The Schemes and Devices of Devil Part 2: Do Not Be Deceived – Schemes 1-3

The Schemes and Devices of Devil
Part 2: Do Not Be Deceived – Schemes 1-3

God gave you armor to protect you from the attacks of the enemy. You are armed with a belt of Truth that holds all of your armor together. Keep the Truth of God’s Word securely around your waist as a measuring stick for all things. When you keep your helmet on your head you guard your thinking to stay in alignment with God and walk daily with the mind of Christ.

When you carry a shield of faith you hold it up to ward off every attack of the enemy, a breastplate of righteousness that is your choice to speak and behave in biblical agreement. God gave you His Word as a weapon when you speak it out loud in affirmation and agreement with the Bible. You do this versus agreeing with what you feel and see in your situations. Then you can walk in and retain your peace because you know who you are in God, your authority, and God’s character and promises for you.

“Finally, my brethren, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11

“…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
2 Corinthians 2:1

You stand firmly “in the power of His might.” The Greek word methodeia is translated as wiles. It is the method by which Satan plots against you with scheming, craftiness, and deceit. Paul says “stand against the wiles of the devil.” That means you are to be aware of your weaknesses in your temperament tendencies, thinking, emotionally, or behaviorally, and use wisdom and discernment to know how your enemy will operate in methods to keep you from agreeing with God’s Truth in thought, speech, and actions.

In word studies the root word in English, “methods,” means predictable, preset, organized trickery. If you ignore the workings of the enemy and remain blind, avoid, and are complacent, it can give Satan a place to attack and deceive you.

Who is the Bible speaking to in 1 Peter 5:8-9? “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…” NIV

The Scripture is speaking to Christians. Be alert because your enemy is looking to deceive, hinder, and torment you. Satan’s “Plan A” was to stop you from receiving Jesus. His “Plan B” is to deceive, oppress, hinder, or torment you so you will either be lead astray or be ineffective in the kingdom of God.

I said previously I believe we are living in the last of the last days, and evil is increasing exponentially. Do not yield to teachings meant to entice, with Scriptures pulled out of context to prove their point. Everything you are and do must be in agreement with the full measure of the Word.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

Dig in to your Bible. In the gospel of John you are told a key to knowing God, His character, and promises to you.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 14 NKJV

Just think on this Scripture. Knowing God and having a close relationship with Jesus is wrapped up in knowing Him and He is the Word. Let’s be diligent to do as Paul said and not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. God provided you with all the information and wisdom needed to discern all things. It is all in your Bible.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 it talks about the people left on the earth during the Great Tribulation. “…they perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” NIV

The Bible warns you that the love of many will grow cold, that apostasy will rise, and the only way not to be deceived is to have the mind of Christ and know God’s Word which is knowing Him.

I want to identify several ways that the enemy can attempt to lead you astray with the method of his wiles or schemes.
1. Satan will attempt to draw your heart away.
In Isaiah 29:13 you see one method of the enemy is to attempt to draw your heart away from God. Satan attacks your mind so that your heart will grow cold to God and you will be led astray. Keep your heart open to Him.
“In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me.”

Remember the word heart in both Hebrew and Greek includes the seat your passion and emotions, and the seat of all your thinking patterns and core beliefs. Where do you put your time, attention, and even finances? Keep your heart – emotions, desires, thoughts and actions focused on God and His plans.

Don’t allow Satan to deceive you though negative experiences and taint your view of God and His promises. Abiding reality is not what you see with your eyes, rather reality is eternity. Your experiences can cause you to lose heart. This leads to the second plan for the enemy to deceive you. Satan is the father of lies and he wants to cause you to turn from God in unbelief.

2. Satan will urge you into doubt.
Satan slanders God in order to cast doubt on God’s goodness and shipwreck your faith. He can do this through situations, experiences, or relationships. He will question God’s intentions and promises especially when you have an idea of what “should” happen. Presumption is when you expect a different outcome or journey. Do not be deceived when things do not go as you expected. Presumption often proceeds feeling let down by God.

“’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” NKJV (Isaiah 55:8-9)

You may not always understand your situations and experiences but resist the lies that Satan will feed you. Trust God through all situations regardless of the experience. You will receive every promise in the end.

3. You will be tempted through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride life.
When your heart is drawn away from God and you doubt Him, it causes you to seek after the things of this world. Your thinking is darkened and you see things through distorted lenses. Your heart can be deceived and led into destruction.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

The enemy uses these three things, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,” to entice us to sin. Lust is a strong, intense desire. “The lust of the flesh” is anything you recklessly purse that produces debt, causes you to manipulate, or violate your integrity. The carnal mind is the enemy of God. The five senses; taste, touch, smell, hearing, and seeing, all report to your mind. These senses are what Satan uses to tempt you.

The lust of the flesh includes tasting, touching, smelling, and hearing. The word flesh is used in the Bible to identify anything in your heart that opposes God and His Word. There is a battle daily between your spirit and your flesh. The lust of the flesh refers to man’s desire for carnal things. This would include all immorality and addictions that plague our nation. It is man chasing after the things that the world says will satisfy.

“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?’” Acts 5:3

The world dangles all kinds of temptations in front of you daily. God gives you holy things in the world to enjoy and blesses you in this world. You are in the world but not of it. If you seek what the world has to offer and pursue it fervently it can be defined as hedonism. Be careful to keep your perspective. This world is temporary and you should seek first the kingdom.

“The lust of the eyes” is seeing. It is a desire to possess what you see or obtain things that have visual appeal. “The lust of the eyes” is also your perception. Experience often creates faulty perceptions that oppose God. Your eyes can deceive you to follow seductive paths and pursue that which appeals to you. This is not just talking about sexual lust it is anything that draws you through your vision. It can also deceive by keeping your eyes focused on situations and circumstances versus God and His promises. This always brings distortions in thoughts and eventually behaviors.

“The pride of life” can be defined as anything that is of the world; it exalts self and operates in arrogance, presumption, and boasts of worldly wisdom. “The pride of life” is thinking you are special because of who you are, what you have, what you know, or what you look like. Satan’s strategies include tempting you with not only “the lust of the eyes, but also the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.” You put yourself on the thrown when you seek to exalt self and it leads to destruction.

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” “Matthew 4:8-9

Satan tempted Jesus with “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.” He passed with flying colors; He remained focused on Truth. He knew who He was, who God is, and used His authority and spiritual weapons to overcome the schemes of the enemy and so can you.

Jesus is your example to overcome the works of the enemy. Look at your life and identify how these 3 schemes of the enemy have been used against you.
1. Satan will attempt to draw your heart away.
Don’t allow the enemy to draw your heart from God. Loving God is not circumstantial; love Him through good and bad times. He is with you always and will strengthen and carry you through. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrew 13:8)

2. Satan will urge you into doubt.
Don’t allow experiences to deceive you and cause you to doubt God. Remain in Him, trusting His character and promises.
“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3

3. You will be tempted through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride life.

Recognize how your enemy prowls seeking to tempt you through “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Seek God first and walk in the mind of Christ constantly renewing your mind by filling yourself and agreeing with the Word of God. Be kingdom minded, knowing that eternity with God is eternal, you have a purpose to fulfill on earth and the world itself has nothing to compare.