“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”1 Peter 5:8

John 10:10 says, referring to the devil: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (…)”. That verse clearly depicts the three-fold ministry of the devil. Therefore, it does not matter how kind, soft or appealing his approaches and offers may be; so long as it is the devil operating underneath, down the road, you will notice that the fellow that has fallen prey to his strategy will definitely suffer; (s)he will have been robbed of something or many precious things; Satan can also bring the person so low and land him/her in so pitiful a situation that one will hardly recognize the person. The enemy may also hasten the destruction of the person to the point of taking his/her life. At times, he will skillfully apply those three syndromes in the fellow’s life except God intervenes as he did for Job.

Over generations, Satan has not varied in his mission; neither has he altered significantly his strategies; he continues to operate through the same patterns: he is patient, focused, relentless and will not stop until and unless he is confronted with a stronger power than his own, the kind of power that can only originate from God. Therefore, no matter how small a true Christian, living a consistent holy life and refraining from everything that can sadden God's spirit can be, (s)he can and will give Satan hard times.

When we become envious of our fellows, when we let anger take control of us, when instead of imparting love, our time is invested in back-biting and designing plans to bring down and destroy our fellows, in a word, whenever we get distracted from our focus and move astray of the virtuous line God has made for our safety, we become vulnerable. We become like that sheep which, by reason of disconnecting itself from the herd, offers itself as easy prey to the watchful predator. And anyone that knows war tactics will tell you that there is no better moment to attack and defeat your enemy than when (s)he appears the most vulnerable. That is when that roaring lion zooms in and achieves his destructive mission.

Brethren, no fall is sudden; it is always gradual. Therefore, if you will enter yourself now and, without complacency, carry a thorough spiritual spot check, I believe you can reverse things for good. The Lord help us.