Recognizing Satan's Entry Points of Attack - Part 4
by Dr. John Tetsola

Last month we saw in the life of David that unless you stay with your face in the wind of the Spirit and in the battle, you have the potential to become worthless in the Kingdom of God. Even a person whose will on the whole is entirely surrendered to God can step out of his position of absolute surrender to God, and in a moment of weakness and folly, commit an act so hideous in the sight of God that aside from a correct response could cost him his assignment. Now we’ll observe the ingredients of David’s downfall and consider the entrance and cause of great attack upon our assignments. Like David, if we don’t recognize these entrances and commit to guard them in our Christian walk, we may encounter similar problems that may steal our call and destroy our ministries.

And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
2 Samuel 11:1-2

The first entrance of sinful attack in our lives is when we move out of the place of our original assignment. Your assignment will produce the momentum of pursuit. If you don’t have an assignment, you don’t have momentum, for momentum is the fuel of every assignment. When you move from the place of your assignment, you have moved out from the place of your strength and protection. Your assignment will protect and cover you if you obediently pursue and serve it. The Bible says he that dwells, (that settles and takes residence) in the secret place shall abide under the shadow of Almighty God. The secret place is like the place of our assignment and when you settle and take residence in that which God has called you to do, you are protected, guarded, and directed. Our place of assignment is our place of refuge. The Bible says that at the times when kings go to war, David did not go. Instead, he stayed at home. Remember that David’s ministry was characterized by war, for he was a military general and a man of war. Even when David wanted to build God a house, God would not allow him to because he was a man of blood—a man of war. But instead of David staying consistent in his place of assignment, for a season he moved out of his place, and when he moved out of his place of assignment, David became an assignment and a prey for an attack. When we move out of our place of assignment, we open a door or create an entrance in our lives for sinful attack. Unlike David, it does not have to be an immoral act. It can be in other areas of your life.

The second entrance of sinful attack is a boring spirit. Being bored with what used to excite and ignite you will create a door to seek an alternative excitement or interest, and it does not matter what kind of interest or excitement—as long as it is an alternative, it is fine to a boring spirit. Boredom means to weary by monotony, it means to weary by doing or repeating the same thing. A boring spirit is a spirit that is tired and weary of repetition. Truth remains the same, but you have to learn to make it new and exiting to your spirit and in your walk with the Lord.

And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
2 Samuel 11:5

When a person has a boring spirit, four things happen. First, your focus becomes affected and becomes diverted to an alternative, and normally the alternative is that which is contrary to our assignment. Secondly, your pursuit becomes affected and diverted to an alternative. David was called to lead a nation and to conquer territories. Unfortunately, he became distracted in his pursuit, and began pursuing a woman instead. Third, your commitment becomes affected and you no longer commit to that which used to feed and give you life. David was no longer committed to his assignment, but was instead committing himself to a woman. The principle is, whatever is valuable to us at certain times in our lives is what we often commit to. Commitment is covenant. What you commit to, you will sleep with. Finally, the last thing that is produced from a boring spirit is the birthing of an Ishmael. Prophetically Ishmael is the manifestation of a wrong decision and represents that which God has not ordained. A man with a boring spirit has no restraint. And where there is no restraint, there is the gratification of self-pleasure.

A third entrance of sinful attack in our lives and assignments is through the spirit of deception. The word deception means to cause to believe what is false, and to disbelieve what is true. David became so incensed at the man that the prophet Nathan described and declared, “As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die.” Deception had taken such a toll on David that the prophet Nathan had to tell David “thou art the man.” Deception is very dangerous for it creates an open door to sinful attacks in your life and against your assignment. But just like David, fall on your face before God and begin the process of repentance. A man after God’s own heart, when confronted with his own sin, is not disposed to going his own way, but chooses rather the road to repentance.

by Dr. John A. Tetsola