Identifying the devil’s tactics and overcoming his many traps is important to every believer who wants to lead a victorious life in Christ. 

We must never forget that we have an adversary, the devil, who runs around the earth, as a roaring lion, seeking his next prey. The Bible explains that the reason for his incessant insistence over our lives as believers is that he knows that he has a short time to carry out his demonic enterprise. 

Revelation 12:12 – Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

We must never forget that the ministry of the Devil is to kill, steal, and ultimately destroy a believer’s life and soul. In today’s blog post, I will be highlighting two of the devil’s most used tactics in hindering, oppressing and confusing a believer. 

Furthermore, we would discuss why everyone seeking to live a victorious and righteous life in Christ must fight and defeat the devil’s tactics, using ‘offence’ and ‘Anger’ as our central focus. 

OFFENCE AND ANGER –

One of the ways in which the devil attacks a believer is by offence. Picking offence, finding offence and entering an offended state which eventually leads to anger. 

The Bible informs us that offences must come, and in very clear words shows us the extent to which we must avoid it. This we see in the Bible verses below;

Matthew 18:7-9

7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Through the above passage, we are made to understand the gravity of picking offences, and how we must lose them to avoid entering hellfire. It exposes how offences are akin to missing heaven. 

Note – The word ‘offence’ in the above verses could be applied as anything that could stand as a hindrance to your flourishing relationship with God. 

When one is offended by someone, that person is akin to one holding someone on the floor. For as long as they refuse to let the person go, they remain pinned to the floor with no way of escape until they let go.

This is the sole purpose of the devil. The devil does not want a believer to be free. The devil wants every man to remain in bondage and captivity which anger and offences place them. 

For example, Moses, one of the most respected prophets of God was made to miss the promised land because of offences and anger. Read the account in Numbers 20:7-12

The children of Israel provoked him to disobey God and as a result of his anger, he was made to miss the promised land, while the ones who caused the offence went forward, leaving him behind. This is a practical example of how the devil can use our own anger and offences to manipulate us into missing out on what the Lord has in store for us. 

Also, when you are offended and angry with someone as a believer, the devil gains an opportunity to use that sin to manipulate, accuse and oppress you with the permission of God. 

Why? Because when we give ourselves to sin, the devil immediately accuses us before the Lord and lays hold of us as his. Remember, the Bible explains that a child of God does not commit sin, which also makes us understand that if you commit sin, you are not a child of God. 

1 john 3:8-10

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Following that logic, when you are not a child of God, the devil begins to exercise his dominion over you and then, we are enslaved to his evil whims. 

Also, sin is the only thing that can make God turn his eyes from a man, and when the eyes of God are not on you, the Devil takes over and begins to carry out his evil plans. The devil would always want a situation whereby a Christian commits sin because that gives him an opportunity to strike. 

For example, when you are offended at someone, and always angry as a believer, if you are privileged to commune with God through dreams and visions, there is a ninety-nine per cent chance that such dreams become polluted by the devil. 

The devil, who is in control of such a person’s life, would always create a situation to make such a person fall into more sin. For instance, the devil can manifest as a person whom you are at odds with, and use that person to attack your dream life to get you to hate and resent that person. 

Thereby creating more room for him by increasing your hate and anger towards that person. Whenever the devil baits us with anger, we must remember that the human or person in question is almost always never the problem. 

The human factor in the equation of that offence is most times influenced by the devil who uses them to get to us and cause us to lose our blessings from God and eventually go to hell if we are not alert to his demonic activities.

We must BEWARE that we are commanded to follow peace with ALL men as believers. Which includes the good, bad, and ugly things that the devil will eventually bring our way through them. We must be like our father in heaven who gives rain, sunshine and life to all men regardless of their relationship with him.

In conclusion, we must mark anger and offence as the devil’s bait and cut it off before it sprouts. In order to achieve that, here are some actionable steps to take to overcome anger and offence as a believer;

1. PRAY FOR YOUR ‘ENEMY’ – 

Has someone angered or hurt you? So much that you can’t help the feeling of perpetual hate for that person? Pray for them. 

Note – Enemy in the context above alludes to the person whom you think is the culprit. Also known as the cause of the Anger. Never forget that the devil is the real enemy, not just the man he uses. 

It will not be easy to bring yourself to a point where you genuinely pray for that person but I promise the Holy Spirit will help you through the process. 

Some might think that this is an absurd way of going about things, but best believe that when you start praying for that person, even if it goes against your will at the initial stage, your prayer will paralyse the spirit of anger at work in your life, set you free from offence, and bring you to a state of Brokenness and eventual healing. 

If you are being attacked by anger, you must begin a process of heartfelt prayer for the ‘offender’ even if it goes against your will and trust God to perfect it. 

Some might ask, what do I pray for concerning that person? You can always ask God to bless that person with salvation, their heart desires and ask God to intervene in the life of that person in your secret place of prayer. 

2. ASK GOD FOR HELP – 

If you have prayed for that person and still feel the strong presence of the spirit of anger then you must take it to God in prayer. 

John 14:14 – If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Ask God to take away the spirit of Anger and tell him you don’t want to be angry anymore because it is a sin against him. Tell him you cannot help yourself and ask for his supernatural strength to help alleviate the anger you feel and he will take away the burden.

3. REBUKE THE DEVIL – 

The devil is usually the foundation of the problem. He is the one who tempts a believer to sin against God. 

For example, when Peter prayed that Jesus doesn’t go to the cross after our Lord prophesied of all the things he would face, moments after receiving appraisal from God for his statement of faith, Jesus, perceiving the presence of Satan immediately rebuked the Devil and the spirit went out of him. 

You can see it from this passage – Matthew 16:21-23

21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Furthermore, we can tell that the Devil continues to try to sift Peter like wheat (Luke 22:31-32) to cause him to sin but Jesus prayed for him and the Devil’s mission was abolished.  

Sometimes, we must call out the Devil and rebuke him, alongside the spirit of anger to be free from their evil intentions.

4. GUIDE YOUR HEART – 

You must keep your heart in the right position especially when the devil tries to test you. In that moment of anger, you must master the art of speaking to your heart and reaffirming your status as a child of God and your commitment to living your life in a manner that glorifies him. 

You must never give place to the Devil and never lose sight of the word of God and the Holy Spirit. If you know your triggers, avoid them, choose to be the fool and respectably walk away from an argument that would lead you to anger, offence, or sin.

Remember, The Bible admonishes us to do away with anything that will offend or cause us to sin against God. No sin is worth losing the Kingdom of God over. 

5. LOVE AND TOLERANCE – 

We cannot ignore the fact that there are some things or people who cannot be avoided. In such cases, we must apply love and tolerance, which are the precious fruits of the Spirit.

The Bible says that love covers all things (1 Peter 4:8) and that includes the offences and wrongdoings of others. The Bible teaches that Love never fails and admonishes all to have the virtue of love, which is the greatest commandment – To love God and your neighbour. 

Matthew 22:36-39

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

There is a saying that goes, love your neighbour as yourself. If you can forgive yourself for certain mistakes and regrets, you should be able to extend such grace to others around you as a matter of love – which is the Lord’s greatest commandment. 

When we learn to love and tolerate people’s excesses and transgressions, we are able to ascend beyond the reach of anger and sin. Helping us obtain freedom from the Devil’s tactics. 

I pray that the Lord helps us to love each other, resist the devil’s ploys and come out on the other side with our joy and our baskets filled with blessings. 

Do you have other practical ways to do away with anger and offences as a child of God, please share in the comments. Till we meet again, God bless you.