus name, Amen."
Flies sometimes eat and kill plants intended for our food. Satan is described as the devourer.
We dont live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Satan will try to devour that Word. Hell try to make us doubt Gods Word is true. Jesus taught about this when he taught the parable of the four soils. He explained in Matthew 13:19 that "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart."
We must spend time with God every day. In every relationship, we must spend time with the person if we are to get to know them. Even after we know them well, we desire to spend time with them just because we love them. Its the same with our relationship with God. We must spend time with Him. We must spend time in prayer and we must read His Word. There are so many scriptures that emphasize the importance of reading the Word. His Word is life and health to all who read it (see Proverbs 4:22). The Word is sharper than any two edged sword (see Hebrews 4:12). Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet (see Psalm 119:105). We must realize that His word is His love letter to us.
_ Prayer focus _
For every situation, find a verse of scripture and pray it. For example, "I thank you that everything that I ask in prayer believing I will receive (see Matthew 21:22)" or " I thank you that all things work together for good because I love you and am called according to your purpose (see Romans 8:28)."
Flies often just buzz around us (looking for a place to land). Satan is described as a roaring lion (seeking whom he may devour).
1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
A lion will always look for prey that is weak, young, sick or alone and can be easily killed and eaten. Similarly, Satan looks for our weaknesses and spiritual immaturity. These are the things he waits to tempt us in. He wants to defeat us or Jesus in us.
_ Prayer focus _
Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. I pray that you would help me exercise the fruit of the Spirit especially self-control at all times. Help me to be alert to the schemes of the enemy so that I can avoid His snares. I also pray that you would send me Christian friends that can support me in my walk with Christ.
Flies are carriers of various diseases. Demons can also cause disease and sickness.
Not all illnesses are the result of demonic influence, but some are. Job 2:7 says that "Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head." Another example of someone who was afflicted due to demonic activity is found in Luke 13. Jesus healed a crippled woman whom He said that Satan had kept bound for eighteen long years (see Luke 13:16). Although people can be affected with disease and illness which may or may not be the result of demonic activity, some sins open the door for illness and disease...
- sex outside of marriage ... leads to sexually transmitted diseases
- tobacco use ... leads to cancer
- alcohol consumption ... leads to cirrhosis of the liver, dependence, physical injuries, and mental impairment
_ Prayer focus _
Our first response is to repent of our sins. After repenting, pray, "Lord, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. I thank you that you are faithful and just to forgive me of my sins. I thank you that you have cleansed me of all unrighteousness. I ask that you restore me and heal me body, mind and spirit. I thank you that by because of the stripes that Jesus bore I am healed (see Isaiah 53:5).
Flies show up right before a rain or change in the weather. Demons appear to attack right at the point God is about to bring a change in our lives.
God loves to bless His children. He blesses us with salvation, relationships, materials, and opportunities. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." His plans for us are far better than we can imagine. But His condition is that we do things His way. That means that we must follow His commands and obey His Word all of it, not just parts of it (its not multiple choice).
It is at the time that God is about to do something to prosper us, to give us hope and a future that Satan wants to show up. He wants to tempt us in some way so that we will stumble and fall. He wants to make us doubt that God desires the best for us. And he wants to cause us to doubt Gods Word.
_ Prayer focus _
Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. I submit every part of my life to you. I thank you that your plans for me are good to prosper me and give me hope for the future. Thank you that you strengthen me and guide me. Thank you that my steps are ordered by you. Thank you that you enable me to resist the devil. Thank you that because of your authority, the devil has to flee from my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Flies distract us and harass us. Demons do the same.
We can be distracted from doing what we know to be right or to be the will of God. The enemy can use various means to do this. He can work through situations, people, our bad habits or insecurities. Consider the following ...
- You promised someone that youd do something, but something more appealing comes up.
- You want to remain pure for your future spouse, but people tease you for being a virgin as if it were a dirty word.
- You know gossip is wrong, but you find yourself listening when others share information about someone.
In each of these situations, you were distracted by a situation or person. Lets not forget that Satan can and does work through people even Christians. We know that God works through people, but we need to realize that so does our enemy. If we are not submitted to Christ and walking in His ways, then we leave ourselves available for the enemy to manipulate.
Weve often heard that we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Weve probably even sung the hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, during many Sunday worship services. We can gain a good understanding of what it means to really keep our eyes on Jesus when we understand the poetic language that Solomon used when writing the Song of Songs. He wrote about having eyes like doves (see Song of Solomon 1:15). A dove has single vision. They have no peripheral vision. They can only see in one direction straight ahead. We need to look not only in one direction, but to the One who loves us most so that we will not be harassed and distracted from His purposes.
_ Prayer focus _
Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus. I want to be wholly submitted to you. Teach me to worship you and focus upon you. I want to look to You at all times. Give me "single vision." In Jesus name, Amen.
Conclusion
We must be aware of the enemys tactics. Even more important, we must know our Lord and His ways so well that we immediately recognize Him from our enemy. And we must pray regarding everything, pray in all situations, and pray at all times.
Carole Korakas, WaterMark Ministry, www.watermarkministry.org
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