We know this Scripture well: 'Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy.' The Holy Spirit has placed these actions in this specific order for a very real reason, so there is never any reason to alter the order the Holy Ghost wanted.
First and foremost, the adversary is a thief.
His primary nature and method of operation (MO - modus operandi) against the saint centers around thievery.
Lucifer is a thieving spirit.
We even see this from the beginning: he wanted to steal God’s glory and throne and take all that power and glory to himself. INIQUITY was found in him and that iniquity was trying to steal the glory of God. Remember, Lucifer was already one of the most prosperous and glorious angels that was ever created, but he lusted after more. Ezekiel 28 gives us insight here:
“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created...Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”
And then in Isaiah 14 we find the five ‘I Wills’ of Lucifer’s foolishness:
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
Despite his created glory (see below on the word ‘glory’), his prosperity, his riches, his beauty, he still wanted to STEAL the very glory of God.
Lucifer still wants to STEAL from you.
Both his initial and ultimate aim is to take something from you and every other soul on this planet. But what exactly does he seek to steal now? What is he so desperate and hungry to take from you?
'Steal' is klepto in the Greek (κλέπτω), it is where we get the English word kleptomaniac —the inability to resist the urge to steal.
Satan cannot resist stealing. There is no light in him. His condition is psychotic, compulsive, repetitive, vengeful and deliberate. On a human level it is interesting to note that people diagnosed with kleptomania often have great levels of stress, guilt, and remorse.
Just thinking out loud here: I wonder if Lucifer also has these three conditions: great levels of stress (he knows he is guilty and has been judged, knowing his eternal doom is sure), guilt (he knows he rebelled against God and failed miserably and is plagued by guilt and anger), and remorse (maybe he seeks some sort of twisted solace like Judas who hung himself, but will never find it, but be cast into hell)—so he now channels all that fermenting psychosis, all that hatred and anger, into a continued warfare against God and all His saints.
Satan is 'the cosmic Kleptocrat', and is dictatorial from the outset.
His government is a united ‘thievocracy’ and all its demonic rule and leadership is devoted to this ‘thievocracy’ (or kleptocracy if you like). Jesus said that Satan’s rule is not divided against itself—but united in one purpose: to dethrone God by thieving—either from the dawn of history in that initial rebellion in Heaven, or by dethroning God in your life.
Satan’s ONE GOAL is to expropriate the wealth of the saint.
What is that wealth?
The Word
"The Sower sows the Word."
"The Word of the Lord is worth more than gold, even more than much fine gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey straight from the comb."
The wealth Satan wants to steal in the Word of God in your life. And once he has that he will steal, kill and destroy everything else in your life.
Incidentally, did you know that the very first time the word glory is used in the Bible it refers to material possessions, prosperity, success and wealth? In Genesis 31:1, the KJV Bible describes how Laban’s sons complained that Jacob had taken all of their father’s “glory.” (כָּבוֹד - kabod) But in many other translations instead of “glory”, they use the words riches or wealth!
Prosperity is good. This ‘glory’ or kabod from God is good and He delights in your prosperity. He gives you the power to get or create (Deut 8:18) wealth so that his covenant is established on the earth.
Heaven's streets are made from the glory. Heaven's gates are carved from it. Heaven's throne has a foundation made from it. Millions of heaven's crowns are made from it. God supplies all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus! The abundance of much fine gold is good and this too is a blessing from God (just wait until you see the Millennial Kingdom on this earth reigning from Jerusalem!)—but there is something EVEN of greater wealth than this gold: the Word.
This is the wealth he wants to steal from you, for he knows it is his SURE DEFEAT. So he must steal it in its seed form before it takes root.
"Satan comes immediately" to STEAL the word sown into your ears, hoping it will never get down into your heart, hoping it will never take root, hoping it will never produce a gospel-harvest of 30-fold, 60-fold, and 100-fold in your life.
"The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the word, only to have Satan come at once (immediately) and take it away."
The devil is never lazy, late, or slack. He is relentless, resolute, and always on the move to steal at every opportunity.
His primary mission (and every thief and killer has his own special modus operandi) is to ensure that the Word does not take hold in your life, the life of your family, your neighborhood, your city, your church, or your nation. He CANNOT have it abide!
The Word takes root
By STEALING the Word while it is yet seed, he aims to disrupt your spiritual growth and connection with God. Think of it this was: He will try and steal 'faith' before it becomes faith; and before that faith can grow and reap a harvest.
The best time to root out an oak tree is while it is still an acorn; that is its ‘weakest form’.
Without the abiding Word, the foundation of your faith is compromised, making it easier for him to carry out his further plans of KILLING your God-given dreams, hope, and faith, and ultimately DESTROYING your spiritual life (even a physical life) and the blessings that are yours as one who is of the seed of Abraham.
Understanding this satanic 'kleptocratic' strategy is crucial. We are not to be ignorant of his plans.
The Word of God is your MOST valuable asset, this is the wealth (the spiritual gold) that Satan seeks to rob from you. For from the promises of God’s Word ALL OTHER BLESSINGS FLOW. Spiritual, physical and financial favor all find their roots in the promises of God’s Word.
Guard the WORD with all diligence, allowing it to penetrate your heart and transform your life. Be vigilant in your spiritual walk, immersing yourself in Scripture. Stand firm in your faith, and do not allow the adversary to steal what God is planting inside you.
But why is it: STEAL, then kill, then destroy?
He can ONLY start killing things (or gain access in order to kill) in your life - your finances, your property, your health, your walk with God, your joy, your strength, your relationships IF he manages to STEAL the Word first.
If Job teaches us anything it is that Satan is the destroyer of wealth and health, not God. Once that thieving and lying spirit begins to STEAL the Word from your life (eating the seed in Jesus' parable of the sower), he will begin KILLING off the things of God, with his final goal—to DESTROY any and all hope of you ever walking in a victory or a faith that overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The Word is like heavenly manna falling ever fresh from heaven. The Israelites never had stale bread in the wilderness; they gathered the 'angels’ food new every morning. It would do us well to do the same. Feast on the food of angels every morning. These spirit beings delight to do God's Word; and so too will you.
No wonder Jesus says, "Take heed therefore how ye hear..."
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Faith comes. Faith comes. Faith comes. Let it be said a thousand times more. Faith always comes by HEARING. Hearing what? The Word of God, the Gospel of Christ and all the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Him.
And so too the devil comes.
When he sees you are hearing the Word of God. When he sees the seed being sown, he comes.
When he sees you taking the Word seriously, he comes.
When he sees you starting to ONLY BELIEVE and not doubt in your heart, he comes.
When he sees you moving beyond any high-minded 'PhD academics' and those '30-letter-long-words' that some deem the pinnacle of theological importance (and I say this not to mock genuine learning, but rather to expose the kind of ‘education’ that only seems to breed more doubt and unbelief in the things of God!), then he comes.
Once the Word starts to abide (set up home), be it in the wisdom of what the Word says about faith, or finances, or healing, or salvation, or mission, or endurance, or working the works of God etc — then you make Satan's task a lot more difficult.
Satan will have a MUCH HARDER TIME STEALING the light of revelation from you. This is the principle of acorn vs. oak tree.
"the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one."
Satan does not want to be overcome BY YOU; he wants to be the one that OVERCOMES YOU.
Today (and tomorrow), don't ever give him that opportunity!
Continue reading the Word.
Continue believing the Word.
Continue meditating on the Word.
Continue speaking (out loud) the Word. (Seed the atmosphere, Satan is called the prince of the powers of the air (a heavenly realm?)—remember, the 'fouls of the air' steal the seed—for a reason, so seed his domain/heavenly realm with God's Word)
Continue sowing the Word.
Continue reaping a harvest from the Word.
This is one of the reasons I created these digital journal Bibles - they are specifically designed for heavy note-takers, with an inbuilt SWORDMEM memorisation plan and other features to help hide the Word in your heart.
I have been using mine for several months now and it is wonderful to keep all my notes in one easy (and expandable) place. With extensive notes and reflections it has revolutionized my Bible reading and memory of His promises. Maybe it could do the same for you?
Take a look!
