BE AWARE OF SATAN'S SCHEMES

Be Aware of Satan’s Schemes  

Susan Barnes

"For we are not unaware of his [Satan's] schemes" 2 Corinthians 2:11

Satan has many schemes, here are four:
First Satan will tempt us to do, what we secretly want to do. Eve knew which tree she wasn't to eat from. But Eve wanted to believe that she would not die when she ate, so it was easier to believe the serpent than God. In tempting situations, ask God for his grace that, "teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions" (Titus 2:12).

Second Satan will tempt us to do what is popular. It is so much easier to follow the crowd than to make a stand for righteousness. Praying will give us courage. "And when they had prayed … they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).

Third Satan will try to confuse us. The serpent said to Eve, "Did God really say ..." (Genesis 3:1). Eve wasn't clear about God's instructions and actually misquotes them when she says, “…and you must not touch it (v. 3). Knowing God’s Word, keeps us from confusion.

Fourth Satan will use our ignorance to deceive us. Satan twisted God’s Word when he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4:6, but Jesus’ response is, "It is also written ..." Jesus didn’t just know the Scriptures, he knew how to apply them. Studying the Bible will teach us how to do this too.

We defeat Satan's schemes by knowing and studying the Word of God, praying for boldness, and trusting God’s enabling grace in times of temptation.