Defeating the Schemes of the Enemy
A scheme is a planned, systematic program of destruction designed by Satan to disrupt your life and purpose.
Deliverance sets you free from particular demonic strongholds but may not defeat a scheme
Schemes represent continual frustration in certain areas of your life.
A demonic scheme will repeat throughout your history until it is broken.
The devil customizes schemes for each one of his targets. Isaiah 54:17 ‘"’No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;."
A scheme is a lifelong demonic plan to harm you.
The primary purpose of a scheme is to keep you from your call and keep you from living out God's promises.
Satan cannot defeat God, so he attacks God's plan working in His people.
You must have an awareness of demonic schemes
Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Knowledge of schemes is critical.
2 Cor 2:11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Abraham, Sarah and the Spirit of Illegitimacy
Sarah had an idea (not God's idea).
Gen 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar.
Gen 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go into my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Abraham liked her idea (still not God's idea).
Genesis 16: 2b - And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai…
Abraham got what he wanted (not what the Lord wanted).
Genesis 16:4 - He went into Hagar, and she conceived;
The result of a person doing it their way instead of God's way-
Gen 16:11 The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
Gen 16:12 "He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers."
Above is an example of an illegitimate child born out of rebellion, and the consequences were terrible. We are still suffering from this spirit of illegitimacy. The terrorist movement comes from the lineage of Ishmael and is a direct result of this single illegitimate act. An illegitimate product will be produced when man seeks to achieve through his own efforts, not waiting and following God's plan.
Satan's scheme against Jesus-
Mat 3:16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of Goddescending as a dove and lighting on Him,
Mat 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."
Mat 4:1-7 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU;
Satan tried to illegitimatize Jesus. But Jesus had two powerful weapons.
1. The Father's affirmation
2. The word of God
Jesus knew what His Father had said – Mat 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."
Jesus knew what His Father had written. "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"
If Jesus had tried to prove His worth, He would have fallen into the enemy's trap.
Jesus had His Father's approval. He had no desire to gain any other acceptance. His life and His ministry were motivated by the affirmation of His Father.
The devil is the source of the spirit of illegitimacy and all schemes, and the problem is that we have inadvertently cooperated with him.
Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." We are in a spiritual battle that must be fought with spirit and truth. Knowledge is vital for victory.
The enemy wants you to doubt who you are and therefore hinder your God- given authority to defeat him.
The most common scheme is the scheme of illegitimacy.
Common symptoms of the scheme of illegitimacy:
Feeling incomplete
Not measuring up
Never being quite satisfied
Endless searching for happiness but never finding it
Feeling the need to prove yourself
Feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem
False methods of coping or defense mechanisms in place
Developing a false self or identity
The constant conflict between the ideal self and the real self
Persistent sadness just underneath the outer skin
Escape methods – drugs, alcohol, sexual additions, overspending, workaholic, religious addiction, fantasies, false personalities, TV, or any way that gives temporary relief
Other Common Schemes:
Hopelessness – Continually feeling your life is beyond hope - depression.
I do not matter – Feeling invisible; your life does not count; others matter more than you. You are constantly denting your self-worth.
Abandonment – Believing people will always leave you. Constant feelings of betrayal. Rejection is the norm
Worthlessness – Continual low self-esteem, tons of shame and guilt. Negative core beliefs from many negative words spoken over you
Performance Identity - Performance orientated, man-pleaser. Value comes only from achievement. Live on a rollercoaster of success and failure. Constantly stressed
Immorality – Continued life consisting of shame, illegitimacy, manipulation, seduction, and soul ties.
Fear – Can originate through trauma. Easily afraid. Fear of the future, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of intimacy, fear of the dark, fear of demonic, fear of death, fear of confrontation, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of supernatural, stress, anxiety.
Idolatry – Finding worth in outward things and placing things such as vocation, ministry, money, or people above God in your life.
Narcissism - usually triggered by a history of abusive relationships. The person becomes highly self-centered and unable to relate to the needs of others.
Rebellion - Pride, arrogance, occult practices, disobedience, issues with authority.
Religious Spirit – Pharisee type of religion, strict merciless rule-driven life, self-righteousness. It can be caused by false doctrine or a history of abuse. Rule-oriented people are controllers. Controllers avoid themselves by living on the outside.
Addictive personality - the person is vulnerable to addictions such as alcohol, drugs, sex, and other life-controlling substances or habits.
Our adoption by God will defeat any scheme
When we were born again, we received a new identity as a child of God. We are recreated and adopted.
1Peter 1:23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Adoption is the opposite of illegitimacy.
Gal 4:6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
Gal 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba!
Father!"
To conquer Satan's schemes, know who you are in Christ.
John 15:15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends.
No longer a servant but a friend of God – Amazing!
Romans 8:17 - And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. (KJV)
Romans 8:17 defines us as–
1. Children of God
2. Heirs of God
3. Joint-heirs with Christ
1Pet 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
In this scripture, we are defined–
1. We are a chosen generation (set apart by God for particular purposes)
2. We are royal priests
3. We are a holy nation
4. We are not ordinary people (we are supernatural children of God!)
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
In these verses, we have these benefits-
1. We were dead men and women
2. We have a new life
3. We are raised up with Jesus
4. We are sitting with Him in heaven
Conclusion
Isa 54:17;No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
The enemy has formed many weapons against us. They will not prosper if we take our God-given authority.
Luke 10:19 ;Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
How to Break a Scheme
Be honest with yourself and recognize the scheme against you.
Confess your faith in Christ and His sacrifice on your behalf.
Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you are the Son of God and the only way to God and that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead
Take personal responsibility and repent of all of your rebellion and sins.
I give up all of my rebellion and my sins and submit myself to You as my Lord.
Confess and ask forgiveness for your l sins.
I confess all my sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness – especially for sins that opened up a doorway for a scheme to enter my life.
Forgive all people who have ever wronged you or harmed you.
I forgive all who have harmed me or wronged me – just as I want God to forgive me. I forgive
Renounce all contact with anything of the occult or anything satanic.
I renounce all contact with anything of the occult or anything satanic. If I have any contact objects, I commit myself to destroying them. I cancel all of Satan’s claims against me.
Prayer for release from any scheme.
Lord Jesus, I believe that you took on yourself every curse on the cross, every weapon, and scheme of Satan that could ever come upon me. Therefore, I ask you to release me from every scheme over my life – in your name, Jesus! I now receive my release by faith, and thank you for it.
Take authority and rebuke the scheme, and command it to stop in the name of Jesus!