THE GREATEST GOAL OF THE DEVIL

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9 NKJV)

 

The greatest weapon in the devil’s arsenal is deception. The Scripture warns that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light and his false apostles into apostles of Christ for deception and manipulation.

 

Paul warns us about Satan’s deception.

 

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – NKJV

 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

 

In this end-time, Satan will employ any means he can to deceive, if possible, even the saints.

 

The Lord Jesus also warns us about deception.

 

Matthew 24:24 – NKJV

24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (NKJV).

 

Although the devil does not have any right, control, power, or authority over you as a born-again believer, yet the devil would gain an advantage over you if you are ignorant of his devices, schemes, or gimmicks

 

Therefore, understanding the devil’s greatest desire or goal is necessary to discerning his schemes and escape falling into his traps.

 

What is the devil’s greatest goal, ambition, or desire?

 

To be worshipped like the Most High God!

 

Satan will do anything to take the place of God in your heart and receive the worship due to God. Satan lost his position in heaven because he sought to usurp God’s position so that he could be worshipped as the Most High.

 

The heart of the devil is made bare to us in the Scripture.

 

Isaiah 14:12-14 – NKJV

 12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!

 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;

 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

 

The devil has not repented or changed; he is still passionately seeking to usurp God’s position anywhere he could to receive the worship due to God.

 

While Jesus Christ was on earth, the devil offered Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory in exchange for His worship. Likewise, the devil will provide you with any good bait or deal in exchange for your worship.

 

Matthew 4:8-10 – NKJV

 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”

 

The devil is keenly interested in usurping God’s position in your heart and in receiving your worship. The devil doesn’t mind you gain the whole world if that will enthrone him as “god” in your heart and make you fall and worship him.

 

It is sheer ignorance to think that the devil’s greatest goal or pursuit in life is to hinder your promotion, progress, success, joy, healing, prosperity, breakthrough, or miracle.

 

The devil is not so interested in whether you are poor or rich, sick or healthy, prosperous or unsuccessful as much as he is interested in who or what you worship.

 

If it is having and experiencing success, promotion, progress, riches, or prosperity in life that will dethrone and displace God in your heart, the devil will gladly help you get it.

 

The devil will help you get anything that will help him achieve his greatest goal in your life: to dethrone and displace God in your heart and receive the worship due to God.

 

Unfortunately, the devil is highly misrepresented in our churches today. The devil is portrayed as being interested only in hindering people from being blessed, wealthy, prosperous, promoted, progressive, successful, or fruitful in life.

 

Consequently, many believers today think the devil is happy only when they are unhappy, unsuccessful, unprogressive, poor, or sick in life.

 

The truth is this; the devil does not mind you being successful, prosperous, happy, or healthy if he is occupying the place of God in your life and receiving your worship.

 

What matters most to the devil is your worship, not what (the things of this world) you have or what you don’t have!

 

Beloved, it is wise for you to know that the primary concern of the devil is not to hinder your success, breakthrough, prosperity, or miracles in life but to lure, deceive, manipulate, cajole or coax you into worshipping anyone or anything else aside or alongside the Most High God.

 

The devil’s greatest goal is to dethrone and displace God in your heart and take the place of God in your heart, thereby receiving the worship due to God. That is what the devil sought to do in heaven before he was hurled down into the earth.

 

The devil is happy and fulfilled when you prosper and succeed in your ministry, marriage, business, or career, but without God reigning in your heart and receiving your worship.

 

Whatever the devil thinks or knows can take the place of God in your life is what the devil will offer you in exchange for the worship of God.

 

The devil will help you to get to the very peak or pinnacle of your career or business if that is what it will take for you to relegate, abandon or forsake God, or for your first love for God to wane.

 

Friend, let no one deceive you that your battle against the devil is only for your prosperity, success, or breakthrough in life. It is for something far greater than any material, mundane, or earthly thing; it is for the sacred throne, place, or position of God in your heart, it is for your worship, and it is for God’s love in your heart.

 

Therefore, the Scripture amply admonishes you to guard your heart with all diligence or vigilance.

 

Proverbs 4:23 – DBY

23 Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:6 – TCNT

6 Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled.

 

1 Peter 4:7 – NKJV

7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

 

1 Peter 5:8-9 – WNT

8 Curb every passion, and be on the alert. Your great accuser, the Devil, is going about like a roaring lion to see whom he can devour.

9 Withstand him, firm in your faith; knowing that your brethren in other parts of the world are passing through just the same experiences.

 

 

Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing to me the greatest desire and goal of the devil. Father, help me be watchful and prayerful so that the devil will not gain an advantage over me and deceive me into worshiping anyone or anything else aside or alongside You, the Most High, in Jesus’ name. Amen.