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"IGNORANT OF SATAN'S DEVICES"
Dr. Tom Keiser, CBTS
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church concerning the restoration of a brother under discipline, he cautioned them about letting Satan gain advantage of them. In this connection he made the somewhat "side comment" that we are not ignorant of his [Satan's] devices (2 Cor 2:11). However, in reflecting on this passage, I must confess that I wonder how true that is today. That is, among believers today, how aware are we of Satan's devices?
In response to that question one might immediately respond that it is clear that Satan works very effectively in the world through the temptations and sins of the flesh, through obsessions with greed, etc. However, is that what Paul had in mind? When he wrote later in that same letter to the church at Corinth that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, is he thinking of the lure of blatant and obvious evil in the world? Probably not!
When we consider the manner in which Satan worked through the serpent in the garden of Eden, we get some important clues as to how Satan operates. First, he did not approach Eve in his angelic form. Rather, he came to her disguised in what Eve commonly encountered in her everyday life: an animal. Second, he enticed her by presenting himself as one who was looking out for her best interests. It was he who was concerned that she become "all that she could be." It wasn't God who was actually withholding things from her for the purposes of protecting his own interests. Thus, Satan led Eve into losing her faith in God. Third, he encouraged her to disobey God, claiming that the consequences of which she had been warned were not really that certain.
From this example we can observe several clues as to how Satan works. First, he doesn't approach us in a manner which causes us to respond: "Oh! Here comes Satan!" No, he encounters us subtly in the normal process of day-to-day life. Second, he presents alternatives to what God has shown to us, alternatives which appear to be more advantageous for us. This type of temptation causes us to lose confidence in the fact that God is watching over us, caring for us, always concerned with our best interests. Finally, once we become tempted by what appears to be a better way, he helps us to rationalize that the consequences of disobedience of God are not really that certain.
How, then, do we combat the attacks of Satan. First, we must not be ignorant of his devices. Second, we must take on the armor of God (Eph 6:10-18). In reviewing the Ephesian passage one thing should stand out: more important than any of the other armor is the shield of faith (v. 16). Regardless of what we encounter in our daily life, when we find ourselves tempted towards lack of faith, we should ask ourselves whether Satan is at work, because we are not ignorant of his devices.
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