The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #3 - Don't Fall for Satan's Tired, Old Bag of Tricks

So, I've been sharing some of my Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry for the

past almost two weeks; today we have my, "Tip Number Three" . . . Don't Fall for Satan's Tired, Old Bag of Tricks. Of course none of us want to fall for his tricks and I'm certain we all want to think we will not do so, but he is crafty and if we are not careful, watchful and prayerful we will do exactly this because these "tricks" are often subtle and we do not even realize we have fallen for them.

What tired, old tricks am I talking about? Well, there are many, but, consider the following . . . 

• One big one is gossip. We fall for this without even thinking far too often. Oh, we may try to disguise it as, "sharing prayer requests", or may have even deluded ourselves into thinking we need to listen to and share things about others because it is part of our "job" (an ugly lie from satan), but gossip is gossip. Period. Do not fall for this trick because it is a hurtful trap and the damage it causes can not easily be repaired - and may never be repaired.
• I've already mentioned it, but being negative is a huge tired, old trick. This one pulls our ministry down and shuts down it's effectiveness right away.
• Thinking we are burned out. This one is one of his most often used tired, old tricks. We are not really "burned out"; we may be in need of rest, we may need to find more help, we may need to spend more time in prayer, we may need to choose a positive perspective . . . we may need several things, but being burned out is just an excuse which allows us, and others, to stop doing whatever it is which God has called us to do.
• Acting - and even believing - we can do this work on our own. The truth is we need to rely fully on God!
• Not being thankful - this causes us to take advantage of others and not give full credit where it is due - to God!

This list could go on, but the idea is we need to be watchful and prayerful so we do not fall for Satan's tired, old bag of tricks. He wants to get us sidetracked and derailed so we do not do whatever it is God has called us to do. Do not fall for his tired, old bag of tricks.

How do you watch to be sure you are not falling for Satan's tired, old bag of tricks?