20 Ways Satan May Try to Destroy You This Week

I read this article by Paul Tautges yesterday and thought it was a great challenge to be aware of Satan's methods.
He is the serpent, the Great Dragon, Beelzebul, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the evil one, and the adversary. He is Satan. And—if you are a follower of Jesus Christ—he hates your guts with a passion. Like a roaring lion he is prowling about seeking to destroy you. How can you stand firm and resist the devil so that he will flee from you? First, do not be naive; you must consider his ways.

1. He may      slander God to you in order to cast doubt on God’s goodness and shipwreck      your faith (Gen 3:4-5).
2. He may tempt      you to deceive others in order to create, or maintain, the impression of      being more spiritual (Acts      5:3; Jn 8:44).
3. He may      corrupt your mind and steer you away from the simplicity of Christ and His      gospel (2 Cor 11:3).
4. He may      hinder [cut in on, as in a race] your gospel witness and steal it from      unsuspecting hearts (1      Thess 2:18; Matt      13:19).
5. He may      wrestle against you, fighting against your progress in Christ (Eph 6:12).
6. He may tempt      you to commit sexual immorality against your spouse as a result of      neglecting the intimacy of the marriage bed (1 Cor 7:5).
7. He may      harass you with some form of fleshly affliction (2 Cor 12:7).
8. He may blind      the spiritual eyes of your unsaved family, friends, and neighbors so that      they may not see the glory of Jesus in the gospel (2 Cor 4:4).
9. He may keep      your unsaved acquaintances in bondage to sins that hinder them from coming      to God (Gal 4:8).
10. He may smite      you with physical disease (Luke 13:16; Job 2:7).
11. He may      murder you (Ps 106:37;      Jn 8:44).
12. He may sow      tares [counterfeit Christians, sons of the evil one] within your assembly      of believers in order to deceive and create disunity (Mt 13:38-39; 2 Cor 11:13-15).
13. He may lead      you toward theological compromise by causing you to be friendly to false      doctrine and its teachers (1 Tim 4:1-3).
14. He may      persecute you for your godliness (Rev 2:10).
15. He may tempt      you to do evil (Matt 4:1;      1 Thess 3:5).
16. He is—at      this moment—prowling about seeking to capture and destroy you, chiefly      through pride (1 Pet      5:6-8).
17. He will most      assuredly slander you before God in heaven (Rev 12:10).
18. He may ask      God for permission to sift you out for concentrated attack and temptation      (Luke 22:31).
19. He may use      the power of suggestion to move you away from the will of God (Matt 16:21-23).
20. He may try      to cripple your effectiveness through confusion, discouragement, and      despair (2 Cor 4:8-9).

How can you stand firm and resist the devil so that he will flee? The Bible exhorts believers to war against the enemy of faith by not remaining ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor 2:11); by submitting to God (Jas 4:7), being sober and alert and resistant to him (Eph 4:27; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8), and by not speaking lightly of him (Jude 8; 2 Pet 2:10).
5 Defensive Pieces of Armor and 2 Offensive Weapons: We must put on the armor of God, which includes the defensive weapons of truth, righteousness, gospel proclamation, faith, and salvation. We must also employ the offensive weapons of the sword of Scripture and prayer (Eph 6:11-18). These are the only means by which we may firmly stand against the devil. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Eph 6:12).