Ephesians 6:10-20
When Satan attacks, usually he doesn’t use overt tactics. We might imagine lights flickering, a person with a deep voice uttering evil spells, or some other visible mark of demonic influence. However, Satan knows he is more effective from the shadows, when we don’t know he’s working, so we then do not resist his evil will (James 4:7).
This is why demonic influence usually comes against us through other people. We are so used to other humans being in our lives that we drop our guard and do not realize a spiritual battle is often taking place through people. Notice what Ephesians 6:10-12 says:
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. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
Paul says the devil will attack us with “schemes.” A scheme is a complex attack, not an all out show of force. Satan uses people to attack us because he can so easily hide behind them and go unnoticed. This is why Paul then warns us about what is truly behind evil people who seem to be our enemy.
Therefore, to help you battle against an evil person with demonic influence sent to attack you, here are 4 biblical marks you should look out for so you can properly take your stand in the Lord against your real enemy.
1. A Person with Demonic Influence Will Use Lies that Lead to Unrighteous Living
Ephesians 6:14 states, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness . . .”
Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44b). Thus, it should be no surprise that when he uses a person to attack you, he will influence that person to lie to you (John 8:44a). Believing lies, however, is not the final goal. His real goal is to use lies that will influence you into sinful actions that will hurt your walk with God. This is one reasons we are told to put on “the belt of truth” and “the breastplate of righteousness.”
For example, lies leading to unrighteous living would be things like:
- “Don’t worry. We really love each other. God wants us to have sex together. We’re going to get married one day. Why deprive ourselves now?”
- “You will always be single if you keep being so religious. No one is living like you. Just relax and live a little.”
- “Looking at porn and masturbating will help you not have premarital sex. Everyone looks at porn and masturbates. It’s not a big deal.”
Just as Satan used lies to lead Adam and Eve into a sinful action (Genesis 3:4-5), a person with demonic influence will try to do the same to you.
2. A Person with Demonic Influence Will Be Marked By Never Ending Conflict
Ephesians 6:15 says, “. . . and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”
When Satan attacked Adam and Eve, he entered into an argument with them. Genesis 3:1, “He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’” When the woman responded, the devil challenged her again in an argumentative, confrontational way. Genesis 3:4 states, “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’”
Notice the “But” there, which means the devil was contradicting Eve. While Eve’s response was not exactly what God said, she was right about dying if she ate the fruit (Genesis 2:17). Thus, the devil outright argued with Eve and lied to her, “You will not surely die!”
This is what evil people do who have demonic influence in their lives. They love to argue with you about everything. They have a confrontational spirit and attitude that thrives on disagreements. This is one of the reasons Ephesians 6:15 tells us to put on the peace that comes from the gospel so we don’t walk into arguments. As 2 Timothy 2:24-26 explains:
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
3. A Person with Demonic Influence Will Seek to Distract You from Focusing on God
Ephesians 6:16-18 continues, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”
Faith keeps you focused on your Heavenly Father. The devil is constantly trying to attack us with doubts that lead us to diminish our attention on God. When we dwell on the amazing gift of our salvation, it increases our love for God. When we take up God’s word and actively live by it, we are walking with the Lord. When we pray in the Spirit, we get to enjoy God’s presence and glorify him.
Paul tells us to put on faith, to remember our salvation, and to pray at all times because Satan is always going to try to pull us away from God. People with demonic influence will do the same thing. When someone is bad for you, you will know it by how they are affecting your walk with Jesus. If your walk with the Lord has gotten worse since this person has come into your life, that is a powerful sign they are being used by demonic forces to attack you.
4. A Person with Demonic Influence Will Seek to Diminish Your Love for Other People
Whenever the Bible talks about loving God, it then always adds our need to love other people (1 John 4:7-12). This same theme continues in Ephesians 6:18-20, which states:
To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
We are again told to be alert, but now our attention is also supposed to extend into loving other people. Paul not only loved God but he also prayed for the strength to love other people. He knew this is what Satan wanted to stop him from doing.
If someone needs all your time and is preventing you from loving anyone but them, this is evil and not of the Lord. When God puts two people together for his glory, their love for each other will actually increase their love for God and for other people (Matthew 22:37-40).
