Why 'Flying Under The Radar' Of The Enemy Is Not A Plan

I think most of us would naturally like to fly under the enemy’s radar. Not too many people want to be on Satan’s hit list. Being in battle with the forces of darkness is no walk in the park. But the fact is, as Christians, we are a target for the Devil.

Sometimes new believers get all excited about going to war with Satan. They can even become cavalier about it. But I’m going to tell you… the fight is real, and there are real casualties. And trust me… you don’t have to call out Satan in order to get it on. The fact that you are a human created by God, even in a broken image of Him, means that the enemy is after you. But when you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and are made new completely in His image, the engagement goes to a whole other level.

Satan doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t attack you because he wants another worker in his kingdom or family member. He really has no concern for you one way or another. He doesn’t need you. When he recruits you to ‘team evil’ it isn’t because he has any sort of love or appreciation for you. His primary goal in this earth is to hurt God. The Devil doesn’t love you. But he knows God loves you with an immense unfailing love. And if he can bring harm to you, or bring you over to his evil domain, that will grieve the heart of God. Satan’s end game is not gaining people… it is hurting God. Not to dethrone Him, but to disrupt His family.

Satan knows He can’t defeat God specifically. So he targets the weak link… you and me. If you do something to me, you may or may not hurt me. If you do something to my kids or my wife… well… it’s on like Donkey Kong, as they say. That is the quickest way to hurt me, and the most assured way of getting me to engage with you.

Whether or not you’ve thought about the battle in this way, you probably do all you can to not get in a fight with Satan. I don’t blame you. I don’t like war anymore than anyone else. More specifically, I don’t like the blood and death that go along with war. But we don’t get to choose that. When Christ is in us, we are light. And light is constantly at war with darkness. It is wearying and messy. But until God writes the final chapter, it is what it is.

Scripture is full of examples of Satan going after humans to hurt God. A few that come to mind are Adam and Eve, Abel, Joseph, Sarah, Samson, Esther, Daniel, John the Baptizer, Peter, Judas, and Paul. Jesus predicted this would happen. “You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) The apostle Paul also gave us a ‘heads up’ about the battle, and even encouraged us about how to get ready. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.” (Ephesians 6:11-13) Notice he doesn’t tell us that we have been outfitted to run or fly under the radar. We are outfitted to stand firm.

We aren’t designed to ‘fly under the radar’ of the enemy of our soul. Sometimes God may hide us in His hand (Isaiah 49:2). But God designed us to be strong and powerful by His Spirit. In fact, I don’t want to be off of the enemy’s radar. If I am, that means I am not a threat to the powers of wickedness. If I am not a threat to Satan, I am one of his kids. I want the Devil to fear me because of the God in me. I want to be a Job that God can trust to stand firm under the attack of Satan. I don’t want to constantly be in turmoil. But I would rather be on Satan’s radar than be under his thumb.

Today, do not try to avoid the attacks of the enemy. Focus on being the spiritual warrior God has empowered you to be. And remember, the battle is not yours. It belongs to the Lord.

[Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.]

Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.

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