Knowing the Devil's Tactics
The Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”,
and this is God speaking to us. Paul warns us to beware “less satan should get an
advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:11). He
further tells us how the devil will use people to get you fighting with people, so that
you fall into strife and unforgiveness; even though your real fight is with the devil
and his forces (Ephesians 6:10-12) which says “finally, my brethren, be strong in
the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.
The devil comes asking questions, trying to get you to doubt what God has said, he
uses the same tactics that he used on Eve, even though God had told Adam that
he could eat of all the trees in the garden, but of the tree of good and even, you
shall not eat, cause in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die, but in Genesis
3:4-5 “and the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die. For God does
know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil”.
John tells us to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16). We see how this affected Eve in Genesis
3:6-7 “and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”. They were trusting
themselves to make their own covering, but God shed blood and made coverings
for them. Religion does the same thing, trusting that they will be able to live
according to rules and get to heaven, but Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and
the life, no one comes to the Father, but by Me”. Religion won’t get you to heaven,
but the devil have tricked many people, only a relationship with God through Jesus
Christ can.
The devil used the same tactics on Jesus as He was in the wilderness; and after 40
days He was hungry “and the devil said to Him, if You be the Son of God, command
this stone, that it be made bread” (Luke 4:3), but Jesus told him “man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word of God”. Then “the devil taking Him up into an
high mountain, showed to Him al the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said to Him, all this power will I give You, and the glory of them; for
that is delivered to me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If You therefore will
worship me, all shall be Yours” (Luke 4:5-6), but Jesus answered and said to him,
get you behind Me, satan for it is written, you shall worship the Lord Yahweh your
God, and Him only shall you serve”. When these did not trap Jesus, the devil
attempted to use the scriptures in a twisted form to trick Him (Luke 4:9-11) “and he
brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to
Him. If You be the Son of God, cast Yourself down from here. For it written, He
shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You. And in their hands they shall
bear You up, less at any time You dash Your foot against a stone”, and Jesus
answered said to him, it is said, you shall not tempt the Lord Yahweh your God”.
You see that every time the devil tried one of his tactics on Jesus, He answered “it
is written”.
People get confused about what things is of God, but Jesus explains by saying “the
thief (the devil) comes only but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:
10). The people that think that God made them sick to teach them something.
They won’t be able to resist the sickness, so they have fallen for the devil’s tactics.
I Peter 5:8-9 says “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion; walks about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in
the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren, that
are in the world”. The devil can’t defeat everybody, only those who give in to him;
just like Adam did.
It’s our job to resist him (James 4:7) says “submit yourselves therefore to God,
resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. Resist means fight against, in II
Corinthians 10:3-5 says “for through we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the
flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ”. In Ephesians 6 we are told to take up the whole
armor of God and verses 14-18 they are listed; the breastplate of righteousness,
the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and prayer.
The best way to know the devils tactics is to know your God. James says “every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). The
world blames all the problems of this world on God, even the insurance companies
states in their policies “acts of God”.
Stop saying what the devil is saying, Jesus said “I do nothing of Myself, but as My
Father has taught Me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). Jesus rebuked His
disciples when He said to them, “let us go over to the other side” and? And when a
storm arose to where the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. And He
was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow and they awake Him, and say
to Him, Master care You not that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, peace, be still, and the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm. And He said to them, why are you so fearful, how is it that you have no faith”?
(Mark 4:35-40).
Jesus told His disciples “verily I say to you, if you have faith, and doubt not, you
shall not only do this which is down to the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this
mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all
things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive” (Matthew
21:21-22).
The Bible says “let the redeemed of the Lord Yahweh say so, whom He has
redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalms 107:2). And also “let the weak say
I am strong” (Joel 3:10b).
Fear is the opposite of faith, while faith draws you near to God, fear draws you
toward the devil. Because faith is believing the word of God and acting on it, but
fear is believing the devil.
The devil is the accuser of the brethren and will try to get people looking at each
other and accusing each other, knowing that the Bible says “but if you have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. For where
envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:14,16).
Remember, we are not fighting with flesh and blood. We are supposed to edify
each other, and pray for each other.
The devil wants people to live as they are unworthy, in a sin conscienceness,
because as Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Paul didn’t
fall for this, in Acts 23:1 says “and Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men
and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day”. This is
the same Paul which was also called Saul, which persecuted the church before his
encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. We like Paul have to forget
those things that are behind and press forward to the mark of the prize. He took
the word of God as the truth, that says He has forgiven all of our trespasses.
Remember that the devil is a defeated foe (Colossians 2:15) Jesus having spoiled
principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in
it”. Also Hebrews 2:14-16 says “forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death
He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily
He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham”.
Since the devil is already defeated, let us arise and take the authority that Jesus
gave to us. Just like Jesus resisted the devil when He was in the wilderness by
saying “it is written”, we can do.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 14, 2008
The Bible tells us in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”,
and this is God speaking to us. Paul warns us to beware “less satan should get an
advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:11). He
further tells us how the devil will use people to get you fighting with people, so that
you fall into strife and unforgiveness; even though your real fight is with the devil
and his forces (Ephesians 6:10-12) which says “finally, my brethren, be strong in
the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.
The devil comes asking questions, trying to get you to doubt what God has said, he
uses the same tactics that he used on Eve, even though God had told Adam that
he could eat of all the trees in the garden, but of the tree of good and even, you
shall not eat, cause in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die, but in Genesis
3:4-5 “and the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die. For God does
know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil”.
John tells us to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16). We see how this affected Eve in Genesis
3:6-7 “and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”. They were trusting
themselves to make their own covering, but God shed blood and made coverings
for them. Religion does the same thing, trusting that they will be able to live
according to rules and get to heaven, but Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and
the life, no one comes to the Father, but by Me”. Religion won’t get you to heaven,
but the devil have tricked many people, only a relationship with God through Jesus
Christ can.
The devil used the same tactics on Jesus as He was in the wilderness; and after 40
days He was hungry “and the devil said to Him, if You be the Son of God, command
this stone, that it be made bread” (Luke 4:3), but Jesus told him “man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word of God”. Then “the devil taking Him up into an
high mountain, showed to Him al the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said to Him, all this power will I give You, and the glory of them; for
that is delivered to me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If You therefore will
worship me, all shall be Yours” (Luke 4:5-6), but Jesus answered and said to him,
get you behind Me, satan for it is written, you shall worship the Lord Yahweh your
God, and Him only shall you serve”. When these did not trap Jesus, the devil
attempted to use the scriptures in a twisted form to trick Him (Luke 4:9-11) “and he
brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to
Him. If You be the Son of God, cast Yourself down from here. For it written, He
shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You. And in their hands they shall
bear You up, less at any time You dash Your foot against a stone”, and Jesus
answered said to him, it is said, you shall not tempt the Lord Yahweh your God”.
You see that every time the devil tried one of his tactics on Jesus, He answered “it
is written”.
People get confused about what things is of God, but Jesus explains by saying “the
thief (the devil) comes only but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:
10). The people that think that God made them sick to teach them something.
They won’t be able to resist the sickness, so they have fallen for the devil’s tactics.
I Peter 5:8-9 says “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion; walks about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in
the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren, that
are in the world”. The devil can’t defeat everybody, only those who give in to him;
just like Adam did.
It’s our job to resist him (James 4:7) says “submit yourselves therefore to God,
resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. Resist means fight against, in II
Corinthians 10:3-5 says “for through we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the
flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ”. In Ephesians 6 we are told to take up the whole
armor of God and verses 14-18 they are listed; the breastplate of righteousness,
the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and prayer.
The best way to know the devils tactics is to know your God. James says “every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). The
world blames all the problems of this world on God, even the insurance companies
states in their policies “acts of God”.
Stop saying what the devil is saying, Jesus said “I do nothing of Myself, but as My
Father has taught Me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). Jesus rebuked His
disciples when He said to them, “let us go over to the other side” and? And when a
storm arose to where the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. And He
was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow and they awake Him, and say
to Him, Master care You not that we perish? And He arose, and rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, peace, be still, and the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm. And He said to them, why are you so fearful, how is it that you have no faith”?
(Mark 4:35-40).
Jesus told His disciples “verily I say to you, if you have faith, and doubt not, you
shall not only do this which is down to the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this
mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all
things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive” (Matthew
21:21-22).
The Bible says “let the redeemed of the Lord Yahweh say so, whom He has
redeemed from the hand of the enemy” (Psalms 107:2). And also “let the weak say
I am strong” (Joel 3:10b).
Fear is the opposite of faith, while faith draws you near to God, fear draws you
toward the devil. Because faith is believing the word of God and acting on it, but
fear is believing the devil.
The devil is the accuser of the brethren and will try to get people looking at each
other and accusing each other, knowing that the Bible says “but if you have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. For where
envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:14,16).
Remember, we are not fighting with flesh and blood. We are supposed to edify
each other, and pray for each other.
The devil wants people to live as they are unworthy, in a sin conscienceness,
because as Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Paul didn’t
fall for this, in Acts 23:1 says “and Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men
and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day”. This is
the same Paul which was also called Saul, which persecuted the church before his
encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. We like Paul have to forget
those things that are behind and press forward to the mark of the prize. He took
the word of God as the truth, that says He has forgiven all of our trespasses.
Remember that the devil is a defeated foe (Colossians 2:15) Jesus having spoiled
principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in
it”. Also Hebrews 2:14-16 says “forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death
He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily
He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham”.
Since the devil is already defeated, let us arise and take the authority that Jesus
gave to us. Just like Jesus resisted the devil when He was in the wilderness by
saying “it is written”, we can do.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 14, 2008
