. . . that we would not be\noutwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. (2 Cor. 2:11)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All humans have a\nsupernatural enemy whose aim is to use pain and pleasure to make us blind, senseless,\nand lost \u2014 forever. He is: \u201cthe devil and Satan, the\ndeceiver of the whole world . . . the accuser\u201d (Rev.\n12:9\u201310), \u201cthe god of this age\u201d (2 Cor. 4:4). The whole world willingly \u201cfollows the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that\nis now at work in the sons of disobedience\u201d (Eph.\n2:2). Those who know Jesus Christ as savior are called to daily\nresistance of this enemy (1 Pt. 5:9; Ja. 4:7), including the daily refusal to give him an\nopportunity (Eph. 4:27), and the daily stand\nagainst his schemes (Eph. 6:11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Satan\u2019s Restraint and Purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n God is sovereign (Col. 1:16). The devil is restrained, doing no more than\nGod permits (Job 2:6; Lk.\n22:31). Therefore, God has a role\nfor Satan in a \u201cgood warfare\u201d (1 Tim. 1:18) and a \u201cgood fight\u201d\n(1 Tim. 6:12). It is \u2018good\u2019,\nnot because we might be killed (which we might! \u2014 Rev. 2:10),\nbut because this war refines the gold of our faith (1 Pt.\n1:7) in life and the life hereafter. \nBeing in control, God provides: \u201cTake . . . the\nsword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times\u201d (Eph. 6:17\u201318). Given\nGod knows exactly the strategies against us, He has recorded them in His\neternal Word, so we are not outwitted. The\nreason we will not be outwitted is that \u201cwe are not\nignorant of his designs\u201d (2 Cor. 2:11).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Satan\u2019s Wiles & Schemes <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a fulfillment of \u201ctrain your hands for war and your fingers for battle\u201d\n(Psalm 144:1), be forewarned of the following\nten wiles and schemes of Satan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Satan lies, and is the father of lies (<\/strong>John 8:44).<\/strong> Satan\u2019s first words undermined God\u2019s truth (Gen.\n3:1) followed by lying, contradicting God (Gen.\n3:4). Satan \u201chas nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth\nin him\u201d (Jn. 8:44) hence, we are dealing\nwith anti-truth and unqualified deception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. He blinds the minds of unbelievers:<\/strong> \u201cThe god of this age has\nblinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the\ngospel of the glory of Christ\u201d (2 Cor. 4:4).\nSatan lies, hides what is true, blinds many to the gospel. He does let everyone see facts, even proofs,\nbut not the \u2018preciousness\u2019 or the truth of God in application to their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. He masquerades in costumes of light and\nrighteousness.<\/strong> In 2 Cor. 11:13\u201315,\nPaul says that some people are posing as apostles who are not: \u201cEven Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is\nnot strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of\nrighteousness.\u201d Satan has\nservants who profess enough truth to join the church, but teaching \u201cdoctrines\nof demons\u201d (1 Tim. 4:1). Acts 20:30\nsays they will not spare the flock, drawing many away to destruction. God\u2019s\ngift of discernment (Phil. 1:9) is critically\nessential in the preservation of the fellowship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Satan does signs and wonder: \u201c<\/strong>The coming of the lawless one by the\nactivity of Satan will be with all power, and with signs and wonders of the lie\u201d (2 Thess. 2:9). Jesus describes the last days: \u201cFalse Christs and false prophets will arise and show great\nsigns and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect\u201d (Mt. 24:24). There\nis no hint that these \u201csigns and wonders\u201d will\nbe tricks, done in the name of Jesus, to which He will reply, \u201cI never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness\u201d\n(Mt. 7:22\u201323). The problem is not that such aren\u2019t\nreal, but in the service of sin and Satan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Satan tempts people to sin.<\/strong> Unsuccessfully\nwith Jesus in the wilderness (Satan tempted him to abandon the path of\nsuffering and obedience in Mt. 4:1\u201311) but successful\nwith Judas (Lk. 22:3\u20136), Paul warns against this\nfor all the believers: \u201cI am afraid that as the serpent\ndeceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere\nand pure devotion to Christ\u201d (2 Cor. 11:3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Satan plucks the word of God out of people\u2019s hearts\nand chokes faith: <\/strong>\u201cSatan immediately comes and takes away the word which was\nsown in them\u201d (Mk. 4:15). Satan snatches the word because he hates\nfaith which the word produces (Rm. 10:17). Paul knew that Satan\u2019s design is to choke off\nthe faith of people who have heard the Word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Satan causes some<\/em>\nsickness and disease<\/strong>. Jesus healed a woman (Lk. 13:16), Satan the one who caused this disease. In Acts 10:38,\nJesus, \u201cwent about doing good and healing all who were oppressed<\/em> by the devil,\u201d citing\nSatan often oppresses people with illness. But don\u2019t make the mistake that every<\/em> sickness is the work of the devil.\nSome disease is solely attributed to God\u2019s merciful design: \u201cIt was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the\nworks of God might be displayed in him\u201d (Jn. 9:3). <\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Satan is a murderer.<\/strong> Jesus said to his\nassassins: \u201cYou are of your father the devil, and your\nwill is to do your father\u2019s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and\nhas nothing to do with the truth\u201d (Jn. 8:44).\nJohn says, \u201cDo not be like Cain, who was of the evil\none and murdered his brother\u201d (1 Jn. 3:12).\nJesus told the blameless church at Smyrna, \u201cThe devil\nis about to throw some of you into prison. . . . Be faithful unto death, and I\nwill give you the crown of life\u201d (Rev. 2:10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Satan fights against the plans of missionaries: <\/strong>\u201cWe endeavored the more\neagerly, and with great desire, to see you face to face; because we wanted to\ncome to you . . . but Satan hindered us\u201d (1\nThess. 2:17\u201318). Satan hates\nevangelism and discipleship, and he will throw up every obstacle he can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Satan accuses Christians before God: <\/strong>\u201cI heard a loud voice in\nheaven saying, \u2018Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and\nthe authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been\nthrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.\u2019\u201d (Rev. 12:10). Satan\u2019s\ndefeat is sure, but his accusations haven\u2019t ceased. But we are forgiven and cleansed immediately\nupon confession! (1 Jn. 1:9). Don\u2019t allow accusations to keep you from\nGod\u2019s service!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Satan Will Not Win<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We have read the end of the\nBible and\u2026WE WIN. The path to victory in\nthis warfare is to hold fast to Christ who has already dealt the decisive blow:\n\u201cThe Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the\ndevil\u201d (1 Jn. 3:8; see also Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Mark 3:27; Rev. 20:10; Mt. 8:29; 25:41).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resist!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n James says, \u201cResist the devil, and he will flee from you!\u201d (James 4:7). How do we do that? \u201cThey have conquered\nhim by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved\nnot their lives even unto death\u201d (Rev. 12:11). Embraced the triumph of Christ by his blood;\nspeak truth in faith; do not fear death. \nBe triumphant. Be in prayer (Eph. 6:17\u201318; Lk. 21:36;\n1 Pt. 4:7; Mt. 6:13).\nConfront the designs of the devil with the focused and determined power of\nprayer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n No Neutral Zone<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone is in this war. Either we are defeated by the devil and thus\nfollowing, \u201cthe prince of the power of the air\u201d\n(Eph. 2:2), or we are resisting \u2014 \u201cresist him, firm in your faith!\u201d (1 Pt. 5:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You either triumph \u201cby the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony,\u201d\nor you will be enslaved by Satan. Therefore, \u201cShare in\nsuffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus\u201d (2\nTim. 2:3), and \u201cwage the good warfare\u201d (1 Tim. 1:18). Pray without ceasing! Come to him as willing soldiers of the Prince\nof Peace and learn to say, \u201cHe trains my hands for war\u201d\n(Ps. 144:1).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" . . . that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. (2 Cor. 2:11) All humans have a supernatural enemy whose aim is to use pain and pleasure to make us blind, senseless, and lost \u2014 forever. He is: \u201cthe devil and Satan, the deceiver of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[526,534],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n