5 ways to tell satan to shove it
3.5 min reading time
Mmmkay it’s Thanksgiving week, why is this coo-coo talking about Satan?
I’ll tell you why - all this gratitude and togetherness and joy makes him sick. He’s going to try to find a way to make the gifts of this season seem overly indulgent and somehow bad or wrong. OR he will blind us so much by what we’re not getting or by what inevitably goes wrong, we will miss what we already have.
Why does this happen?
Well for one, there’s warfare all around in case you missed the memo1. Satan is real, and if there’s a loophole, he’ll find it. If there’s a weakness, he’ll cozy up into it. He’s Verukah Salt meets Jeffrey Epstein. He’s the worst and he’s real, and there’s nobody who wants you to miss the Father’s gifts more than him.
Secondly, we live in a me-me-me world, we want it all yesterday, and we are incredibly vulnerable to the fear memos being delivered left and right. I’m completely guilty of falling into this trap, and do you know what perpetuates it more than anything? You do, don’t you? Social media and the 24-hour news real. It’s a dopamine hit that ends in a feeling of emptiness and/or fear - every.single.time. And you know what you’ll be doing after all that turkey don’t you? Yep. Let’s prepare to guard our hearts, shall we?!
How do we stop missing good gifts from a good Father, and in turn, tell Satan to shove it?
1. Be Alert
Satan is prowling 2 . He knows your weak moments of the day like the back of his scaly, warted hand. Put on the full armor of God 3 every morning and especially before any potentially stressful situation. Let's be real - during the holidays, these situations can pop up at any jolly by golly corner.
BUT
The victory against this joy thief is ours if we take it! In a sermon by the fabulous Priscilla Shirer my mentor shared with me, Priscilla harped on how terrified Satan is of what you’re promised in Christ Jesus. Can you believe that? Satan is scared of YOU because you have the Holy Spirit inside of you. If that doesn’t pump you up, I don’t know what will. When we use the weapons He gives us, Satan and his minions will flee 4 .
2. Set an alarm.
Is there a time of day when you’re particularly vulnerable to attack? This can come in the form of self-pity, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, the idontwannas. For me it’s late afternoon - 3pmish. Set an alarm, have a moment with the Lord, and let Him fight the battle for you 5 . Go outside, take some deep breaths and reset.
3. Shift your perspective.
Ask the Lord to help you see the gifts of the day, and He will. Don’t be surprised if/when they don’t come in the form Amazon trucks or fleeting flattery. His gifts are the good ones. The ones that last. This perspective shift also applies to annoying or trying circumstances throughout the day - because you know they’re coming6. Use this time to help Him show you where He’s moving. Sometimes you won’t see it, but simply acknowledging you know He’s working for your good7 (even in the midst of struggle) will shift your entire mood.
4. Talk about it.
Say it outloud when you see a sweet kiss from the Father. Thank Him!8 Outloud! On the flip-side, when you’re in a funk or frustrated, cry out to Him!9 Seek Him first10. THEN phone a friend or a mentor or go hug ya momma.
5. Put your dang phone down.
Listen, I’m just as guilty of the glassy-eyed scroll, the sore thumbs, the selective listening. But does it ever, EVER feel good after you do it? I’m all for a brain break every once in a while, but be conscious of your mood during and after if you choose to zone out through social media or the news reel. If it’s for the worse, take steps to skip it. Play a card game. Do a puzzle. Go for a walk.
Here’s a babystep for everyday life to help ward off the timesuck: the next time you’re at a red light, rather than pick up your phone, PRAY11 and breathe. Watch what happens.
Last but not least….
If you’ve got a difficult family member (or 7), don’t forget to keep this post handy!
Father God, thank you for the person reading this right now. They might not think they’re awesome, but you do. You made them and you know them by name. You know every hair on their head and every desire of their hearts. God, we are weak in our flesh. We need your protection from the enemy today and everyday. Cover us in your armor - the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, footsteps rooted in gospel peace, praying in the Spirit and waving strong the sword of the Spirit - your Word. Help us yield to your will, submitting to you alone and thus resisting the Devil so he will flee like the fear-filled liar he is. The victory is ours in Christ Jesus - let us live like it! Thank you Father for this victory. Thank you for the gift of the Thanksgiving holiday to let us reflect with gratitude and to be with those we love the most. Let us carry this gratitude further than just this week as we see all of our good gifts through your eyes! In Jesus name, Amen.
Verses referenced herein for further study:
Ephesians 6:12
1 Peter 5:8
Ephesians 6:13-18
James 4:7
Exodus 14:14
Romans 5:3-4
Romans 8:28
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Matthew 27:46 & Psalm 34:18
Matthew 6:33
1 Thessalonians 5:17