John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

What is he up to? Have you ever thought about that when you hear that little negative voice in your head telling you that you are no good; telling you that you are not worthy of love or happiness or peace? You know what I am talking about, when you are all alone scrolling through social media and you see how “happy and successful” everyone else is? Or when you are watching tv and your favorite 30-minute sitcom ends with a perfect happily-ever-after solution. Do you think, “That never would never happen for me?”

Guess what? That is the enemy whispering in your ear trying to keep you down. He wants to keep you off balance and out of the game so that he can move on to his next victim. Satan is very active in the world today. His goal is to “steal and kill and destroy” and nobody is completely immune to his lies unless you “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

Do you know what schemes are? The definition of schemes is to “make plans, especially in a devious way or with intent to do something illegal or wrong.” THAT is what the enemy is up to. The enemy is making plans to set you on the wrong path of sadness, misery, depression, unfaithfulness, anxiety, or addiction. And it all starts with that little negative voice in your head.

So, STOP! Stop listening to the lies. Stop allowing the enemy to steal your happiness, kill your joy and destroy your peace. Do not give him that kind of authority over you. The Bible says to “put on the whole armor of God” starting with the belt of truth. Every other piece of the whole armor of God is attached to the belt of truth. If you do not begin with truth, you will never defeat the enemy. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the way! If you follow Jesus, read HIS word, and pray about everything, it will drown out the lies and foil the schemes of the enemy.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to show us the way to you. Please help me to drown out the lies of the enemy by diving into your truth every day. Amen.