Defending Your Family - Lesson 1 - Introduction

There is an artful and malignant spirit that is directly opposed to us. Our enemy has many devices for injuring the cause of Christ and driving a wedge into our family. If we disbelieve his existence, if we do not oppose his influence, or are ignorant of his devices, we are not qualified to discharge our duties as ministers of Christ to our family.

Man is his own worst enemy. -Cicero

II Corinthians 2:11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”


We know the enemy’s plans, his thoughts, his cunning, and his skill. We are not ignorant of the great number of ways he is constantly using to injure us, and to destroy the souls of men. He is full of deceit; and Paul has had abundant occasion to be acquainted with the means, which he had used to defeat his plans, and to destroy the church.


The church, at all times, has been subjected to the influence of those deceits as well as individual Christians. Therefore, as individual Christians, we should be constantly on our guard against those snares. Even the best and purest efforts of the church are often perverted. Satan often takes advantage of the Church, and advances his own dark and mischievous designs.


‘Lest Satan should get an advantage of us.’ Satan would gladly have kept the sinful man in the church but if he has repented, satan would gladly have the church keep this person out.


The Enemy Wants to Cast Doubt

II Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Does the enemy use this one with your family?





II Corinthians 11:14, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

Why is it then that we and especially the world think he is scary with red horns?





Job 1:11-12, “But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.”

Does the enemy need God’s permission to attack us?





Luke 22:31-32, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

What does this verse mean to you?





John 13:2, “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;”

Jesus personally chose His 12, what does that say for us?





1 Corinthians 7:5, “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”

Satan - who often thrusts in his temptations to unholy thoughts among our holiest exercises. Do nothing, which shall tend to impurity, or give Satan advantage over you.

Can you agree, disagree or elaborate?





Ephesians 6:11,12, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

That’s a little scary, what do you think?





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

So how do we become sober and vigilant?





Have you ever seen an adult Lion teaching their baby to hunt?





Deuteronomy 20:4, “For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

He goes with us to fight, not run along ahead to fight?





There is an artful and malignant spirit that is directly opposed to us. Our enemy has many devices for injuring the cause of Christ and driving a wedge into our family.

If we disbelieve his existence, if we do not oppose his influence, or are ignorant of his devices, we are not qualified to discharge our duties as ministers of Christ to our family.

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