Lies of the Devil

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that tends to settle in low areas. Because of this, it is deadly in closed places like a house, a bedroom, or a basement. Many people have died in their sleep when Carbon Monoxide leaks from their furnace or other source. I see a similar strategy used by the Devil. Satan wants people asleep so he can slowly drag them down. This is probably why we see less evidence of Satan’s direct influence in 1st world nations; Satan is glad to keep people material-minded, and blind to the spiritual aspect around them.

I once landed a 25″ Northern Pike using only 1 pound-test fishing line. While ice fishing, I accidentally hooked a toothy fish much too strong for my gear. My fishing pole was the wispiest one on the market, and my line was also extremely thin; so when the Pike took my bait, I instantly thought he would snap my line and be gone. I allowed the Pike to strip line from my reel, until he felt like he was safe about 20 feet away; I then slowly reeled him back to the ice hole. He caught sight of me, and ran again! I slowly reeled him back. He ran again! And again! Four times the fish took line, and I slowly manipulated him back towards the hole. I finally got the fish’s head pointed through the hole in the ice, and he could not back away from me. I was very proud of that accomplishment, which would never have happened if the fish hadn’t gotten complacent over and over.

Even though I try not to compare myself to Satan, it makes for a good illustration of his tactics! He doesn’t have power to take you down his hole; but he desperately wants you there. He wants you to point your head in the wrong direction, and will manipulate you to do it if he can.

Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese General, wrote a landmark book called The Art Of War, from which this quote was taken:

“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”

Satan is no fool.  He knows it’s much easier to keep people under his control if they are not actively resisting. However, this is not to say that Satan is not active; he is just more surreptitious than in places where spiritism, animism, voodoo and the like are widely accepted.  The longer I walk with God, preach His Word, interact with unsaved folks and with God’s own children, the more I become convinced that Satan has far-reaching deceptions. These lies target the unsaved, but many also targeting his only earthly rival; the Church. This series of posts will explore these lies of the Devil. I hope you will pray with me that the Lord will shed His light on us, so we will awake unto godliness, and stop allowing Satan to manipulate this world into Hell.

 

Have you noticed any lies of Satan? It would be very helpful if you commented below. Let’s expose the deception!

JL