9 Strategic Objectives of the Devil

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. http://bible.com/59/eph6.10-11.esv

NOUN: “scheme-an elaborate plan of action; strategy”
VERB: “scheme-plot something harmful”

I’m familiar with the Full Armor of God but when I thought about the “schemes of the devil”, I know I am aware of it but I could not recall any specific item.  The word scheme means “an elaborate plan of action” and if used as a verb, “it is to plot something harmful”.

I have a recent, fresh and little knowledge about strategy lately since I was put in charge at work to lead a Quality Team in my department.  I pushed back at first because I am more of an operational type of person and not as a strategic planner.  Being volunteered with a challenging task, I was “self-forced” to research the topic regarding “strategic management” so that I will be able to manage the quality team efficiently.  I came across this article/free eBook: Book-Leadership-Strategic%20Planning.pdf which provided me a few good insights on how to properly manage an enormous undertaking to improve quality.  In your spare time, please try to synthesize the book to whatever needs you have in your own line of work.  Strategic planning can be applied to any undertaking you have including your personal life, finances, family and career.

Strategic planning can be summarized into a few simple steps as describe in Figure 1 below.  The sole objective of a strategic planning is to achieve a specific mission.  A mission has to be divided into smaller portion called objectives and then the objectives has to be broken down into initiatives and then initiatives has to be broken down into the specific task.  Without breaking down the mission into the smallest detail [micro level] called specific tasks, the mission will fail.

The Strategic Planning and Implementation Hierarchy
1. Vision
2. Principles
3. Mission
4. Gap Analysis
5. Goals
6. Strategies
7. Objectives
8. Specific Task [this is the most important component]

FIGURE 1: Basics of Strategic Planning:

Devil’s Strategic Plan
Vision: Empty Heaven and Full Hell

Mission:
1. to provide people with an alternate path to heaven
2. to alter peaceful life in whatever means possible

Goals:
A. Destroy Faith
B. Demoralize
C. Redefine the battle
D. Bring division
E. Deceive
F. Lead into error
G. Gain direct influence
H. Prevent conversion
I. Dilute Effort

Initiatives
A1. Tempt Us Into Sin
A2. Defile Our Conscience
A3. Get A Foothold
A4. Persecute Believers
A5. Trip Up By Slander
A6. Draw Us Into Self Reliance
A7. Get Our Eyes Off Christ
A8. Catch Us Off Guard
B1. Accuses The Saints
B2. Condemns Us
B3. Intimidates Us
B4. Discourages Us With The Truth
C1. There Is No Battle — He Is Nonexistent Or Irrelevant
C2. Fellow Believers Become Opponents –Tempts Into Exclusivity [Tendency to associate with only a select group]
C3. Battle Become "Fleshly" – Fleshly Efforts To Achieve Spiritual Ends
C4. Battle For Power & Authority
D1. Unresolved Anger, Unforgiveness, Bitterness
D2. Envy, Pride, Selfish Ambition
D3. Covetousness, Murder, Arguments
D4. Judgment, Slander, Gossip, Inflammatory Speech
D5. Alienation From Leaders — Seeds Of Mistrust
E1. Lies
E2. Twists The Truth
E3. Targets God’s People
F1. False Teachers
F2. False Teaching
F3. False Miracles
F4. Targets Good Leaders
G1. Blatant Occultism
G2. Veiled Occultism — "New Age" & Christian Mysticism
G3. Wants To Demonize Believers
H1. Steals Seeds Of The Gospel
H2. Blinds Unbelievers
I1. Puts Phony In With The Real
I2. Tries To Change The Church’s Agenda

I did not mean to confuse you with mindless information.  Actually, these information are very useful in fighting against the “schemes of the devil”.  Knowing the schemes or initiatives of the devil can be a good starting point of fighting against the enemy.  Without truly knowing the actual task of the devil [what is it that is thrown at you?] , one cannot find a true countermeasure [remedy] for it.

Let’s try an example:
1. Hey, have you heard of so and so …. , this is D4, gossiping, which produces division.
2. You are diagnosed with cancer and you are depressed … this is B3, to intimidate you about your future
3. Don’t worry, using drugs or cheating with your spouse is not harmful… this is A1, you minor sinning can lead you to destruction.
4. I want to be rich and famous… this is D2, pride and selfish ambition.

I hope that you understand the point of identifying the schemes of the devil – with the knowledge of the scheme, we can now clearly identify what we need to do next or “not do”.

BC

NOTE: I did not came up with the list, I just rearranged the presentation model so that it can be simplified.

MindMap-EnemySchemesAndCountermeasures.html
MindMap-EnemySchemesAndCountermeasures.pdf

FIGURE 2- Devil’s Strategic Plan

Schemes of the Devil

• A. Destroy Faith
  • 1. Tempt Us Into Sin
    • Gen 3:1-6; Matt 4:3; Luke 4:2; John 13:2; Acts 5:3
  • 2. Defile Our Conscience
    • 1 Tim 1:19
  • 3. Get A Foothold
    • Eph 4:26
  • 4. Persecute Believers
    • 1 Pet 5:8-9; Rev 2:10,13
  • 5. Trip Up By Slander
    • Gen 3:1; Matt 4:1; Luke 22:3-4
  • 6. Draw Us Into Self Reliance
    • 1 Tim 3:6-7; 2 Tim 2:26; 1 Cor 10:12; 1 Cor 3:18-19
  • 7. Get Our Eyes Off Christ
    • Heb 12:1-3; Luke 9:62
  • 8. Catch Us Off Guard
    • Luke 4:1-2; 1 Pet 5:8
• B. Demoralize
  • 1. Accuses The Saints
    • Rev 12:10-11; Zech 3:1; 1 John 2:1; Rom 8:33; Job 1
  • 2. Condemns Us
    • Rom 8:1; 5:10
  • 3. Intimidates Us
    • Luke 4:3; Rom 8:15
  • 4. Discourages Us With The Truth
    • Luke 4:9-11; 2 Cor 2:6-11
• C. Redefine the battle
  • 1. There Is No Battle — He Is Nonexistent Or Irrelevant
    • Acts 23:8
  • 2. Fellow Believers Become Opponents –Tempts Into Exclusivism
    • 1 Cor 3:4-5
  • 3. Battle Become "Fleshly" – Fleshly Efforts To Achieve Spiritual Ends
    • Luke 4:6-7; 1 Chron 21:1; Mat 26:51-52
  • 4. Battle For Power & Authority
    • Gen 3:5; Jude 1:4, 8-10
• D. Bring division
  • 1. Unresolved Anger, Unforgiveness, Bitterness
    • Eph 4:26-31; Eph 4:3
  • 2. Envy, Pride, Selfish Ambition
    • Jam 3:14-15
  • 3. Covetousness, Murder, Arguments
    • Jam 4:1-2
  • 4. Judgment, Slander, Gossip, Inflammatory Speech
    • Jam 4:11; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8
  • 5. Alienation From Leaders — Seeds Of Mistrust
    • Gen 3:4-5; 1 Sam 15:23; Num 16:11
• E. Deceive
  • 1. Lies
    • John 8:44; 2 Cor 11:3; Rev 16:14; 20:7-8
  • 2. Twists The Truth
    • 2 Cor 11:14; Gen 3:5; Matt 4:6
  • 3. Targets God’s People
    • Mat 24:24
• F. Lead into error
  • 1. False Teachers
    • 1 Tim 4:1-2; Gal 3:1; 4:17; 2 Tim 4:3-4
  • 2. False Teaching
    • 2 Cor 10:4-5; 11:3-4
  • 3. False Miracles
    • 2 Thes 2:9-12; Rev 16:14; 19:20; Matt 7:22-23
  • 4. Targets Good Leaders
    • Acts 20:28-31; 3 John 1:9-10
• G. Gain direct influence
  • 1. Blatant Occultism
    • Luke 4:5-7
  • 2. Veiled Occultism — "New Age" & Christian Mysticism
    • Acts 19:19; Acts 15:19-20; Acts 8:18-20; Gen 3:5
  • 3. Wants To Demonize Believers
    • Matt 12:43; Eph 4:26-27; Mat 16:22-23
• H. Prevent conversion
  • 1. Steals Seeds Of The Gospel
    • Mat 13:4, 19
  • 2. Blinds Unbelievers
    • 2 Corinthians 4:4
• I. Dilute our effort
  • 1. Puts Phony In With The Real
    • Matt 13: 24-25, 38-39; Acts 20:29-30; Jude 1:4; 1 John 4:3
  • 2. Tries To Change The Church’s Agenda
    • Luke 22:3; John 12:5-6; Matt 27:3-5