- Satan's
Methods
- by Dr. Ken Matto
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- (Eph 6:11 KJV) Put on the whole armour
of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- One of the ways a Christian can have
success in their Christian walk is to understand the methods of Satan, our adversary. To
know your enemy is wise, to over-emphasize him as many signs and wonders churches do is to
give him excess credit, to under-emphasize him, like the liberal, unbelieving churches do
is to pave the way for him to enter in, but to understand him, his reasons for doing what
he does, and his methods will give the Christian a great advantage over him, especially
when temptation comes into our lives. There are some people who completely
deny his existence and have the unbiblical temerity of determining that Satan is our
flesh. Let me destroy that nonsense immediately.
- (1 John 3:8 KJV) He that committeth sin
is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
- Let us look at the first two uses of
the word devil and replace them with "flesh." "He that committeth sin is of
the flesh; for the flesh sinneth from the beginning." It sounds good and it seems
there is a correlation here. Now for the rest of the story. Did you notice the second part
of that verse that he might destroy the works of the devil? Let us take it
to it's logical conclusion. If the devil is the flesh, and Christ came to destroy the
works of the devil (flesh), then His atonement was a great failure, because even the
redeemed of God sin every day, which means the power of the devil (flesh) was not
destroyed.
- Let us not attend to such nonsensical
theories created in the mind of Satan himself and given to his disciples so they can do
his work of denying his existence. Satan is a real foe but remember that he is also a
defeated foe. His defeat came at the cross. This article is not designed to adulate Satan
but to help the believer identify some of his methods which is biblical as we see in the
following verse.
- (Prov 22:3 & 27:12 KJV) A prudent
man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are
punished.
- A Christian who does not sharpen his or
her spiritual understanding will not foresee the evil and is sure to get snared by Satan.
This verse also tells us that those who are simple or biblically ignorant of Satan's
devices will fall prey to them.
(Eph 6:16 KJV) Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
- The word "darts" comes from a
word which means "something that is thrown." In ancient times, one of the most
capable weapons was the javelin which was thrown. The fiery darts come from both the
wicked people and the wicked one (which is how the word is best interpreted). Even though
we are saved, Satan will attempt to marshal his forces against the people of God. He is
such a great deceiver, that even though he knows he is a defeated foe, he believes somehow
he will be the victor. His greatest victim of his deceit is himself.
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- Satan's reasons for doing what he
does
- Satan's Methods
- (Eph 6:11 KJV) Put on the whole armour
of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- The word "wiles" is the Greek
word "methodeia" which carries with it the meaning of "strategy, scheming,
or planned deceitful procedure." This is why it is so important that we recognize early
enough in our Christian walk some of the methods Satan uses to attack us in our Christian
life. Satan can never have us nor can he indwell us but he sure can cause havoc in a
believer's life, however, nothing can happen to any child of God unless God approves it
first and then whatever is approved, will work out for our benefit and spiritual growth.
Let us now attend to some of the methods Satan uses.
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- 1) He contradicts God's Word
- (Gen 3:4 KJV) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye
shall not surely die:
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- God told Adam and Eve that if they eat
from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, they would surely die. Here Satan offers
Eve a total contradiction of God's word. Notice Satan can only offer an idea as he does
not have the power to force anyone to accept his lies. When we come in contact with modern
theories and philosophies which contravene God's word, then if we are biblically literate,
we will immediately recognize a satanic attack. Have you ever heard the saying, even in
churches, "keep an open mind?" This basically means there is more than just the
Bible so you should accept other philosophies also. What does the world have to offer the
Christian: Humanism? Free Thinkers? No-Consequence Morality? Our responsibility is to keep
steadfast on the Word of God no matter what is before us.
- (Josh 1:7-8 KJV) Only be thou strong
and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses
my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that
thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. {8} This book of the law shall not depart
out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest
observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
- These words are not just idle words in
that "turn not from it to the right hand or to the left" carries with it the
meaning of "not turning aside the Word." When any Christian inculcates any type
of outside theories into their life, they are literally setting aside the word of God in
favor of those other teachings. Then we wonder why we get into spiritual trouble and have
no power to resist the theories of the world. I remember when I was a young Christian
about 7 months old in the faith and was attending a Family Radio Bible Conference
in 1981. I was
sitting in the shade of a nice tree in summer and a man came over to me with something
called the "Urantia Book." This book is another new age writing. He told me
"never be afraid of truth." If I was afraid of truth, I wouldn't be reading the
Bible. The Lord protected my mind because from my birth I desired to get into the
Scriptures and knowing the Bible caused me to be very uneasy about the book this misguided
individual was reading.
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- 2) He counterfeits God's word
- (Gen 3:5 KJV) For God doth know that in the day ye
eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and
evil.
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- In this verse we see Satan putting
words into God's mouth, "God doth know." How can this evil being know exactly
what is in the mind of God? Satan uses the word "shall" twice in which he is
being dogmatic in his assertion and accusation against God. Satan is laying the groundwork
for false teaching. Have you ever heard anyone say "God told me?" The false
teachers use this term on a consistent basis so their hearers are convinced that they have
some kind of direct connection to God. God points out this problem he had in Jeremiah's
time:
- (Jer 14:14-15 KJV) Then the LORD said
unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I
commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and
divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. {15} Therefore thus
saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not,
yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall
those prophets be consumed.
- (Jer 29:8-9 KJV) For thus saith the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the
midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
{9} For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the
LORD.
- We see the same counterfeiting of God's
word today when people claim to be receiving prophetic words. The written word of God is
the only true, unmovable word and is not to be supplanted by verbal ejaculations called
"prophetic utterances." There are other ways by which God's word is
counterfeited. Have you ever heard of the Apocrypha? These books were written sometime
between Malachi and the New Testament and have been placed in many Bibles, especially
Roman Catholic versions and dead Protestant versions like the RSV for use in dead
churches. Some other so called divine writings which counterfeit God's word are the
Pseudepigrapha and the Kabala. More modern counterfeits are The Book of Mormon, writings
of Ellen White the founder of the 7th Day Adventists, The Koran, modern versions of the
Bible like NIV and Living Bible which are not translations but counterfeit paraphrases,
any new age writing which portends any divinity attached to it.
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- 3) He persuades or entices
- (1 Chr 21:1 KJV) And Satan stood up against Israel,
and provoked David to number Israel.
-
- If there is one thing Satan is good at,
it is enticing or tempting God's people. We may look at this verse and think that the
event which is mentioned is trivial but when we look a little deeper at the significance
of this verse we will see the reason why God smote Israel for this act of David.
- (1 Chr 21:7-8 KJV) And God was
displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. {8} And David said unto God,
I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away
the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
- Since the nation of Israel was born,
God had always been their protector.
(Psa 121:4 KJV) Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Now when David took the census, it seemed he was now turning his faith
from God to the size of his army. He was now beginning to place his
trust in the military might of Israel instead of realizing that all the
battles were won by the Lord. This may be the reason that David, through
the Holy Spirit, penned the following words in
Psalm 118:8-9, "It is
better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. {9} It is
better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes."
- When we look at the temptations which
come into a believer's life and when we succumb to these temptations, they may seem trite
in nature, but we do not realize that any such compromise with sin has dire consequences.
David's census caused the death of 70,000 people.
(1 Chr 21:14 KJV) So the LORD sent
pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. It is a grave
mistake to believe that our sins do not affect others around us. Satan tries to get us to
believe that our sin is private and only affects us, when the Bible states the contrary.
When Jonah was fleeing from God's presence, didn't his disobedience affect the mariners?
Did the ripple effect stop at the boat? The answer is no! Did you ever consider the cargo
which was shipped by this boat and was lost overboard? There were people who lost money in
both shipping cargo and there were those who lost by not receiving the cargo? The ripple
effect of sin can be endless and is tragic.
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- 4) Satan diverts our objectives
- (Mat 16:22-24 KJV) Then Peter took him, and began to
rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. {23} But he
turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for
thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. {24} Then said
Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow me.
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- The Lord Jesus Christ had to go to the
cross to pay for the sins of His people but here Peter in his non-understanding of God's
salvation plan desired that the crucifixion of Christ not take place. Satan can get us to
look at the immediate but not the big picture, which is a great tool of discouragement
used many times on believers. The Lord Jesus knew the motives of Peter and His love for
Him but yet saw that what Peter was saying was of Satan. If Christ did not go to the
cross, then Satan's power would not have been broken and his doom would not have been made
sure. Satan was defeated at the cross.
- Satan loves to divert us from
God's perspective back to a limited human perspective on any situation.
Verse 24 speaks of denial of ourselves which is a precept totally
foreign to human perspective.
(Luke 9:53 KJV) And they
did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to
Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus came
down to earth for a specific purpose and He was not going to allow any
diversion from that mission. Let us evaluate our own lives. How have we
been diverted from the mission of sending forth the gospel to the world?
What excuses do we use for not getting involved in some manner? Too much
TV? Too much Sports? Too much Job? Too many secular family
responsibilities? Simple Laziness? Letting someone else do it? Each
Christian can do something because each one has at least one spiritual
gift. The sending forth of the gospel is every true Christian's
responsibility. If you are not involved in any phase of evangelism, then
please e-mail me and tell me what your reason of existence is.
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- 5) Changes times and gives extended time period
fallacy
- (Dan 7:25 KJV) And he shall speak great words against
the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change
times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the
dividing of time.
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- Up until 1830, Christ was returning on
the last day and that would usher in eternity. The unsaved would then be judged and cast
into Hell and the redeemed would go directly into Heaven. A woman named Margaret MacDonald
in 1830, trance channeled the mythical two-stage appearance of Christ. Of course,
theologians picked up on this and promulgated that doctrine throughout all Christendom
without biblical basis for its existence. Now all judgments of God and prophetic
happenings in the church are all looked at in terms of future and nothing is viewed in the
present, which means the signs of the nearness of Christ's return are discounted for
present time and are propelled into some future dispensation of time.
- Now Christians do not have to get busy
in evangelizing the world because if anyone misses the pre-trib rapture, they will have a
whole 1,007 years to "accept Christ." Do you see what Satan has done to the
timing and its effect on the great commission? Go to any pre-trib church and you will hear
with great profundity this escapist doctrine. The Bible teaches that when Christ returns
the next time, that will be the end of recorded history and then will come the judgment.
Even though Satan has duped 95% of the Christians into believing pre-trib mythology, that
has no effect on the true teachings of Scripture.
- Let's bring this evil method into a
personal arena. How many times have you said when asked to do something "I'll do it
later" or "I'll get to it next week" when it is something which should be
handled sooner. How do you know you will be able to do it next week? Many people die from
curable diseases simply because they keep putting off going to a doctor or nutritionist.
At what point is the dividing line between cure and incurable?
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- 6) Satan mollifies the true gospel
- (1 Th 2:5 KJV) For neither at any time used we
flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness:
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- If there is one thing which Satan has
successfully done over the course of many years it is the mollifying or softening the
intensity of the true gospel. The term "Thus saith the Lord" appears in the Old
Testament 415 times. When was the last time you heard your pastor or TV/radio preacher use
it to convict their hearers? The gospel which is preached today has become so innocuous
that unbelievers can actually look forward to going to church since they will hear nothing
that will cause them any reason to believe they are unsaved. The modern bible versions all
read like story books so a person can come to church and hear a cute little narrative with
the preacher giving the moral of the story and then we can all run back to our homes and
watch sports. The word "flattery" in the above verse carries with it the meaning
of "insincere speech with intent of manipulation." This is the only place in the
New Testament the underlying Greek word is used.
- Some time ago in an A&E interview, Robert
Schuller says that he stopped calling himself a Christian and started calling himself a
follower of Jesus. This is fine, after hearing his gospel, I doubt he ever was a
Christian. Those who believe that God has softened his stance on sin should read passages
like:
- (2 Th 1:6-10 KJV) Seeing it is a
righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; {7} And to
you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power; {10} When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all
them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
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- Summary
- Satan has many methods to deceive anyone and
everyone. He is a defeated foe and is not to be feared. Movies like The Exorcist portray
Satan in an erroneous way. He is coming with deceptions and works through his people to
attempt to accomplish his plans. His methods are cunning and many times mazelike so a person
who is unsaved or a saved person who is biblically illiterate will fall for his schemes.
When a situation arises which seems suspect, ask the question, is this of God or Satan?
God uses situations to build His children, Satan uses evil to destroy his children. The
best advice I can offer is to continue to be biblically astute and prayerful, then you
will be able to identify the schemes of Satan.
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- (Rev 20:10 KJV)
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the
beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
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