Satanic Tactics of Spiritual Warfare Against Spiritual Leaders

We must often remind ourselves that we are in a spiritual battle, for we are prone to forget this fact and neglect the weapons of our warfare. A thousand excuses and rationalizations can be found for leaving our spiritual watch towers unmanned.[i] This spiritual neglect is anticipated by the Savior and His apostles, who often warn us to be vigilant, sober, and watchful, so as to guard ourselves and the flock of God.[ii] Our adversary is clever and his cunning strategies take advantage of the smallest opportunity afforded by our careless and inattentive watching. For those who watch the temptation will come to retreat and flee the battle when it is pressed fiercely against them. For this reason the apostle stirs us to prepare for the fight in Ephesians 6:10-11. We must be strengthened by divine power and put on the full armor of our God, then and only then will we be able to stand.

Those who have received, by the grace of God, the offices of leadership in the church are the foremost targets of Satan's malicious attack. Satan hates Christ preeminently, and after Him he hates his people, especially those captains and leaders who rally the armies of the Lord against the gates of hell. For these reasons, Satan takes special aim at leaders individually and collectively. John Newton, the author of "Amazing Grace" and himself a pastor, wrote regarding the warfare of those who take-up the mantle of spiritual leadership:

You have known something of Satan's devices while you were in private life, how he has envied your privileges, assaulted your peace, and laid snares for your feet. Though the Lord would not allow Him to hurt you, He has permitted him to sift and tempt, and to shoot his fiery arrows at you. Without some of that discipline, you would have been very unfit for that part of your office which consists in speaking a word in season to weary and heavy-laden souls. But you may now (now that you are a leader) expect to hear from him, and to be beset by his power and subtlety in a different manner. You are now to be placed in the forefront of the battle, and to stand, as it were, as his mark. So far as he can prevail against you now, not only you yourself but many others will be affected. Many eyes will be upon you, and if you take a wrong step, or are ensnared into a wrong spirit, you will open the mouths of the adversaries wider, and grieve the hearts of believers more sensibly, than if the same things had happened to you while you were a layman. The work of the ministry is truly honorable, but, like the post of honor in a battle, it is attended with peculiar dangers.  (The Christian Pastor's Manual, "The Snares and Difficulties Attending the Ministry of the Gospel," by John Newton)

Attacks upon leaders can result in confusion and defeat among the rank and file. During the Battle of Saratoga in October of 1777, Daniel Morgan, commander of "Morgan's Rifles," ordered his patriot soldiers: "Forget the poor fellows who fight for sixpence a day.  Concentrate your fire on the epaulet men!" Epaulets are the ornamental shoulder pieces worn by military officers. Morgan wanted his men to aim for the officers, not the rank and file soldiers.  As a result of this tactic, the officer ranks of British General John Burgoyne were so depleted, that he surrendered. Some say it was the turning point of the American Revolution.[iii]

The peril and price of leadership is great and requires much wisdom and caution in our daily lives. We must especially be aware of those snares and strategies by which Satan seeks to overthrow our lives and to create havoc in the church of God.[iv] It is for this purpose that the following snares, lies, and deceits are exposed for the devilish traps that they truly are. These are the tools of destruction issued to every demonic fiend. They are commonly used against us since they are often successful in wounding, stumbling, or shipwrecking those devoted to leadership in the local church.

• 1. The devil wars against your spiritual intimacy with Christ. Satan's first work is to disrupt and distract our personal communion with God. By this means we are rendered vulnerable to the whole multitude of his temptations. The flesh, when not mortified, is an ally to the enemy of our soul. The priority of prayer and meditation must never be downgraded to an optional exercise. We must be still in the presence of God or our minds will become restless, unable to think clearly. Listen to 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; clear rational thinking is Biblical thinking; so many times our thoughts are directed by our lusts which results in selfishness and a confused state of mind.
• 2. The devil wars against your spiritual discernment so that we are mindful of impressions and feelings that may be baseless with regard to Scripture. James 4:1-3 says, Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? ² You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Feelings and desires cannot be trusted except when they issue forth from faith, i.e. they must be driven and directed by the Scripture itself. When we have given the discernment of our lives to our spiritual impressions and feelings then we have lost the ability of sound Biblical judgment.
• 3. Satan seeks to disrupt the fellowship and unity we have in Christ with the brethren. He accuses the brethren to us and us to the brethren so that we are tempted to become judges with evil thoughts. Satan is a whisperer planting seeds of division, Proverbs 16:28 ...a whisperer separates the best of friends. He murmurs against the brethren attributing to them evil motives and actions and so destroys even the deepest trust. James 4:11-12 says, Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. ¹² There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? Satan tempts us to think ill of others, while ignoring our own sins and justifying ourselves.
• 4. Satan tempts us to defend ourselves when none is actually attacking, so that we become offensive to others. Our sense of self-importance and pride make this snare all the more effective against leaders since we are in a position of honor. Proverbs 13:10 says, By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom. Satan also tempts us to defend ourselves when we should give a soft calm answer. Proverbs 14:3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
• 5. Satan seeks by all means to stumble us, so that we yield to one sin or another, because he knows that our example affects the spiritual well-being of many.
• 6. Satan fills us with condemnation for the weaknesses, failings, and "eye-splinters" of our brothers, while ignoring our own presumptuous sins and defiling habits.
• 7. Satan fills us with discouragement about our failures in the fulfillment of spiritual duty, so that we are led to despair and debilitation. Grief over our sin should not lead to doubt, since all is of grace, but rather to godly sorrow and repentance.
• 8. Satan seeks to embitter us in our imaginations against others so that we are predisposed to anger and suspicion.
• 9. Satan tempts us to exaggerate the importance of our ministry and position in the church. Christ is able to raise-up servants from rocks if He so chooses.
• 10. Satan tempts us with popularity, either to seek the favor of men, becoming men pleasers, or to yield to the fear of man.
• 11. Satan tempts us to look on the flock of God as though we were owners rather than stewards. The Lord's servants are not to "lord it over the flock", but to encourage and lead the sheep.

Practically speaking, our habits of communion and communication are the occasions for victory or defeat against our enemy. Therefore, let us pray for one another whenever questions enter our mind regarding motives, character, or intention. Since we have believed that brothers in leadership are fit by spiritual qualifications, then let us give the benefit of the doubt, choosing to think well rather than ill of one another. Do not "stew" and "simmer" over unknown facts and unproven assumptions about the brethren. Let us talk to people, not about people. Let us ask honest questions of each other, rather than mentally question another. Resolving problems biblically requires a commitment to communication. Remember to deal with your own sin first, and then humble yourself before others in dealing with their sins. Use a knife with yourself, but wash your brother's feet with gentleness.

            C. H. Spurgeon wrote that all ministers ought to have one blind eye and one deaf ear. Ecclesiastes 7:21 says, "Take no heed to all words that are spoken lest you hear your servant curse you." Another translation says, "Give not your heart to all words that are spoken;"  that is, do not take them to heart or let them weigh you down, or simply "act as if you did not hear them!" "It would be better to be deceived a hundred times than to live a life of suspicion," Spurgeon.

[i] Nehemiah 4:7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, ⁸ and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. ⁹ Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

[ii] Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-7 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." 1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

[iii] Leith Anderson, Dying for Change, p. 177

[iv] 2 Corinthians 2:11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.