It has been a few weeks since I’ve been able to write on my blog. While I could suggest several different reasons why, one of the main reasons is because I’ve been under attack—not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, while I was talking with my sister on the phone, she mentioned something that encompassed the struggle I had been going through. She said that she felt like Satan had been working harder lately. My mind immediately went to Revelation 12:12, which says, “But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
I can’t help but agree with my sister’s observations. I can see it in the pain and struggles of my friends and family. I can see it in the bitterness and lukewarmness in too many churches (mine included). And I can feel it personally almost on a daily basis. It makes sense though. If Satan is filled with fury because he knows he doesn’t have much time left, how much more fury must he have today since we are closer to the end than ever before?
I’ve already mentioned that our dedication to God automatically places us in opposition to Satan—this is the reason for the spiritual struggles we face. I’ve also pointed out God’s plan for victory. However, if we want to survive this war and remain standing at the end, we must not be ignorant to our enemy’s schemes either. This is vital, because we are warned that Satan is like a roaring lion, prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8)!
The Bible makes it very clear that our adversary has a game plan (Ephesians 6:11). Paul warns us not to be “outwitted by Satan,” nor “ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11). He even counsels Timothy to preach and teach in a way that his listeners (or opposers) can see the truth and “escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26). Fortunately for us, though, his snares have been revealed. We do not need to be ignorant of what Satan is trying to do in our lives.
Believe it or not, Satan has one trick—he may use it in different ways, but he is nothing if not predictable. We can see the single concept that is the foundation of his schemes in his own character: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is the premise on which every trap is set. Therefore, the best way to recognize his traps is to know the truth. For everything that is truth, he has a lie. Even when it comes to himself—Paul says that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” and his servants “disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15). Deception: it’s what he does best. Actually, it’s all he does.
Using this disguise, he often promotes his own ideas as truth, placing suggestions, doubts, and temptations in our minds. He’s crafty too: he was able to deceive Eve with his cunningness (Genesis 3:4, 2 Corinthians 11:3), he convinced Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:2), and Ananias to lie to the Apostles (Acts 5:3). He doesn’t stop there either. He is quick to offer an alternative to the Words of God. He began his lies in the Garden of Eden and continues to lie and deceive about salvation to this day. Paul warned against the lie of a different gospel and those who would “want to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6, 7). Sometimes Satan will attempt to distract us, and even blind us, so we cannot see the light and beauty of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Another lie he’ll tell us is about ourselves. He may tell us that we are un-savable or, perhaps, that we are God’s gift to the church and society. Such snares will keep us from looking for a Savior. They will also make us more selfish, judgmental, and critical of others. James warns that these things are not from God: “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:14, 15).
We must also not forget that our enemy is called the “accuser of the brothers” (Revelation 12:10). Hatred in our hearts for another person is not from God, it is another trap set by our enemy. Satan knows that we cannot work for the Kingdom of Heaven if we hate others or are too focused on ourselves. So he encourages us to cover the truth of our selfishness and jealousy with self-righteous ideals. Ah, but Satan also knows that as long as we are fighting amongst each other, we will not fight the real battle against him (Ephesians 6:12)!
While all of these deceptions are bad, none are worse than what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 11:3—“but I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Satan’s greatest trap is to somehow distract, discourage, or seduce us away from a relationship with Christ. The primary web he uses for this is the desires of this world (1 John 2:15, 16). I don’t think Satan cares what it takes as long as we leave Jesus behind. In fact, this is the result of every one of his snares.
We cannot let Satan succeed! God says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Earlier in that passage, in verse 1, it is explained that what was lacking was a knowledge of God. This isn’t about lacking book knowledge—in the Hebrew language, they didn’t have that concept—this is about experiential knowledge. In other words, we are destroyed because of a lack of an experience with God. No wonder Satan works so hard to keep us from have any experiences!
Now that we know his plans, we must watch and pray so we do not fall into any of his traps. Because he is filled with fury and is fighting stronger than ever before, we must not let our guard down. So we hold on to Jesus more tightly. We humbly submit ourselves to God (James 4:7), stand firm in our faith in Him (1 Peter 5:9, 10), and put on God’s armor (Ephesians 6:13). Then, when we recognize the devil’s schemes, we will be able to resist “and he will flee” (James 4:7)!