We must know that the Shaytan has an impact on the will and determination of mankind; he discourages people from good deeds and all that will benefit them while pushing them towards evil and that which is harmful for them. So, the task of treating our weaknesses and shortcomings require double the effort when we* come to realise that there is someone working against we on it.
You’re dealing with a sworn enemy that Allah has exposed in the Quran:
أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
وَأَنْ اعْبُدُونِي هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْقِلُونَ
“Did I not ordain for you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaytan. Verily, he is a plain enemy to you.
And that you should worship Me [Alone Islamic Monotheism, and set up not rivals, associate-gods with Me]. That is a Straight Path.
And indeed he (Shaytan) did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not, then, understand?”
And the devil said to Allah:
قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
” [Iblees] said, “By your might, I will surely mislead them all.”
So what is it that will protect us from Shaytan in this life.. what are our weapons and shield against him?
The answer lies here:
قَالَ اهْبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلا يَضِلُّ وَلا يَشْقَى
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى
(Allah said) “Descend from Paradise – all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].
And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”
Our shield against the Shaytan is : Sincerity and Quran. We have to be sincere to our Lord and we have to stay in touch with the guidance of the Quran.
Whoever takes up the Quran and sincerely follows in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions رضي الله عنهم will not be defeated by the devil in this life.
We*= You’re not struggling alone in this, everyone else is, too. 