The Deeper Work of the Enemy

Even though Satan is a defeated foe, God has allowed him the ability to impact a Christian’s life through his vast array of counterfeit and deceitful measures.  We enter the last chapter of Sidetracked In The Wilderness with Michael introducing to us some of the key tactics used to cause havoc in our lives.  The title Michael gives this concluding chapter is a clear warning to alert us to the subtlety that can catch us off-guard.

As we begin to live out our life in Christ, experiencing the deeper walk that abiding in Him yields, the works of the enemy correspondingly intensify.  No longer will he use the obvious and overt (lust, gossip, slander, and all worldly desire) to turn us away from Christ, but rather sly new attacks which consist of well-placed lies (99% truth) to thwart the production of so much fruit.

…I have frequently watched him unleash everything at his disposal to drive a brother or sister back to the state of saving self, denying the cross, and unbelief in order to keep that one from abiding in the truth…A person moving in a falsehood that will not bring deliverance will be greatly encouraged by Satan along the way.  Those who are on the path of do’s (seeking God’s acceptance by performance) will likewise be urged along, while those on the path of believing will find many obstacles.

…Satan’s tactic is to either have us disregard him, treating him as though he does not exist…or be consumed with fighting against him…  We must see that Satan is alive and very active, our adversary (1 Peter 5:8) against whom we battle, with his many schemes (Ephesians 6:11) and snares (2 Timothy 2:26), and we must all take heed lest we fall

(1 Corinthians 10:12).

Satan is, of course, a great liar – the father of lies (John 8:44).  We will now turn our attention to some of his most significant lies, which are most subtle and therefore most dangerous.

Why, we might ask, has God allowed Satan the power to be so cunning and deceitful in Christians’ lives…when he is a defeated foe?  One answer has to be this: God is allowing a test of our faith to show whether we will be strong in our trust of Him, or succumb to the deceit of our defeated foe.  Some of that is relative to just how much “faith” do we have…how much truth have we gotten that we completely trust God to do what He says He will do?  The more trust in God, the less possible deceit we can, or will, succumb to.

One foundational truth we should always operate from is what Michael mentions at the close: “Satan is, of course, a great liar – the father of lies (John 8:44).”  There, God has given us a heads-up…beware…the Liar will always be coming at us with Lies, Deceit, and Counterfeits.  We have most of the battle won when we are prepared with Truth BEFORE the Liar shows up!  Think about it…what lie could the Liar bring our way to deceive us as Born Again Believers that there is “more than one way to get to Heaven”?

Think long on those three statements in the 2^nd paragraph above from SIW…  In each case, the believer has GIVEN the enemy ground to operate on and to bring more lies, more deceit, more counterfeit to further keep that one from abiding in the Truth.  He can’t make us do anything, but he can deceive us far away from the freedom and victory that Truth gives us (John 8:32, 36).