Satan, The Provoker
“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”
I Chronicles 21:1
There are times in our life when the enemy sets his sights on us and seeks to interrupt our life with cares, concerns and chaos.
Here in our passage we find that King David faced such a time. God was blessing Israel and David’s life was fruitful. One day the tempter showed up and the Scripture used the word “provoked” to describe Satan’s actions. The word, “provoked” means to prick or to seduce – meaning Satan had showed up in David’s life to goad David into doing something he normally wouldn’t do – to act in a way that he only would have if there were certain stimuli in his life.
As a pastor, not only have I watched Satan provoke believers to action – but as a believer I have had the tempter show up in my life, trying to provoke me to certain action that would be contrary to God’s will for me. We all must be wise enough to take notice when situations arise that would call us, “instinctively” to action! It is usually the reactions that seem the most natural, fueled by feelings and zeal, that we end up in the most trouble and cause the most hurt.
If we will slow down and consider what is before us before we take action in response to situations – God than can step in and guide us to the proper course of action or stay us from any action at all. There are times when we need to stand by and let God deal directly with people and situations. Satan has a desired end – as we look at the patterns of his behavior, we see certain reasons why he “provokes” God’s people.
1.) Satan seeks to provoke people to make them think a certain way.
I find it amazing that Satan time and time again strives to take our mind off of God. Even while writing this devotion, my cell phone has received two text messages and the phone has rung with people carrying burdens! Satan wants to provoke us with worry, fear, anxiety, lust and many other things just so our mind is no where near thinking on the Lord or the things of God.
Satan many times has brought situations to my door or across my desk that have caused me to worry or fret – and many times he has sent situations that stirred me within – I have not perfected this practice at all but I am slowly learning that when situations arise that seek to consume my thoughts and distract me from my Lord and my family that Satan is in the back ground working against me. It is in that moment of realization we must stop, pray, and love on the people around us.
2.) Satan seeks to provoke people to react rather than act.
Not only does Satan seek to take control of our thoughts, but also our actions! Satan so many times wants us to react to situations or people so he can create division and damage our testimony. He knows if he can get us to react in anger, react vengefully or reacted by falling into a state of depression that he can hurt us, bring grief to the heart of our Lord and damage the cause of Christ.
When we are faced with a situation or people that would immediately call us to a type of unplanned or unguided reaction – STOP! Right than and there cease all forward progress. Don’t rush into the trap of the enemy but rather pray for guidance and pray for the people involved. STOP, and do nothing for the next 24 hours. Give God time to work in the situation or the heart of the people involved and give yourself time to calm down. When we are calm we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, when we are calm we can recall scripture, when we are calm we can be considerate of others and rationally evaluate the end result of our actions. Once the Lord has impressed upon our hearts what to do and we have allowed the Scriptures to flow within our mind – then we can act in a godly and Christ honoring way.
3.) Satan seeks to provoke people to speak out.
I would say more people have been hurt by words than any other weapon. When I hear the old saying, “The pen is more powerful than the sword” I shake my head in agreement. Words are free, they are readily available, and Scripture compares them to swords and knives because they can cut so deep.
How many spouses carry wounds brought on by words? How many young people have been cut so deeply by teasing and hurtful things said? How many times have we been guilty of being provoked to speak out in a manner that hurt rather than helped? I fear one of the greatest ways the enemy works against us, is by provoking us to speak out rather than keeping those things in and taking them to the Lord in prayer.
There will be times where we need to talk, share, and get things out in the open. We must find the right manner, the right place and the right people to speak to. Speak to the Lord in prayer, share those thoughts in a journal, get things out in the open amongst close and trusted friends. Don’t allow Satan to provoke you to speak against the people you love or the people you are called to love. Do not allow Satan to provoke you to be his pawn of destruction, using your words as his fiery sword. Take those feelings and thoughts and bring them to the Lord.
When Satan comes to provoke us – when situations arise that seek to take control of our lives – when people rise up that would cause us to react naturally; rather than act spiritually -we must understand that we are under attack and act accordingly.
Pray, patiently wait for guidance to act, dive into the Scriptures to find help and comfort and go to close and trusted friends to get their help in facing this season of attack from the enemy.