Satan Is Predictable
Do you know someone who is predictable? You know, that person that, on any given day, you can guess in advance what they’ll do, how they’ll dress, where they’ll eat lunch, etc? They are creatures of habit so much so that you find their routines becoming familiar and your ability to predict their movements rarely off.
Satan is predictable. He’s using the same methods on us now, that he used with Jesus in the wilderness when he tempted Him there (Matthew 4:1-11). Thing is, we’ve not given him any reason to change his strategies, because they are still working quite effectively. Have you ever noticed that the things you are tempted in, challenged with, and discouraged by now are the same things (or in the same family of things) that you’ve been dealing with for your whole life?
For me, there are 2 or 3 things that I can pinpoint as “thorns in my flesh,” so-to-speak – areas where I am probably always going to be at least susceptible to the enemy’s temptations and torments. I am glad to say that awareness of what these areas are for me is actually a huge part of eventually overcoming them when Satan brings them forward in an attempt to break me. If, for example, I realize that he has a pattern of tempting me through x, then when I am suddenly feeling susceptible to x, I can probably pinpoint it as an attack of the enemy fairly quickly. That way, I can separate reality from truth and realize that, as always in the case with Satan, things are not what he would have me to believe.
Satan is limited in his power, so he relies on you to feed him your choices, hence giving him more power. When you recognize his predictability, you are one step ahead, stopping his plan before he even gets to launch it. He’s got no new plans that he hasn’t already revealed by the pattern of his previous actions, so take note! Recognize the enemy’s history in your life, and in doing so, you’ll be that much more ready for his next attack. We know he looks for opportunities to strike against us (1 Peter 5:8), so arm yourself with the knowledge of his past patterns of predictability, and I believe you’ll find yourself ahead of the game.
Oh, and you know Who is not predictable? Our Father God! He is constantly amazing me and surprising me with new mercies every day and insights into just how great His love for me is. Thank God for a Savior who likes to surprise us with beauty and joy when we least expect it!
