Resisting the Devil’s Wiles

It is necessary for us to be aware of the fact that Satan uses deception in order to gain power over us. He repeatedly tries to make it seem that our fight against sin is hopeless, using every trick to discourage us. His words sound so true and sympathetic. “It’s going badly with you,” he says. “It is worse with you than with the others.” “Yes, that’s certainly true,” you reply. “You, who are in such a state can’t even think about overcoming sin,” Satan continues. “You are right, I certainly can’t,” you answer. It sounds so reasonable. It doesn’t occur to you that it is Satan who is speaking, taking from you the little that you have. Now Satan thinks that it is time to finish the work. “The others don’t have victory either,” he says. You think “We’re all in the same boat, so that’s a consolation.” Satan’s aim is to take away all confidence in the others, otherwise you might think they could help you back on your feet again. As it is written, “Two are better than one. . . . Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Eccl. 4:9, 12. Satan is adept at putting a wedge between brothers; he always hopes to get some evil out of everything, in contrast to Christ, who seeks to get some good out of everything. Rom. 8:28.

We are exhorted to stand against the wily attacks of the devil. Let us say that you encountered him in all this and remained unwavering in your faith and in the work; nevertheless, he does not give up. He will return once and even several times, cloaked more and more in all kinds of disguises so that you won’t recognize him. If he realizes that it is useless to try to get you to become discouraged or lose your zeal, and that you are aware of his attempts, he does not give up because of that. He thinks like this: “I must change my appearance; they are familiar with my approach, but I am going to deceive them.” He returns in a completely different guise. He says something like this: “You are acquitting yourself well; there are not many like you.” This is just what you wished to hear, this was your weak point, you who were strong before. His words had a good ring to them, and you did not recognize Satan in this disguise. Satan thinks, “Let me be careful now, and I will succeed.” He waits for a while, and then he praises you again. You like it and do not recognize him. Others also sense that you like to be praised. This time Satan has used your zeal to advance and to be something in Christ, to trap you, and he succeeded in making himself unrecognizable. Through his wiles he was able to bring out the haughtiness in you. “You are a prophet, a prophetess,” he says. “You certainly are a head above the others.” “Quite right,” you think. “I wonder if the others realize that; I have to make them understand that.” From that day on, you are serving yourself and not God. It is certain that this is the way Jezebel went, and even today she is an ominous warning to us. Rev. 2:20-23.

The new creation, which in this case can be compared to Isaac, has to be sacrificed. Like Abraham, you have to go to Mount Moriah. God will meet you there and say, “Now I know that you love Me above everything.” “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph. 6:11.