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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
RECOGNIZE SATAN'S TACTICS
To escape these wiles of the devil, we must learn to recognize the easy or ready objects he uses for his attacks. We have to learn to know the wiles of the devil. We have to be able to recognize them. To escape them, we must learn how he approaches and how he attacks, so we may be on guard against his attacks.
In Eden the tree was this object. We must understand there is always an object that Satan uses to make his attack. In the Garden of Eden, it was a tree. Today, it might be our pride. It could be some object that he has fastened upon our minds, so we will justify doing evil. Satan's principle is that the end justifies the means. This is a common trick of Satan today.
Let's study this and elaborate how Satan used the tree. Satan used a very general approach to start the dialogue. Satan didn't make the attack against the tree right away. He didn't say, "You have a problem with that tree." Satan's ambush was laid by the general manner in which he posed his question. Satan's question, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" made reference to every tree in the garden. He did this because he didn't want to isolate the single tree. Then Eve would be on guard. Satan does this in a very general way to get our attention and our reasoning. He will get us into a dialogue with him. Satan uses a very general approach. He refers to every tree of the garden.
God's restriction was not to all the trees, but a particular tree. Watch what happens in GEN 1:29. "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Satan grabbed that phrase out of context and used the reference to every tree. Satan's broad general approach was to avoid suspicion of his motive.
Satan's second manner of approach is a negative one. He uses reverse psychology. He is tremendously cunning. Watch what Satan did. He said, "Yea, hath God said." Satan called God's Word into question. He quoted the Word of God. This is what we have to beware of. He engaged his victim in a dialogue wherein a suspicion could be cast against God's Word, goodness, character and integrity. Satan wants to get us to murmur and pity ourselves. He wants to get us off guard. How does he do this? He gets us into a dialogue. He gets our heart to use human reasoning. Immediately upon gaining control of the human reasoning through dialogue with his victim, Satan zeros in on his target. When Eve answered that they could eat of all the trees of the garden except one, then the devil suddenly zeroed in on just that one tree. Why? She was the one who raised the issue about the single tree. Satan started in a very general way. This is what we have to see.
Then what did Satan do? Satan "Changed the truth of God into a lie," Satan said in GEN 3:4-5, "Ye shall not surely die: 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." We read in ROM 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Satan was there with his beguiling spirit. Now he is bringing the wrath of God upon the whole human race. They have the truth. They have the Word of God. They are holding it in an ungodly spirit of unrighteousness. They are doing an act of unrighteousness with knowledge.
God leaves men over unto themselves for changing His truth into a lie when we enter into a dialogue with Satan, becoming his victim. He leaves us over unto uncleanness. ROM 1:25 says, "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." That was the sin that Satan prompted in the garden of Eden. That has become the common sin of the day. ROM 1:24 says, "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves."
The forbidden tree was in plain sight, "in the midst of the garden." Satan zeroes in on something that is occupying our minds to captivate that human reasoning. GEN 2:9 says, "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." That tree was in the midst of the garden, right in plain sight.
Through Eve's dialogue with the Devil, we see that through her human reasoning, she believed his lie and the fruit on the tree became an object of lust. Before, it had absolutely no attraction to her at all. Because of her dialogue with the devil and because of her human reasoning, the tree became the object of lust. It stood in the midst of the garden. GEN 3:6 says, "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, [Eve started lusting after the tree.] and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,[Her lust after this wisdom and this forbidden fruit was motivated. Through a dialogue, Satan motivated it.] she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
You and I have to be so ware of the tactics of Satan and how he lures us into lusts. He sets our heart, our motives and our mind in to a dialogue to start human reasoning, contrary to the will of God. Oh, beloved, you can never have a dialogue with the devil and win. Anytime that our hearts and our minds are caught in a dialogue with the devil, we will lose. There is only one way to win. Draw near unto the Lord and resist the devil, and he'll flee from us. Even Michael the archangel didn't dare enter into a dialogue with the devil! In JUD 9 we read, "When contending with the devil...durst not[In other words, Michael the Archangel didn't dare to entertain a dialogue with the devil.] bring against him a railing accusation, but[He sheltered under the umbrella of the Lord and] said, The Lord rebuke thee." How did Michael put the devil to flight. He said, "The Lord rebuke thee." Michael couldn't go against the devil with his own strength. He didn't dare enter into a dialogue with the devil.
Satan has a hidden power of fascination that we are unable to withstand. The only way to withstand is to flee unto the Lord. Now do you understand what our text says? "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." We are a sitting duck for Satan if we think that we stand. When we become strong in ourselves like Peter did, we will fall like he did.
Satan is the strong man spoken of in LUK 11:21. "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace." You and I have no might against him. Thanks be unto God there is a stronger than he, the Lord Jesus Christ our heavenly High Priest. HEB 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." When Satan attacks us and tries to entertain a dialogue with us, we must flee to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ was tempted, and He knows the power of the tempter. He is the only one that has ever been able to overcome it. He is familiar with those temptations. He knows the feeling of our infirmities. He knows our weaknesses.
Our Saviour was tempted in all points even as we are, yet, without sin. Having been tempted of the devil in all things even as we, He knows all his devices and is able to deliver us from Satan and all his wiles. This is why we must watch if we think we stand. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." We are stepping on a banana skin the second we think we stand. We are ready for Satan to pull it right out from under us.
We must stand in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be hedged about with Him. Isaiah spoke of this salvation in Christ in a prophetic way when he said in ISA 49:24-25, "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? [Satan is that strong man, and we are his lawful captives by nature as a result of the fall of Adam.] But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." That is a powerful blessing. The Lord says, "And I will save thy children."
When we have our faith's eye on our Blessed Substitute, rebellion is broken in our hearts and Satan must go. When our rebellion is broken and our eyes are fixed on the bleeding, dying Lamb of God, then the power of Satan is broken. He must flee apace. JAM 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. [That is the important thing. Anytime we find ourselves entertaining a dialogue with Satan, we must submit ourselves to God.] Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We need our hearts to be lifted up to the Lord. Amen.
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go;
Anywhere he leads me in this world below;
Anywhere without him dearest joys would fade;
Anywhere with Jesus I am not afraid.
Anywhere with Jesus I need fear no ill,
Tho’ temptations gather round my pathway still,
He himself was tempted that he might help me;
Anywhere with Jesus I may victor be.
Our sermons and devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion and sermon notes on-line. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.