Satan hasn't only mastered the art of how to attack, but he's also mastered the art of knowing when to attack. Yes, he knows that the success of his attacks ultimately depend upon orchestrating them at just the right time.
When Satan Is Likely to Attack
What we can observe from the Bible, history and our own lives is that Satan isn't likely to take his best shots when we're strong and ready for him. That would be a waste of his time and energy. Rather, the enemy preys on people when their defenses are down.
Incredibly, this was part of his plan to take down Jesus. Notice that Jesus' famous temptation by the devil didn't happen in the first few days in the wilderness, but at the end. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, Matthew records that Jesus was famished (Matt. 4:1-2). Unsurprisingly, it was at this moment—when Jesus was at His weakest—that Satan came with his temptations.
Satan tries the same on us. And all too often, our lifestyles are to blame for his success. Let me explain.
How Exhaustion Leads to Attack
Many of us live a lifestyle of "burning the candle at both ends." That is, we exhaust ourselves by staying up late and getting up early in order to accomplish more, maybe in hopes that we'll gain more wealth, influence, favor, power or prestige. Whatever the reason, in actuality, living this way only makes us more susceptible to Satan's attacks because it goes against God's design.
The body is designed amazingly, but it's not a 100 percent efficient machine that can work without stopping. No, the body is designed to require rest. So much so that it's said humans can live three times longer without food than without sleep. What happens when we sleep is remarkable. Our bodies organize our thoughts, grow muscle, repair tissue and even regulate hormones. When we don't get enough sleep, we eventually experience opposite effects. And this is what the devil waits for. He knows sleep-deprived minds can't properly process situations or consequences. And sleep-deprived bodies don't have the energy to withstand certain offers. So it's not surprising that we frequently experience the worst attacks when we're physically or mentally exhausted.
A Simple Spiritual Warfare Strategy
The secret, then, to withstand many of Satan's attacks isn't anything sensational or super spiritual. But it's as simple as r-e-s-t. In fact, it's probably no coincidence that "rest" makes up two-thirds of the word "resist." Yes, resisting the devil in your situation might be as simple as getting some rest and a good night's sleep. Did you hear that? The end to your mind games, frustrations, anger, fears or insecurities might be just as easy as saying, "Shut up, devil, I'm goin' to bed!" 
Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the #1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.
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