Satan's Strategy Revealed (pt. 3)

Never lose sight of the fact that Satan is not your friend. He does not care about your pleasure, enjoyment, happiness, or fulfillment. He wants your destruction. Peter warns us to “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

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Transcript

Never lose sight of the fact that Satan is not your friend. He does not care about your pleasure, enjoyment, happiness, or fulfillment. He wants your destruction. Peter warns us to “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

Welcome to the Point of Purity Podcast! I’m your host Steve Etner – author, National Speaker, Certified Professional Mentor TM and Purity Coach for The Pure Man Ministry and this is Episode #185. This week’s Episode is part 3 of our 3-part study entitled “Satan’s Strategy Revealed .”

When you question God’s Word, you then begin to doubt whether it really is absolute truth. As a result, you begin to focus on King Me and all the supposed “rights” that are being denied you. This is because you are mis-interpreting God’s standards, principles, and promises as burdensome and unloving. From there, your mind begins to linger on the perceived pleasures that sin can afford, resulting in thinking about life from a self-centered, self-worshiping point of view. You then make choices apart from the absolute truth of Scripture. All Satan has to do to get the proverbial ball rolling is to deceive your mind into thinking about things apart from God’s Word. This is why it is so vital that we are continuously filling our mind with God’s Truth so that we can instantly identify Satan’s lies.

To do this we must daily choose to be in the Word of God and let the Word of God dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16). It is fundamentally imperative that you continuously saturate your mind with God’s truth, because “No lie comes from the truth.” (1 John 2:21 NIV’84) You and I face the same choice daily that Eve did. God’s truth or Satan’s lie? When you choose to dilute and change God’s truth, it is easier for you to reject that truth, believe the lie, and choose to sin.

Never lose sight of the fact that Satan is not your friend. He does not care about your pleasure, enjoyment, happiness, or fulfillment. He wants your destruction. Jesus warned Peter, “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.” (Luke 22:31 NASB’95) Later on Peter warns us to “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9a NIV’84)

Note that Peter tells us to “be self-controlled” (some translations say “be sober-minded”). In other words, you are to always be in your right mind, thinking clearly, thinking Biblically, thinking in a way that glorifies God. Why? Because the enemy of your soul is on the hunt, looking to snack on his most favorite meal – the weak and vulnerable Christian. Satan is constantly on the prowl, looking for the Christian who is weak in the faith, the one who isn’t feeding daily upon the Word, the one who isn’t talking faithfully with the Father and training toward godliness. 

Peter’s warning echoes the principle of Proverbs 4:23 regarding the guarding of your heart, protecting your mind, thinking Biblically and being ready; always preparing your minds for action. We are to always “be self-controlled.” Live in a way that is continuously focused on pleasing God (see 2 Corinthians 5:9). Not only are we to be self-controlled but “be on the alert.” Be ever watchful. This admonition to be alert refers to being awake, watchful, circumspect. Why? Satan’s next attack can come at any time! When it does, we are to already be in a right relationship with God, already standing firm in our faith, already in full submission to the Lordship and Leadership of God in every aspect of our life so that we can “resist” him (James 4:7)

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13 ESV)

Peter writes the verb “to prepare” in what’s called the middle voice, which means it’s to your advantage to always have your mind prepared for action. Remember, whom you choose to worship determines what you choose to think about. And what you choose to think about becomes what you choose to do. Your worship is the place where your behavior begins, so it benefits you greatly to have a prepared mind. Peter specifically states (1 Peter 1:13) that you are to prepare your mind for “action.” Your mind needs to be always alert and ready for the kind of action we just saw in the temptation of Eve. Satan wants to deceive your mind with his deviously subtle lies. The “action” you need to prepare your mind for is daily fighting the devil’s attack on your heart.

Let’s put this all together in a way that makes sense. We are to resist the devil. This is done as we daily choose to submit ourselves to God (James 4:7) always standing firm in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13). We stand firm in the faith by being fully equipped for the battle, which includes wearing the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14) which is the Word of God. Watch this now, saturating your mind with Scripture helps you stand firm! When you know God’s truth you will be able to instantly identify Satan’s attack upon your mind with his deceitful lies. You will then be able to promptly dismiss them for what they are – lies intended to destroy your relationship with God and your testimony to the world around you. 

Have you noticed that our ongoing theme throughout every episode since the very onset of this podcast is all about God’s Word? There is a reason for that. Apart from the truth of the Word of God we have no sure understanding of the will of God. You are to daily choose to “be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV’84)

God not only wants you to know His will but to fully understand it as well. That verb, “to understand,” in Ephesians 5:17 (“understand what the Lord’s will is”) gives the idea of collecting together the features of an object and looking at it as a whole. This is the only way you can fully comprehend it. Think of a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle. Have you ever tried to put one of those monstrosities together? You can study an individual piece to gain an appreciation of how the pieces fit together, but until you put all 1,000 pieces together you will not be able to understand the whole picture.

Think about it this way: if I were to hand you a single piece from that puzzle without knowing what it was picturing, would you be able to tell me what the big picture was by looking at that one piece? What if I showed you three, four, or even a dozen pieces, you still would not be able to tell me what the picture is. Simply looking at a couple of those pieces cannot give you a full understanding of the whole picture. So, you need to gather together all the pieces and assemble them to gain an understanding of what it’s about.

In the same way, you cannot fully understand what God’s will is unless you gather together all the pieces of Scripture and, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, put them all together. Paul is saying (in Ephesians 5) that the foolish person tries to live his or her life apart from God’s will. This is the same foolish person from Matthew 7 who hears God’s Word yet chooses to ignore it and instead builds his house upon the sand. This is exactly what Satan wants you to do.

Your responsibility is to seek all the parts and pieces of God’s Word (as you daily search the Scriptures – Acts 17:11) and, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, put them together so you can understand what God’s perfect will is. That cannot be done by merely listening to a Sunday sermon or doing an occasional 5-minute Bible reading. You need to be in the Word of God daily, choosing to “let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.” (Colossians 3:16 NLT) 

We should daily cry to God “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” (Psalm 43:3 NIV’84) I want you to note here that the Psalmist first asks God to send out His light. Here’s why I point that out: It is God’s Word that “is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NLT) The second thing that David asks of God is to send out His truth. Jesus declares that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17) and that it is the truth that will set you free (John 8:32). Ultimately God’s Word reveals to us that God’s Son (Jesus) is “the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6 ESV)

Apart from the Word of God you have no sure understanding of the will of God for your life. Let me repeat that. Listen closely. Apart from the Word of God you have no sure understanding of the will of God for your life. Yes, God does have a plan and a purpose for you. God knows you. The Psalmist exclaimed, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” (Psalm 139:1-6 NASB’95) God created you for His glory (Isaiah 43:7), therefore He understands you. He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7), and He wants to share His heart with you – which He does primarily through Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).

So, how are you doing in your daily study of God’s Word? Are you reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and meditating upon it every day? Are you digging into the depths of Scripture to discover the wondrous truths buried there? God wants you to know (and understand) His will. This is why we are commanded to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 ESV) “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17 ESV) Never let the enemy deceive you into believing it’s impossible to know the will of God. The Apostle Paul says that we can pray “asking [to be] filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9 ESV)

Not only do we need to know God’s will and understand what God’s will is, we need to “be filled” with the knowledge of God’s will. To “fill” literally means to be full to the top so that there is no room for anything else. We must be so filled with the knowledge of God’s will that there is no room for even one of Satan’s lies to take root. 

As you are being filled with the knowledge of God’s will, you are then able to “do the will of God with all your heart.” (Ephesians 6:6b NLT) God’s will is not a duty, it’s a delight. The Psalmist declared, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8 ESV) “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:16 NIV’84) “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24 ESV) “For I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.” (Psalm 119:47 ESV) “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” (Psalm 119:92 ESV) And you can shout with the Apostle Paul, “For I delight in the law of God.” (Romans 7:22a ESV)

OK, so the only way to counter Satan’s attack on your mind is through the Word of God. Paul instructs us to “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NIV’84) Focus for a moment on the fact that we are instructed to “take” the sword. This verb is written in the active voice, imperative mood. If you recall from previous episodes, the active voice means you are the one to do the action, no one else can do it for you. The imperative mood simply means this is a command. God commands us to take the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and use it. No one else can do this for you. If you choose not to, you are choosing to disobey a direct command from Scripture. It is personal. It requires action.

Now consider the word “sword” in this verse (“take ... the sword of the Spirit”). The word “sword” does not refer to the typical long-blade or broadsword that we usually see in a gladiator-type movie. Rather it refers to a small dagger used specifically in closeup, hand-to-hand combat. This is highly significant and has powerful meaning. Our enemy, the Devil, sneaks in close – like a prowling lion – for the kill.

When facing temptation, making general sweeping statements such as, “Well, somewhere in the Bible it says I shouldn’t do that,” or “I remember a month ago the preacher said something about that being sin, so I guess I’d better not” isn’t going to win the battle. Those general, broadsword statements don’t threaten the enemy at all. We need to use the “dagger approach.” Where exactly does Scripture address that issue? What precisely does the Bible say about that temptation? What specifically am I to do in that situation?

Only the inspired Word of God can show you Satan’s lies for what they are. Only the inspired Word of God can enable you to defeat his vicious attacks. You cannot reason with the enemy. You must not even try to have a conversation with him. Your earthly wisdom is no match. But don’t take my word for this. Only God’s wisdom, which is revealed in God’s Word, is victorious over the enemy. Our only defense is the truths of Scripture which are “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NASB’95)

The Gospel of Matthew reveals how Jesus wielded the Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God). Listen as I read to you Matthew 4:1-7.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:1-7 ESV)

Did you notice that while tempting Jesus, at one point Satan actually quoted a Bible verse? The enemy of your soul is most definitely familiar with the words of Scripture, and he knows how to use it against us. There are a couple of important things to note here. First, he intentionally quoted only part of the verse. As such he was willingly misrepresenting the text. Second, Satan will never use the Word of God to lead you into the will of God. Let me repeat that. Satan will never use the Word of God to lead you into the will of God. Rather, away from it. How then can we defeat that? How can we know whether it’s the enemy speaking Scripture to us or the Holy Spirit?

Look at how Jesus responded. He countered Satan’s use of Scripture with other Scripture. He said, “It is also written.” Jesus’ example shows us the critical importance of always comparing Scripture with Scripture. Never, ever, take a verse out of its context so that you can use that one text to support your choice or action. Always compare that verse with the rest of God’s Word.

Now listen as I read to you Matthew 4:8-11.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God  and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.” (Matthew 4:8-11 ESV)

It is important for us to understand that Jesus did not use His divine power to defeat Satan. He could have simply said, “Back off Satan. I am God, leave me alone” and the devil would have had to comply. But He didn’t. Instead, Jesus provided a living example for us by using the same weapon we have available to us today, namely, the Word of God.

Satan cannot counter the powerful truth of God’s Word. Every time Jesus quoted scripture, Satan was finished with that particular temptation. His lies can never stand up against God’s absolute truth. This is why we are commanded to “submit yourselves therefore to God” with the promise that by the very act of submission, you are also in that same moment choosing to “resist the devil”, with the powerful promise that “he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 ESV) We are to resist Satan and his demons the same way Jesus did, with God’s Word. 

OK. Let’s hit the pause button until next week’s episode – where we will continue our look into Satan’s strategy in getting us to willfully turn our back on God in favor of living in sin. 

In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about today’s study, or if you’re interested in learning more about The Pure Man Ministry (what we do to help men across the globe find freedom and victory over sexual sin), be sure to visit our website to see the multitude of resources we’ve made available to you – you can find our website at ThePurityCoach.com.

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So, until next time this is Author, Speaker, Certified Professional MentorTM and Purity Coach Steve Etner reminding you that if you are going to glorify God in your everyday living, He must first be glorified in your every moment thinking.