Who is the enemy whose sole purpose is to destroy you? John says,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10 New International Version (NIV)

A THIEF IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Satan is a liar and a thief, and because he is first a liar, he gives you false information that seems plausible; the kind that causes you to doubt yourself and God. See if these kinds of thoughts have crossed your mind. I’m stupid, worthless, never going to succeed, or nobody cares. Not even God cares. If he can convince you to believe this stinking thinking, he is well on his way to ruin your life.

The next arrow in the devil’s quiver of demonic attacks is using these falsehoods to steal your joy. If you have ever experienced God, you know that authentic joy; the kind that lasts and comes only from an experiential relationship with Jesus. Other emotional responses may make you happy for a period but are not sustainable. External circumstances can not influence real joy to give way to depression, but the enemy suggests you have no choice.

When the devil has stolen your joy, it kills forward progress. It kills your desire to grow and stifles your love for others. You isolate yourself more and more with thoughts of a purposeless existence with no future. At this point, many entertain a wish to die.

John alerts you of the purposes of evil to destroy you, but that verse has a promise for better things to come. Put Jesus as your focus and not the horrible events taking place around you, and He will give you life. Never does Jesus want you to accept the lies of the enemy. He wants you to accept and receive the fullness of joy here, and eternal life yet to come.

Stand up and stand out amid the darkness. Become the immovable object for Christ.