The Bible calls Satan a schemer. Now, when someone schemes against you and you’re unaware of it, you don’t take defensive measures, and you can end up getting hurt. One of Satan’s most effective schemes is to downplay his influence in our lives. And he does that so that he can outwit us. But the Bible says, ‘We are not unaware of his schemes.’ The Bible speaks of things that take place in the invisible realm whose effects are felt in the visible realm. One day a conversation took place between God and Satan. What about? The hedge of protection and blessing that surrounded Job’s life. Satan told God, ‘If you remove that hedge, he will not serve you’ (see Job 1:10-11). So, God did, and Satan attacked Job’s finances, his children, and his health. Though Job’s mind was filled with unanswered questions, his trust in the goodness of God remained strong, and he ended up with twice as much. It can be a cop-out to blame everything on Satan, but it’s a grave mistake not to discern when he’s at work in your circumstances. When you feel the effects of his attack but fail to identify the source of it, he can prevail against you. Why? Because you don’t know how to fight back and use the weapons God has given you. You have God’s Word, ‘the sword of the Spirit’ (Ephesians 6:17). But unless you identify Satan as the source of your problem, it’s like fighting blindfolded, and your sword is flailing in every direction instead of targeting Satan and defeating him.
