There are ten subtle progressive steps the devil tries to lead us through to eventually destroy us. I call these the Ten “D’s” of the Devil. And it all starts with experiencing disappointment.
Have you ever wondered why Christians sometimes fall into deception and make shocking decisions? I am convinced that it’s directly related to these ten deceptive steps. It does not happen overnight, but through small steps not unlike the proverbial frog in the kettle of water that doesn’t know he is being boiled. Here are these ten subtle steps.
1. Disappointment
Disappointments come from unmet expectations. These could be expectations of what we believe God should do for us. Or, expectations we have of our spouse, our church, our children, Christian leaders or even of ourselves. Hebrews 12:15 warns, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” For that reason, we should immediately forgive, release and apply the grace of God to our lives, so that we will not experience steps two through ten. If we do not forgive, we will soon experience step two.
2. Discontentment
The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. We stop seeing the positive in our lives and in the lives of others and become negative. If we apply the word of God to our lives, forgive others and receive God’s grace, we get a fresh start. If not, we will experience step three.
3. Discouragement
When we enter into the step of discouragement, we wake up dreading the day ahead. Our motivation for life drains away. Unless we get a hold of the root of our problem, which in most cases takes us back to step one, we will soon enter into step four.
4. Doubt
This step is the danger zone spiritually. We become cynical and question things that were completely settled in our hearts in the past. Although we are sometimes shocked by our doubts, we feel helpless to stop them. Doubt opens the door to the next step.
5. Disbelief
Disbelief, or unbelief, is the final form of doubt. We have trouble believing those who represent God and believing the scriptures, which takes us to the next step.
6. Disillusionment
Disillusionment causes us to want to drop out of a marriage or a ministry or a commitment that we knew the Lord had called us to in the past. We lose our God-given vision. We feel as if we are in a dark hole. Unless we take steps to find freedom, we will be set up for step number seven.
7. Deception
When we enter into the step of deception, we believe lies about ourselves and about others. Those who are deceived often do not realize they are deceived. Deception nearly always starts with an unmet expectation somewhere in our lives. This small seed of deception sprouts, roots and grows until it becomes a large plant and sets us up for the next step.
8. Disobedience
When we live in disobedience to God’s word, we eventually enter into a stage of living with bitterness (Hebrews 12:15). Disobedience to the scriptures is sin. Disobedience and bitterness opens the door for the devil to eventually destroy us and leads us to the next step.
9. Despair
When we enter into the step of despair, we lose all hope and can enter into deep depression. The call and destiny of God on our lives is completely detoured. Those who do not receive God’s grace to deal with the unmet expectations and disappointments will enter the final step of the devil’s plan.
10. Destruction
This is the place where our God-given vision and our destiny are completely destroyed. This is the devil’s ultimate plan—destruction by physical, emotional and spiritual death.
In most cases, those whose lives and dreams and ministries have been destroyed by the devil have walked through these ten steps that were strategically laid out for them by the enemy. The sad truth is, they could have gotten off the path of the enemy’s plan at any time and received grace and freedom to go on and fulfill their destiny.
Recognizing, renouncing, and resisting the “Ten Ds of the Devil” is critical in the life of every believer. The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came to give us life, abundantly! (John 10:10)
(If you are interested in learning more about how to practically deal with the disappointment of unmet expectations, I have written an entire chapter on this subject in my book, 21 Tests of Effective Leadership.)
Wow.. This is so true and i really really needed to hear it. We’ve been thru all of these as a married couple and have come out on the other side, completely delivered by Gods grace. But wouldn’t u know the devil still tries to drag us back down into the old habits, even tho we have had deliverance and victory over them all. He doesn’t stop roaring just cuz we have found freedom, he just gets a bit more sly and slinky. Thank God he has been defeated and we can have victory in EVERY battle. God bless you for sharing!
I disagree with doubt being of the devil. I believe that doubt can be used constructively and help us to deepen our faith. It is important to actively seek God and to be able to give an answer for our faith. As long as we follow our questioning with honest seeking, doubt can be a good thing. It is when doubt turns into fear that we have a problem.
Good point. I certainly agree that doubt can be used constructively and help us to deepen our faith. However, doubting without processing it properly and doubting the Word of God can be destructive.
great reminder. it is so easy to fall into this stuff.
I think this is pretty accurate. I’ve experienced all of it and it sucks. I don’t really know how to get out. I want to die…the ultimate “D” of death. I don’t disbelieve the Scriptures. In fact, the judge me and make me feel worse (Hebrews 6, 10, etc.)
There is always hope in Christ. Go back to the place of disappointment and forgive in Jesus name, and receive the grace of God and begin the first day of the rest of your life. Ask a trusted friend who loves the Lord to stand with you in prayer. God loves you more than you will ever know. (I John 3:1)
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I grew up surrounded by good Christian family/people in south central Pa. I was a good person, doing what the church taught to do to be saved, even baptized. Practiced good morals/conduct because it was the right thing to do and did result in blessings.
AS I grew into adult hood I began to not only question Christianity but to mock/ridicule/denonce it, along with God, Jesus, the BIble and anyone who would dare point out my sin and where it would lead.
Then one night out of desperation to be free of the pain/darkness/insecurity of personal rejection, I ask God if He was real, would He please show me personally, NOW. No one lead me in a ‘sinners prayer’, no one to tell me what to say, I was alone, with God whom I had spent years cursing. Ephesians, 3:18 popped into my head. Even though I had spent years using the Bible as a religious crutch and to ‘cover’ my sin(s),when I looked it up and read it, I simply took God at His Word. No one was there to explain it. Clearly, God knows how to reveal Himself in His fullness to those who ask!!! No more blackness/pain/insecurity. Jeff, He will do the same for you. Eph,3:17-19 So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD.
That was the night I was saved/became a Christian. I did not need a man to tell me what just happened or tell me to stop sinning. I was set FREE to not sin.
Faith will work in your heart in spite of doubts in your mind. Satan loves to use doubt (“Yea, hath God said”?), which leads to disbelief, and from there to disobey. That is the path into darkness and defeat. Feed your faith and starve your doubts to death….let them die!
I agree with all the ” Ds’ ” and also self imposed guilt , holding ourselves’ inner person hostage unforgiving ourselves … Despite how Gods’ grace is sufficient to meet all our needs … we still use self imposed stress in expecting too much in perfection of ourselves which , of course , Jesus was the only perfect human that walked on Earth .
A servant of Christ Jesus: Psalm: 62: 8 Trust in God at all times; you people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whoso ever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish but will have eternal live.