"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:25-28 

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

In our last COLD WATER, we began looking at End-Time Signs that show us what to see and expect just before our Lord’s return to earth.  We will continue with this Bible Study by emphasizing this very important truth:  to be aware of the signs of the end-times, we must be aware of the devil’s devices.  This is what Paul told the Corinthians, and what the Holy Spirit is telling us now. 

Notice the word “devices” is plural. Satan has many tools in his death-bag to bring to bear against us in the last days. A sudden attack is one he uses frequently, so don’t be surprised and don’t be ignorant.  

COVID-19 was an example of this – the fear of what this virus has done and continues to do into the foreseeable future. Back in January of 2020, nobody was paying any attention to what was happening in China. Two months later, most countries of the world were in a state of total fear, panic, chaos, confusion and economic turmoil. 

Suddenly, there was this giant fear cloud over the whole planet – a pervasive foreboding over the future and very survival of our way of life. Because the fear of death suddenly took millions of people captive in mind and body, the effects of this are still wreaking havoc worldwide.  

None of this is by chance or coincidence. These devices are coordinated attacks designed to bring world evangelism to a screeching halt. This is always the devil’s endgame – no matter what device he uses against humanity. 

In these last days, you can be sure the devil will be looking to launch more sudden attacks against the world in general, and the body of Christ in particular. Beware and be vigilant. Expect them. When attacked suddenly, here is what you must do: 

The story of Satan’s attack against Job is an Old Testament example of the devil’s devices at work. In Job 1:8, God tells the devil that Job is special to Him. The Lord says there is none like him in all the earth! That’s quite a compliment! Satan answers and says that if God will lift His protective covering and allow him to attack, Job will curse God to His face. 

So, in Job 1:12, God gives the enemy permission to do so, and immediately we see attack after attack coming against Job (Job 1:13-22). Messengers started showing up at Job’s house with bad news after bad news. Look at the verses that say while he was still speaking, another also came and said…. It's in verses 16, 17, and 18. Look especially at verse 18:

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you. Job 1:18-19

Although Job eventually recovered from the sudden satanic onslaught against him and his family, it took him awhile to get his act together and turn things around. If you read the last chapter of Job, you see that he ended up with more than what he had when the sudden attacks started coming. We don’t have that kind of time now. We’re in the last days – and time is critical. Don’t be like Job. Be like Jesus.

When the boat left for the other side of the lake, there was no windstorm. That was Satan’s device, created on the spot to sink the boat and kill Jesus. What did our Lord do when He awoke to a raging storm and a boat half filled with water? 

Jesus immediately responded to repel the sudden attack He experienced in that boat. In Mark’s account of this event, we see how He responded. He said something! Peace, be still! (Mark 4:39). We must do the same. Today’s world is under satanic attack like never before. The scriptures plainly indicate this. We can prevent our boat from going under, if we react immediately in the name of Jesus.

With rapid and accurate application, we can prevail and triumph whenever we face sudden attacks from hell, whether they be a global pandemic like COVID-19, or something much more personal.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it until Jesus returns. Satan’s greatest advantage against us is our lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says it all. God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge. This has always been the problem that enables Satan to operate the way he does. He knows that unbelievers represent no threat to him because they’re spiritually dead in their sins. 

Only born-again believers have the potential to wreak havoc against the kingdom of darkness.  That’s why we’re told to study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15).  This is every Christian’s responsibility. Satan knows that Christians can’t successfully defeat him if they don’t know they can. 

Ignorant believers don’t know how to retaliate because they don’t know who they are in Christ. Ephesians 6:17 says the word of God is the sword of the spirit. That means it is the primary attack weapon at our disposal – if we know how to wield it in battle. 

We’re told to resist the devil, and he’ll flee from us (James 4:7).  We’re told that greater is the Holy Spirit in us than the devil in the world (1 John 4:4). We could go on and on, but you get the point. You can’t use God’s sword until you know God’s word.

Jesus knew He had authority from heaven.  He knew there is great power released when words of faith are spoken directly against sudden attacks from the devil.  Mark 11:22-24 says it best:  

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

Some things you pray about, and other things you don’t. Either way, you still have to say something. When it comes to the exercising of our authority in the name of Jesus, there is no need to pray. Follow our Lord’s example. He didn’t pray and ask God to do something about the storm, because He knew He didn’t have to. He spoke to the storm itself.

In the same way Jesus spoke to the storm and commanded peace and calmness to reign, so should we. Sudden attacks are mountains we move when we command them to wither and die. 

Jesus said the works He did we can do as well (John 14:12), so if He spoke to sudden storms to destroy them, we can - and must – do the same. Now more than ever.  

In stunned amazement after what they had just witnessed in the boat, the disciples were asking themselves this question: “Who can this be, that even the wind and sea obey Him?”  The answer? This is someone who knows who He is, and acts like it. 

The Bible says God searches across the world, looking for people to show Himself strong to (2 Chronicles 16:9). This is who He’s looking for - Christians who know who they are – and act like it.  Faith men, like Jesus.

If you’re Christian, do you realize the Third Person of the Trinity lives in you right now? The Holy Spirit is not God’s consolation prize. He is not the substitute teacher. He is not the “fill-in” until Jesus returns.  In the sports world, when teams make a blockbuster trade, many times it will include lesser, unnamed players that aren’t very important to either team. They’re called the “player to be named later” in the trade. 

Friends, the Holy Spirit is not the “player to be named later”.  He is the power of the Trinity. It was the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the water in the beginning, waiting to use the spoken words of God to create everything we now see on this planet (Genesis 1:2). 

Jesus knew how powerful the Holy Spirit is. That’s why He said it was better that He goes away, so that the Holy Spirit could come like He has (John 16:7). Don’t let sudden attacks paralyze you with fear. 

The Holy Spirit will never leave you, so there’s no reason for spiritual paralysis due to intimidation. Here’s what I learned decades ago when I first joined the fight for Jesus. To avoid criticism, persecution or calamity, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. 

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