Distractions Are One of Satan’s Greatest Tools

Commentary

As believers in Christ Jesus, we are soldiers on this earth for the Kingdom of Heaven. Think about it, God leaves us here for a time, after coming to faith, with the main mission of making disciples for Jesus. To Satan and his demons, we are enemy combatants. No doubt you have experienced some form of spiritual attack as you seek to live a holy life for Christ.

One of the simplest attacks we face is the distractions of this life. I’ve heard some put it this way, that in this late hour of history, to be overly busy with things that are not of God, is to be rearranging the furniture on the Titanic as it sinks.

While God has blessed many of us with jobs, loved ones, material possessions, leisure time, and so on, it’s important to make sure that we’re focused on Jesus first and the mission at hand. Time is winding down for this world, and there are so many souls who need to hear the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus.

Commentary

We all have loved ones, jobs, hobbies, etc. It is incredibly easy in this modern life to be distracted by all of this and not focused on spending proper time with Jesus. Not only do the things that matter most in our lives demand our attention, we now have devices that keep us connected to the world 24/7 if we allow them to. To make matters worse, the devices and apps that we use are often engineered to make you addicted to them. Don’t think for a second that this is just human greed; it goes much deeper, to the spiritual level.

Listen, to spend time enjoying the blessings that God has given you in this life is just fine. But it’s where your heart is focused that matters most. For example, are you able to tell someone everything there is to know about a hobby of yours or a TV show you like? Now, are you also able to clearly walk someone through the Gospel message?

Spend some time today, in reflection and prayer. Seek the Lord to see where your heart is most focused. Commit to Him that your main focus will be on the things of Heaven and not too much on the things of this world.

Commentary

Martha is a great example of someone who was focused on the wrong things at the wrong time. Her sister Mary took the time to focus on Jesus, but Martha was worried about many other things instead of sitting and listening to Him.

How many of us find ourselves too focused on the daily tasks, rather than spending time with Jesus? I’m sure that if each one of us did an audit of our time usage, we’d find that none of us are spending the kind of time in God’s Word, in prayer, or in ministry, as we should be.

I’m not saying you need to sell all your things and go to Africa and minister to people full-time, unless the Lord has really called you to do so. But when you make excuses that you don’t have enough time to read your Bible or to serve as the Lord leads, really think about how much time you spend watching TV, looking at social media, playing games, and so on. I can guarantee that you do have time, if you reduce some of the time you spend doing fruitless activities.

You see, Satan loves when he can steal your attention away from Jesus. The Bible calls Satan the “prince or ruler of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). God has allowed Satan to have power over this world in this age. Trust me, Satan will use all forms of entertainment, hobbies, the tasks of life, anything to focus you away from God, if you allow those things to overwhelm your mind.

Commentary

Jesus said that the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The Psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 expresses the desire of every believer to follow in the Lord’s ways and to know Him more and more each day. To focus less on this world and more on Him. However, our flesh does get in the way of that, and so does the enemy.

For the spiritually unstable, Jesus warns how the worries of life can choke out the effect that the Gospel is having on that person’s heart. Of course, these are not born-again believers, since they never come to a saving faith in Christ. But there is still a lesson for the one who is born-again. The more you focus on the worries and the things of life, the less you will focus on Jesus.

Focus too much of your attention away from the Lord, and you just might find yourself in a position of correction. A situation that God uses to get your attention again, and it will likely not be an enjoyable experience, since the Lord’s goal is to pull you back toward Him in whatever way He can get your attention.

Commentary

The distractions of life will always be here. The flesh is weak; it desires the things of this world, and Satan knows that all too well. You are going to continue to struggle with how you use your time. And Satan and his demons will make sure that you’re tempted in every way. But it will be easier to manage if you are spending time with the Lord and with fellow believers, ministering to one another.

Seek the Lord as much as you can, each and every day. Make time to study His Word and make time to pray. Not just a 30-second daily repetitive prayer, but real-time sharing your heart with God. When you’re that focused on Him, the priorities of your life will change to reflect that. In addition, your ability to avoid the temptations of this world will grow stronger. You’re a soldier for Christ; now live as one who is prepared for battle.