The devil’s tactic is to get people to do his dirty work. Yes, that could be you or me. If he can get us to set our own traps, he only has to sit back and watch us squirm. The one kind of trap I found particularly sneaky is for us to trap ourselves with inner statements that are in agreement with the devil and contrary to the word of God.
When things happen to us, we make inner statements without knowing we are doing it. The inner statement sends out a magnetic field that will either draw in what we have decided or hide things that are contrary to it.
When in high school, I was always the last to be chosen on the physical education teams. I was not particularly athletic and stood only 4’10”. My inner statement said “I am always the last one chosen.” Although it was a fact in the Physical Education class, it showed up in other parts of my life. I was chosen to be on the homecoming court after the dance. I came in last in the student body election for treasurer. I became the assistant director of the Choraleers because no one else knew how to direct a chorus. I was chosen to be a speaker at a retreat because the one first chosen had to drop out. For a while I consoled myself with being a “pinch hitter.” This inner statement had to be broken as the Bible says “I am the head and not the tail”.
The magnetic field I had set up was to “always be the last”. This statement kept me from being grateful whenever I was first. In high school, I was editor-in-chief of the school yearbook, I was the school organist, and I was the president of the statewide church youth group. Somehow these “firsts” were hidden from me. I could not be grateful and enjoy those honors.
This statement trapped me from being who I was supposed to be. The Lord set me free when I repented of coming into agreement with the lie. I forgave myself for setting my own trap. Today I can be either first or last accepting where the Lord puts me.
The inner statement of “I must be first or nothing” drives some people to be first in everything to the point of obsession. They become depressed and dissatisfied if they did not get the promotion, did not win the scholarship, or are not chosen for the internship. Then, there are those who hang back to make sure they will “always be the last.” These avoid recognition for something good, or may even sabotage their own success in order to fulfill their inner statement of always being last.
Break those inner statements by repenting of coming into agreement with any lie the devil used to make you trap yourself so you can be joyful where the Lord puts you. You will be the head and not the tail.
Prayer to break inner statements:
Lord I repent of coming into agreement with the enemy that says: ________________. I forgive myself for living in that lie. Thank you for forgiving me. I now renounce that statement and no longer give it power in my life.