Spiritual Self-Defense [Part 1] -Roy J. Waggoner

Spiritual Self-Defense –Roy J. Waggoner

Part One: Know The Adversary

1: THE ADVERSARY’S EXISTENCE

Shortly after we were married, my wife and I moved five hundred miles south, to the state of Tennessee. Soon after getting settled, we planted a vegetable garden. Since I had often helped in the garden as a youngster, I was confident that our first attempt at gardening would be successful. Everything went well until one morning when I went out to survey the garden. Nearly every one of our newly planted tomato plants had been cut off at ground level. It looked like somebody had deliberately cut them off with a knife. We had no idea what had happened.

When I consulted the elderly man that lived next door about our misfortune, he said, “Oh, that’s cutworms.” Being new to that area, we had never heard of cutworms, but our neighbor told us what to do. He instructed us to tie a twig from a nearby tree to the stalk of each new plant that we set out. He explained that a cutworm had to wrap itself completely around the stalk of a plant in order to cut it off, but that it could not reach completely around both the stalk and the twig attached to it. Only after following his advice, was the problem solved.

If we had known about cutworms and how to stop them from cutting our plants, we would have taken the necessary measures beforehand to prevent the destruction. However, we were completely unaware of the enemy. We are always more vulnerable when we are unaware of an enemy’s presence. The Apostle Peter had learned well this truth, for he had been sifted by the devil—as the Scriptures tell us (Luke 22:31)—and had succumbed to the enemy’s temptation. It is no wonder that he wrote so passionately about this same enemy in his first letter.

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, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

In the verse that precedes the above two verses (1 Pet. 5:7) Peter tells us to cast all of our anxiety upon the Lord—depending entirely on him. But, so that there would be no misconceptions, he shifts gears in verse eight and reminds us that while we must depend on God, we still have responsibilities. The Christian life is not passive. Not only do we have responsibilities, but we also have an enemy—the Devil—who would divert us from those responsibilities. Therefore, every believer must be able to effectively deal with this common enemy.

In this modern-day world, it seems that most people consider it passé to believe in the existence of the devil. According to the Barna Research Group, sixty percent of adult Americans believe that the devil is simply a symbol of evil.[i] Sixty percent doesn’t seem that alarming, considering the number of non-believing people in our nation. However, consider this alarming statistic: Barna also found that among those who profess to be born-again Christians, forty-three percent said that the devil is not real, but is simply a symbol of evil. If, indeed, we are more vulnerable when we are unaware of an enemy’s presence, then it is no wonder that the devil seeks to camouflage his existence, and it seems that he has done a good job.

Going a step farther, I wonder how many of those that take the devil’s existence seriously also acknowledge his activity. In other words, how serious are we about the spiritual battle with which they are confronted? Years ago A. W. Tozer said, “That this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of . . . Christians.”[ii] Is this not the case, even more so, today? We desire a playground and try to make life into one. But, the reality of life is far different. Life is a battleground.

Our enemy, Satan, rebelled against God in eternity past, tempted Adam and Eve, attempted to defeat Job, tried to persuade Jesus Christ to sin, induced Peter to deny the Lord, and inspired Judas to betray him. Repeatedly, the Bible confirms the reality of Satan and the danger that he poses to every believer in Jesus Christ. We have a very real opponent. It is essential to our spiritual health that we recognize his opposition, and that we be engaged in the spiritual battle. Satan—the devil—stands opposed to everything that we believe. He will most certainly attempt to defeat us spiritually and rob us of our joy and our testimony. We must take the threat seriously. We must meet it. This is the solemn warning that Peter gives to us in First Peter 5:8-9. As Christians, we have an enemy with whom we must reckon.

The fact that we have an enemy and face his continual opposition confronts us with some sobering realizations that Peter addresses. First, we need to realize that we are in danger.

WE ARE IN DANGER

By nature, the Devil is a dangerous, wicked and cruel adversary. In this regard, Peter compares him to a hungry lion that is intent on killing his prey and devouring its flesh. The Devil harbors nothing but ill will toward Christians. He will devour every one of us that he can. Peter uses two descriptive terms and an illustration from the animal kingdom to characterize the danger we face.

An Adversary

Notice that Peter calls the devil “your enemy” (v. 8). The word “enemy” was used in ancient times to refer to an opponent in a lawsuit. He was the one who held the opposing position. Similarly, the Devil is our adversary. He opposes all that is good, all that is right. He opposes God and all that follow God. He is the spiritual adversary of every believer. As Adrian Rodgers has said, “If you’re sinking in quicksand, Satan will gladly come along and pat you on the head.”

A Deceiver

Notice also that he is slanderous in his methodology. Peter indicates this when he uses the term “devil” (v. 8). The word “devil” means “slanderer.” The Hebrew name “Satan” carries the same basic meaning. The devil is clearly a slanderer. He is deceitful, and he is a liar. Jesus called him the father of lies (John 8:44). His slanderous nature has been evident from the very beginning. In Genesis 3:4 he contradicted the warning God gave to Adam concerning the forbidden fruit, saying to Eve, “You will not surely die.” He delights in twisting the truth. Given the opportunity, he will slander God’s Word and deceive men. This is how he manipulates people into doing what otherwise they would not do.

Perhaps you have known someone who seemed to love the Lord, but one day did something that was diametrically opposed to all that they professed. As you observed the situation, perhaps you wondered, “Why did he do that?” Or maybe, “How did that happen?” Maybe you have experienced something similar in your own life. Probably at one time or another, you have said to yourself, “Why did I do that?” or “How could I have said that?” Is it not because we listened to the deceitful lies of Satan? He slandered God’s Word and we listened. He told us God was being unfair with us and we listened. He provided us with an excuse as to why it was all right in our situation to do what we did. He told us it was all right to bend the rules a little bit. The mouthpieces he uses are many, but he is the mastermind behind every justification. By the time we commit a sin, we have become convinced, if only for a moment, that it is justified.

A Malicious Foe

Behind all of Satan’s slanderous accusations is a malicious intent. A malicious person causes deliberate harm. Satan is out to deliberately harm believers. We see this in the comparison Peter uses. He says that our enemy, “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (v. 8).

Many commentators and Bible students have taken Peter’s comparison to a “roaring lion” in the wrong way, thinking of the lions used in the arena. During times of persecution the Romans put Christians in the arena and let lions kill them for the entertainment of the crowd. And so, it is assumed that satanically inspired persecution is pictured in this verse. It is also assumed that since the book of First Peter has much to say about suffering, that suffering must be in view here. No doubt, times of persecution and suffering are satanically inspired. They can even be characterized as times when Satan roared, but that is not what is meant here.

Peter’s meaning becomes clear when we understand the nature of lions. A lion’s roar is one way that he marks his territory. The dominant male lion in a pride roars to warn other male lions to stay out of his territory, and his roar can be heard up to nine miles away. Keeping in mind that lions were native to the Middle East in those days, we can assume that Peter’s original readers were familiar with a lion’s roar and what it meant. They would have often heard a roaring lion and would have understood that a roaring lion was a dominant lion¾the most powerful lion in the area. It is of note to remember that Satan, a fallen angel, was not alone in the fall. Many other angels fell with him, but he was the instigator of the rebellion, the leader. So, this was Peter’s way of saying that he was talking about “the” devil, Satan, “the” roaring lion, our most powerful foe.

Peter further describes the roaring lion as one that is prowling around. A lion that is prowling around is stalking his prey. Lions typically sleep and rest nineteen to twenty hours every day and will spend four to five hours hunting for food. A lion kills, eats, sleeps, and then repeats the process. Lions are at the top of the food chain. They have no natural enemies. Male lions weigh up to five hundred pounds, stand four feet high at the shoulder, and stretch nine feet from nose to tail. They are powerful enough to pounce on full-grown water buffaloes and zebras, pull them to the ground, and quickly kill them.

Lions are killing machines. They live to eat, consuming up to seventy-five pounds of meat at a time. And when Peter says the devil is like a roaring lion that prowls around stalking his prey he is painting the fiercest picture possible of the enemy that we face, and that enemy is bent on our destruction. He prowls around, “looking for someone to devour” (v. 8). The Greek word translated “devour” means “to drink down.” The picture is a gruesome one, but if you have ever seen lions caught on film eating their catch, you know what it looks like. The feeding lions are covered with the blood of the animal they are consuming as if they had been drinking its blood and spilled it all over themselves. Now, this is the image we have here of our enemy. He is as eager to destroy men’s lives spiritually, as a lion is to devour the flesh of its prey. He is a malicious destroyer.

Understanding the danger that faces us is imperative. We have to take our enemy seriously or we will become easy prey. We must acknowledge his adversarial stance, his slanderous methodology, and his malicious intent if we hope to defend ourselves from his attacks.

WE NEED TO DEFEND OURSELVES

The second realization flows from the first, and it is obvious. We need to effectively defend ourselves against this dangerous foe. So, Peter sets forth the basics of spiritual self-defense in three admonitions.

Avoid Distraction

In the original the word translated “self-controlled” (v. 8) means to be sober, the opposite of being inebriated. Peter is using a figure of speech. By telling his readers to be sober, he means that they should not be intoxicated with worldly pursuits—distracted and preoccupied to the point of being unaware of an enemy. It is all too easy to be focused on the practical necessities of daily life to the point of spiritual distraction, like a grazing antelope that is so focused on his next morsel that he is unaware of an approaching lion.

Be Alert

Peter goes on to say that we also need to be “alert” (v. 8). It is not so much physical, as spiritual alertness that is in view. Being spiritually alert begins with an active prayer life. Jesus taught his disciples to pray about the matter of temptation, saying, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Mt. 6:13). When he admonished Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his crucifixion¾the night Peter denied him and the others forsook him¾he said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mt. 26:41). Therefore, being alert requires anticipating temptation and making it a matter of prayer.

In addition to prayer, believers must be ever watchful over their lives. The only real defense that the prey of a lion has is its own watchfulness. Almost everything that a lion kills can outrun him over a long distance. So, the lion’s method of catching its prey is to silently stalk its victim. Lions hunt at night. Their eyes are suited for seeing in the dark. Much like a house cat stalks a mouse or a bird, crouched low and moving in slow motion, a lion creeps through the tall grass in the darkness to within fifty feet or so of the intended victim. Then, with a burst of speed reaching thirty-five miles per hour and ending with a final pounce of up to thirty-five feet, a lion quickly captures its prey before the victim can accelerate to full speed and escape. By the time, a lion reveals himself to his prey it is too late. The only defense that an antelope or a zebra has against such tactics is to be alert enough to catch a glimpse of the lion before he attacks. The same is true in our struggle against the devil. Our defense also depends upon being alert. Now we cannot see Satan because he is a spiritual being, but we can certainly identify temptation when it occurs. Therefore, watchfulness must be geared to the situation or the circumstances at hand. If we know that certain situations often lead to temptation in our life, then we need to avoid those situations. If there is a place where we are often tempted, then we need to stay away from that place. If there are certain people that cause us temptation, then we need to separate ourselves from those people. Practically speaking, this is how to be watchful.

Take a Stand

In addition to being self-controlled and alert, there is another requirement for effective self-defense. In regard to the enemy, Peter says, that we need to be, “standing firm in the faith” (v. 9). James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jam. 4:7). Paul makes a similar statement, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11).

The Scriptures are clear. It is up to us to take a stand against the enemy, in order to withstand Satan’s temptations. How is this done? Peter does not leave us guessing. He says that we must resist by standing firm in the faith. The word translated “standing firm” means “rock-solid” like the foundation of a building that is unmovable. In other words, believers need to be on firm ground. God’s truth is that firm footing. Notice also that our firm resistance should be “in the faith.” We resist not with our faith, but “in the faith”—that is, by means of the Word of God. Remember, the devil is a deceiver, a liar, and a slanderer. He tempts us by causing us to doubt the Word of God. He attempts to twist things around so that truth and error become confused. When he is successful, he is able to induce God’s people to do what is contrary to God’s will.

The simple fact is that we resist the devil by dedicating ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people are far too concerned about the devil. They are always talking about him¾ about what he is doing and about how he is tempting them. The fact is we do not need to focus on the Devil in our daily lives. In fact, for all practical purposes, we do not know for sure what the devil does or does not do. Every one of us contends with multiple enemies, including our own lustful desires and the pressures of the world in which we live. Temptations can occur without Satan’s involvement. On the other hand, Satan is a master at camouflaging his activity and it might be surprising how much he or his emissaries have to do with the temptations we face. However, we do not know for sure when he is involved or not. In fact, it is not necessary to pinpoint direct satanic influence. What is important is to recognize temptation when it occurs and deal with it. If we concentrate on being a dedicated Christian, one that battles against temptation, one that seeks to live in accord with God’s Word, we are, most certainly, directly or indirectly, resisting the Devil.

CONCLUSION

The Apostle’s message in 1 Peter 5:8-9 is simply this: We have an enemy. The first step in reckoning with him is to realize that we are in danger. The second step is to implement an effective defense. We simply must not be caught with our spiritual defenses down, unaware and unprepared.

2: THE ADVERSARY’S OBJECTIVE

On September 23, 2002, Roberto Campos kidnapped his former girl friend, Lourdes Gusman, and her two children, ages four and seven, from their Raleigh, North Carolina residence. Witnesses told police that he was holding a gun to Gusman’s head as they drove away. A short while later Campos stopped and put the children out of the vehicle. Continuing on with his former girl friend, a police chase ensued. Police cars and a state highway patrol helicopter followed him north always at a distance out of concern for the hostage. During a three-hour chase across several counties and into Virginia, Campos fired his gun at the police and at other motorists. Finally, Virginia state troopers employed “stop-sticks” to puncture his tires and force him to stop whereupon he shot and killed Gusman and then himself.[iii]

This story is not unique. Similar tragic events unfold almost on an daily basis. Different individuals are involved and the details vary, but the behavior pattern displayed is usually the same. As tragic as these stories are, they are also instructive, because they help us understand Satan‘s behavior and his motivation for tempting believers in Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, we become part of the church, the bride of Christ, and Satan cannot do anything to change this fact. Salvation is a permanent gift, and all true saints persevere. Although he was once our father (John 8:44), he cannot have us back once we accept Christ – we belong to another. And, so, he behaves, as did Roberto Campos. If he can, he will take us captive, not physically, but spiritually by inducing us to sin. He wants us to disobey God, because he still desires for us to do his bidding as we once did. Even if it is only for a moment, he desires for us to serve him rather than God. Why? It is because he is first of all and foremost God’s rival and we are but pawns to be sacrificed in his match with God. He doesn’t care about us any more than Roberto Campos cared about his former girl friend. We call crimes like that committed by Campos, “crimes of passion,” but in reality they are not crimes of passion at all. Instead, they are irrational attempts to control another person. Likewise, Satan will lead us into sin hoping to frustrate God by usurping his authority over us. He doesn’t even mind, if sinful choices lead to our destruction. If so, at least, we would never again serve God in this life. He is indeed a roaring lion that would willingly devour us (1 Pet. 3:8). If he cannot have us, then neither will God. This is his mindset and we are his targets. Why he behaves this way can be traced back to his original sin of pride. He wanted to be like God, and he still does. He desires to exercise all the prerogatives of deity over the created universe.

Isaiah describes Satan’s initial sin and his subsequent fall in the fourteenth chapter of his prophecy.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”(Isa. 14:12-14)

Satan’s original sinful desires were reproduced in the Babylonian King that Isaiah describes in this passage. So, in verses twelve through fourteen, Isaiah, in the midst of his discussion of this king, pulls back the curtain on the past and reveals the source of such behavior—Satan’s original sin. What Isaiah reveals about him explains why he torments believers today. Nothing has changed. His ultimate objective remains the same. He wants to be like God and consequently to control all, including us. His temptations are attempts to manipulate us, to subjugate us, and to use us for his own ends. If we are to take the threat he poses seriously, we must understand his ultimate objective. Knowing what he wants facilitates increased alertness, and results in more effective resistance. He wants to be like God. As Isaiah tells us, this ultimate objective manifests itself in two compelling desires.

PREDOMINANCE

First, Satan desires to be predominant—to stand on the top rung of the ladder and be second to none. Before his fall into sin, he was an angel of high rank. Isaiah refers to him as “the morning star,” and as “the son of the dawn” (v. 12). Evidently he possessed great glory prior to his fall. Ezekiel says he was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezk. 28:12) and that he was “anointed as a guardian cherub” (Ezk. 28:14). Perhaps he was second only to God among all other created beings. Without a doubt, his status was initially great, but he wasn’t satisfied.

Having Divine Status

Satan’s desire for predominance required elevating himself to divine status. There are three expressions of his desire to ascend unto God’s status in verses thirteen and fourteen. First, he said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven” (v. 13). In all probability he didn’t abide in heaven with God, but only served there. Isaiah previously described him as “fallen from heaven” and “cast down to the earth” (v. 12). Ezekiel adds that he was, “driven in disgrace from the mount of God” (Ezk. 28:16). His sin resulted in the loss of the privilege he had, serving in the presence of God. Isaiah records two other expressions of his desire for an elevated status, “I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain” (v. 13), and, “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds” (v. 14). Since the common Jewish metaphoric description of heaven placed God’s abode high in the northern mountains above the clouds, it is clear that a desire for divine status is indicated. This sinful desire cost him dearly. The only access to heaven that he is granted from this point forward is occasional, to accuse believers when they sin (Rev. 12:10).

Being Worshipped

Satan’s desire for predominant status finds its ultimate expression in the desire to be worshipped. When he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he offered him all the kingdoms of the world, if he would bow down and worship him (Matt. 4:8-9). The Antichrist who will be empowered by Satan and do his bidding during the tribulation period will both claim divine status and require the worship of men (2 Th. 2:4). In a sense, every temptation that Satan orchestrates is a twisted attempt to gain the allegiance of men. The addictions, sinful habits, and lustful practices of men are idols that they serve above everything else. Satan certainly takes pleasure in promoting the worship of such idols because those who worship idols are actually worshipping demons of whom he is chief (1 Cor. 10:19-21). In this way, the world actually worships Satan, the head demon. And when Christians succumb to his temptations, it is the closest he can come to having their worship.

DOMINION

In his desire to be like God, Satan not only desires the status of God, but he also desires the authority that God possesses. He wants to be obeyed as a sovereign. This desire for dominion has two aspects.

Self Determination

Satan desires to rule the universe by the exercise of his own will. Isaiah records five expressions of his self-will that led to his fall.

I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. (Isa. 14:13-14)

These expressions all employ first person verbs noted by the personal pronoun “I” in our English translation. These prideful assertions demonstrate his unwillingness to take a back seat, even to God, and are summed up in the final expression; “I will make myself like the Most High” (v. 14).

Universal Authority

His desire for power over others has no limits. He said, “I will raise my throne above the stars of God” (v. 13). The word “throne” obviously conveys the idea of sovereignty or rule. The word “stars” probably refers to the other angels as they do in Job (Job 38:7). These angels would have been the only other living beings over whom he could rule at the time of his fall in eternity past. Also, the expression, “I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly” (v. 13), contains the idea of sitting on a throne and exercising absolute authority. Satan desired to rule God’s created universe from the beginning and this desire was nothing short of outright rebellion against God.

What Satan desired from the beginning was obtained to a degree through the fall of man. God had given Adam rule over all the earth and when he sinned, he yielded to Satan’s will, voluntarily subjecting himself to Satan’s authority. Thus, Satan became the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4). Scripture also calls him “the prince of this world” (John 14:30), “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and the one who “leads the whole world astray” (Rev. 12:9). The scope of his influence is also apparent in the temptation of Christ. He offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” in exchange for his worship (Matt. 4:8). The world system, the way things operate in this world, is clearly under his influence.

Various individuals under his influence have displayed an insatiable desire for power down through the centuries. The list would include the Babylonian king that Isaiah wrote about here in chapter fourteen, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Hitler and many others. All of these and others have exhibited the very same desires Isaiah attributed to Satan in connection with his fall.

Satan’s power over unbelievers extends to the blinding of their minds to the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). Obviously, when one of his previously blind subjects is convinced of the truth of the gospel by power of the Spirit, he is not happy. As previously stated, he cannot rob a truly born-again believer of salvation, but he will do what he can to make that believer’s life miserable. His temptations are twisted attempts at regaining control over that person’s life. If a sin is committed, he gladly accuses that person before God pointing out their hypocrisy and disloyalty to God while advertising his own influence over them (Rev. 12:10). He has no concern over those whose lives he adversely affects. Like a jealous boyfriend, he would rather see them destroyed by sin than give up his influence over them.

CONCLUSION

Everything that Satan does flows from his ultimate objective, being like God. This is clear from his two compelling desires. He desires both a predominant position and ultimate power over God’s creation. We give him a measure of what he desires when we yield to temptation. In exchange we receive nothing of lasting value. Sin will bring only guilt and potentially the correction of God. Understanding Satan’s objective and what yielding to temptation involves should motivate us to resist Satan with newfound determination.

3: THE ADVERSARY’S TACTICS

To be savvy consumers, we need to be aware of the methods that advertisers use in order to convince us to buy their products. Otherwise, we will find ourselves at their mercy. Take the infomercial for instance. A good infomercial has four recognizable components. First, it is longer than a normal commercial. Its protracted sales pitch tends to wear down our resistance. Second, there is either a celebrity or an expert endorsement. These influential personalities lend credibility to the product. Third, an easy installment method of payment is offered. The three easy payments are an attractive feature until you do the math and find that the price is not so appealing. Finally, there is a money-back guarantee of some sort. All these factors combine to break down the buyer’s resistance. I know because I was once fleeced by an infomercial.

I was traveling late at night and the only clear station I could get on the radio was airing an infomercial. At first, I thought, “This can’t be legitimate.” But, after listening to the continuing sales pitch, I was convinced. Several medical doctors were endorsing a product that they claimed would help a person lose weight, among other things. So, I ordered the product, but the only weight I lost came out of my wallet.

Admittedly, not all infomercials are scams, but it’s doubtful I’ll ever bite on another one. In fact, I refuse to listen to them anymore. Why? Because I know what they are when I hear them, and I know they represent a potential rip-off. They are recognizable by the methods they use to sell their products. As an informed consumer, I’m alert to the methods used and refuse to be taken in again.

Now, what is true in the commercial world is applicable to the spiritual realm. Satan, our enemy, seeks to destroy our lives by inducing us to sin. In doing so, he uses certain recognizable methods of temptation. Paul refers to these methods in Ephesians 6:11 as “the devil‘s schemes” and says that we need to defend ourselves against them. If we are not aware of Satan’s tactics, defensive measures are useless. This is why Peter tells us to be “self-controlled” and “alert” (1 Peter 5:8). We need to be aware of the enemy’s approach. Obviously, we cannot see him because he’s a spiritual being, but we can become aware of his methods and alert to his tactics. What are his methods of temptation? They are implicit in the biblical account of the first temptation (Gen. 3:1-6).

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Gen. 3:1-6)

His methods have not changed. Satan still utilizes the same methods of temptation today. There are three that are evident.

SUBTLETY

The first method that Satan utilizes is subtlety. Anything that is subtle is difficult to detect, elusive, or not immediately obvious. Three examples of his subtlety can also be identified in Genesis 3:1-6.

Satan always attempts to disguise his involvement in temptation. If it is obvious that a particular temptation is the work of Satan, we are not as likely to yield to it. If, on the other hand, Satan’s temptations come from some other source, it is more likely to catch us off guard. Notice the intermediaries that Satan used. First, he used the serpent to tempt Eve (vs. 1-3). Then he used Eve to tempt Adam (v. 6).

Slick Talk

Slick talk is one tool that Satan uses to twist arms. We are all familiar with the slick talking pitchmen who appear on television commercials. They have a way of making the product they are selling sound irresistible. The world is also full of slick talkers who pitch the benefits of sinful behavior. They make sin seem desirable. They are, whether they realize it or not, puppets of Satan. In the beginning, there were no such men Satan could utilize in approaching Eve, so he used an animal. Satan, the subtle tempter, chose the subtlest of animals, the serpent, to approach Eve.

Some find this account incredible, but it is altogether plausible given the fact that parrots, myna birds, and parakeets can be trained to mimic human speech. Although serpents do not possess this capability today, they may have prior to the fall. If so, the serpent’s words would not have aroused as much suspicion as would have any direct communication from Satan. The curse on the serpent mentioned in Genesis 3:14 certainly brought about some very pronounced changes in the serpent, all of which may not have been enumerated. It could be that snakes were deprived of their ability to mimic human speech after the fall. If this explanation is accurate, all Satan had to do was manipulate the snake in order to speak to Eve. It also may be that Satan entered into the serpent. Jesus once allowed a group of demons to enter into a herd of pigs (Luke 8:33). Whether it happened this way or not, it is obvious that Satan was speaking through the serpent. It certainly could have been a simple exception to nature, allowed by God in this instance, as was the case with Balaam’s donkey (Num. 22:28). At any rate, it is interesting that the temptation came by way of an animal, over which man had been given authority. There was no excuse for Eve to have listened to the serpent, but she did (Gen. 1:28). Perhaps she was blissfully unaware of any threat posed by the serpent and thoughtlessly exposed herself to his influence. All the while, Satan, in accord with his subtlety, remained anonymous to her. He still employs the same methods today although he no longer needs to utilize a serpent. Instead, he routinely induces one person to mouth his temptations to another while he remains unrecognized as the source of the temptation.

His slick talk aimed to plant a seed of doubt in the mind of Eve. He questioned, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Notice that he expanded the actual prohibition to include all the fruit found in the garden. At the same time he must have spoken with an air of incredulity. In other words, he said, “Did God really say that? Is that what he really meant?” By this subtle means, Satan suggested that God was unfair and overly restrictive and Eve began to doubt the goodness of God. This is clear from her response. She answers correctly that God had indeed forbidden them from eating the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, but then she adds to God’s prohibition, “and you must not touch it, or you will die.” Her own addition to God’s command shows the effect of Satan’s suggestion. She had begun to see God as overly restrictive and unnecessarily harsh. By this subtlety Satan set her up for the temptation that was to come.

Familiar Friends

Another subtle source of temptation comes from our friends. Satan first employed the serpent as an intermediary to tempt Eve; then he used Eve as his mouthpiece to tempt Adam. We do not often think of our friends as sources of temptation, but undoubtedly they can be. Eve gave the forbidden fruit to Adam. She was his closest friend, his only friend except God. There is no indication that the serpent was directly involved in Adam’s temptation. Eve was the source of his temptation. How subtle this approach was. It is natural to assume that our friends will not steer us wrong.

Matthew 16:21-23 provides us with another example of this subtle approach. Jesus foretold his death in verse 21. Upon hearing this, Peter began to rebuke the Lord in verse 22, saying, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” In refusing to accept the will of God and proposing a different course, Peter became a source of temptation to Jesus. Jesus responded in verse twenty-three by saying, “Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Whether Jesus meant that Satan was directly using Peter as an intermediary in the temptation or that Peter was at that moment a slanderer of God’s Word, like Satan, is not clear. Either way, Peter, a close friend and disciple, was at that moment a source of temptation.

Peer pressure, such as our friends often bring to bear on us, can be a powerful influence in our lives. The following account from Dr. James Dobson’s book, Hide or Seek illustrates the power of peer pressure to influence behavior.

I knew a blind fifteen-year-old girl who refused to admit she had a handicap. She would not accept the help of a special teacher provided by the school. And her parents could not even get her to use a white cane. To thump along the corridor of the school marked her as different from her peers and she couldn’t tolerate that distinction. I watched one day as she walked to her next class with her head erect as though she knew where she was going. Before I could stop her, she walked straight into a post. Even this experience was insufficient to make her use a device which other teenagers did not need.[iv]

Satan will gladly use such powerful tools of influence as our friends and associates in order to tempt us.

Pressurized Circumstances

Another source of temptation that Satan uses against us is pressurized circumstances. Consider Adam’s dilemma. According to 1Timothy 2:14, Eve was deceived, but he was not. He knew that eating the forbidden fruit would result in death. So, why did he eat? Evidently, he chose to join her rather than lose her. She had met a very real need in his life, and he could not face losing her. Satan and his temptations often revolve around such choices. There is often a cost associated with doing what God requires. Part of that cost is not being able to freely and completely fellowship with those who are doing otherwise. The loss of a friend or friends is painful. Satan loves to maneuver us into a situation that requires a choice between God and someone or something else that is dear to us. His subtle manipulations can produce extreme pressure on us to choose the wrong course.

DECEPTION

In addition to subtlety, Satan uses deception as a method of temptation. Deception is a ruse, a trick, or anything that is meant to mislead. The Scriptures tell us that Eve was deceived (1 Tim. 2:14). Genesis 3:4-5 records that deception.

The Denial of Truth

Having already cast doubt on God’s motives, Satan proceeded to blatantly deny the truth, saying that death would not result from eating the forbidden fruit. It is but a short distance between doubt and denial. Once doubt about any aspect of God’s truth enters a person’s mind, the denial of that truth is just one short step away. The denial articulated by Satan becomes a reality in our lives when we chose to sin.

Satan is a liar, and he has been one since the beginning (John 8:44). He is, forever, attempting to make right appear to be wrong and what is wrong appear to be right. In a sense, he switches road signs on us, much like the Germans did in World War II to confuse the invading allies. We must not fall for his tricks. In a world where error constantly masquerades as truth, it is up to us to be thoroughly familiar with God’s Word so that we are able to ascertain the difference between truth and error.

The Justification of Sin

A second means of deception that Satan uses is the justification of sin. After denying that sin would bring death, he added to the deception by telling Eve that eating the forbidden fruit would actually be of benefit. Temptation always involves the denial of sin’s harmful effects while at the same time promising that there is something good to be gained. In this case Satan promised greater knowledge (opened eyes) and a higher plane of existence (that they would be like God). Half-truths are whole lies. An increased knowledge of evil did result from the experience of it, but sin did not elevate Adam and Eve to God’s status. Instead, it cost them dearly just as God had said that it would.

Satan, the master of deceit, often appears to be an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). He makes sin seem beneficial. When people yield to temptation, it is because they have been convinced that something desirable will be the result. It is an empty promise. Even worse, it is a costly mistake.

Paul Harvey’s classic description of how an Eskimo kills a wolf illustrates the deceptive and deadly methodology of Satan. The blade of a razor-sharp knife is coated with a layer of blood and allowed to freeze. Other layers are applied over the first. Then the handle of the knife is embedded in ice with the blade pointing upward. When an unsuspecting wolf happens along, he begins to lick the knife blade, which is at first obscured by the frozen blood. In time the wolf slices his own tongue and begins to consume his own blood in the process. Eventually, the satisfaction of his blood-thirst results in death.[v]

ENTICEMENT

The third method of temptation that Satan utilizes is enticement. To entice means to attract by arousing desire. Satan’s enticement of Eve is evident in verses five and six.

The Use of Bait

Satan, like any good fisherman, knows how to bait his hook. In the garden the bait was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, forbidden by God but dressed up as something desirable by the subtlety of Satan. God said that eating the fruit of the tree would bring death (Gen. 2:17). Satan denied this fact (Gen. 3:4) and convinced Eve that consuming it would actually be beneficial to her, making her like God (v. 5). This was the ultimate bait—that one could become Godlike.

The Appeal to Desire

The bait appealed to Eve’s desires in three ways. First, it appealed to her appetite. She perceived the forbidden fruit to be something that would be pleasurable to eat. Second, being pleasing to her eyes, she saw it as something that would be satisfying to possess. It was the “grass” withheld from her that looked greener. Finally, she believed the tree could supply wisdom like that possessed by God; therefore it appealed to her ambition.

An Undisclosed Aim

Satan’s undisclosed aim, the aim of every temptation, is to induce people to act outside of the will of God, to be their own authority and thus their own God. The forbidden fruit was not evil in and of itself. It was evil to eat the fruit simply because God had forbidden it, and death was the result of disobeying because God had determined it to be so.

CONCLUSION

Our first line of defense against temptation lies in knowing the Word of God. This is because Satan’s methodology always involves denying the truth of God’s Word and twisting its meaning in order to divert us from His will. However, both Adam and Eve knew God’s will. There was no question in their minds about what was forbidden. Yet, they both yielded to temptation. Why? It was because Satan is a master deceiver. Therefore, knowledge of his methodology is crucial. It is our last line of defense. We simply must be able to recognize his methods of subtlety, enticement, and deception. They are red flags that signal imminent danger.

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