The devil (part 3)

Do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).

So how does the devil operate? What are his favorite tactics? Of course, everyone is different, so the Dark One customizes his approach for maximum effectiveness. Still, there are some forms of attack that work especially well and get a lot of use.

Play now, pay later. This is a popular one. Satan tells you to have fun now and worry about the consequences later on. This kind of thinking leads to unexpected pregnancies and the possibility of abortion. It can result in empty bank accounts and a mountain of unpayable debt. Worst of all, it tempts people to ignore God for the present, on the assumption that you have plenty of years coming up to get serious about religion—ignoring the fact that you could die at any time, and might not be ready to face God for final judgment.

Doubt. Satan used this one way back in the Garden of Eden. Did God really say? he asked the woman (Genesis chapter three). The devil wants us to question whether or not you can believe what the Bible says. If he can get you started down this path, pretty soon you’ll be picking and choosing which parts you like and which parts you’re going to ignore. Did God really say that homosexual conduct is wrong? Did God really say that all people are flawed from conception and need forgiveness every day? Did God really say that Jesus is the only way to enter heaven? Does God really love you? Doubt can kill faith and cost you your eternal peace.

Pride. The devil always works on pride, because pride is the sin which he himself fell victim to. In the Garden he tempted Eve with the words you will be like God, implying that she could enjoy life without having to follow God’s rules. He constantly strokes our egos as well. He wants us to become angry when we don’t get our way. He urges us to ridicule people who are too dumb to realize that we are right and they are obviously wrong. Satan is delighted when we tackle problems without praying, confident that we can handle any situation on our own.

The devil is a master of manipulation. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you can take him on without Jesus at your side.