In order to stay in power over a wide array of nobility who wanted to dethrone him as much as obey him, King Louis XIV created a grand royalty scheme which would empower his friends while impoverishing his enemies
In order for rich and titled men to receive any favors from the king, they had to find ways to get close to him, either by helping him dress in the morning, or they had to prepare lavish celebrations in his honor in their own homes. These domestic activities came at great cost to those who sought the king's ear. King Louis XIV created costly requirements for engaging in his festivities and taking part in his glorious honor. Any nobleman who expected to command any respect for himself or from his monied peers would show up to any function proposed by the king, regardless of the cost: anything for the French nobleman so that they could advance into a ring of power within the king's inner circle. All during that time,King Louis declared L'etat, c'est moi ("I am the state") and slowly gathered more land, money, and power into his own estate as more nobles were worn out with debt, intrigue, or incarceration.
The Devil's tricks are very similar. Yet unlike the French King, he is already defeated, and he cannot spoil the riches of those who are in Christ. Yet much like the French King, Satan will engage us in distractions in order to miss out on believing and receiving from God the Father.
Many denominations give the impression that we must do, say, think, or have certain things in order to access God. No falsehood could be more pernicious:
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 16)
If we are saved by grace (Ephesians 3\2:4, 8), then anything that we need we also receive by grace. Our "job" is to rest in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4: 11), that through Him all our sins have been forgiven (Colossians 2: 13), and that through Him we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1: 3)
The real issue for us, and the source of distraction for Satan, is that he wants us to look at ourselves, convince us that we have to do things, find things, or spend ourselves, much like the nobles of King Louis' day, in order to get what we need.
Yet we have not so received Christ:
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)
God is not some distant monarch whom we have to bribe in order to receive form him. Because Jesus Christ died on the Cross for us, becoming sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21), we can now call him: "Daddy!" Even evil parents responds to the needs of their children. God gave His own Son for us, so we can know and believe in His Love (1 John 4: 16), that He will freely give us all things with Him (Romans 8: 31-32)
Do not try to think, feel, say, or do anything in order to come before God. Rest in the eternal truth of His love, that all your sins are forever forgiven (1 John 4: 10), that before Him God does not see you in your mortal body, but alive in Christ (1 John 4: 17)
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