The Schemes and Devices of The Devil Part 3: Awareness of the Enemies Methods – Schemes 4-7

The Schemes and Devices of The Devil
Part 3: Awareness of the Enemies Methods – Schemes 4-7

“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
You are armed with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from the Word of God. Learn it, use it, and apply it so you never fall to the wiles of the enemy. In a natural battle you win wars through knowledge of what the enemy has planned and then apply strategies to overcome. So it is with spiritual challenges.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Your warfare is daily in a war between your spirit man and your flesh. It is through your daily life challenges in your thinking, speech, life, and relationship skills that you either resist the enemy or submit to him. You will always win the war because the armor, weapons, and all provisions have been purchased for you through Jesus’ blood. All you need to do is seek the Truth and apply it. When you submit to God and agree with His Word in thought and behaviors the enemy of your soul doesn’t stand a change.
We identified 3 tactics of Satan and now we will identify 4 more schemes of the enemy.
“In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
4. Your enemy will masquerade as an angel of light, and place people in your life to lead you astray.
The world calls evil good and good evil. The enemy wants to deceive you by looking good and tasting great so you will swallow his poison. It may be a friend, a boyfriend, or girlfriend that is a bad influence on you. Evil men can be sent among you to pervert righteousness.
The people you are closest to should be people who pull you up spiritually not pull you down. The Scripture says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) You will have evil influences through close fellowship with those who oppose the ways of God.
“We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6 NKJV
The Scripture says that these people are full of deceit and trickery which are the attributes of the enemy who is using them as pawns to harm you.
“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:10
Your discernment and boundaries with people are one of the most important tools to protect you from the snares of the enemy. Even within Christian fellowship you must discern the company that you keep. God commands discernment; you are to discern companions, spirits, those who teach, and prophesy. You are warned that lies can be cloaked as Truth and that darkness is heralded as light; do not be deceived.
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14
Those who lead you, teach you, and nurture you both spiritually and personally have the greatest influence on you. Remember this is a spiritual war. It is not people that are attacking you but a spiritual enemy that may be using them. The next method of the enemy is to use people to distort the Word of God.
5. The enemy seeks to twist Scripture.
Your spiritual enemy wants to twist the Word of God and distort His nature, character, and promises. If you have been spiritually abused this is a huge door to distort how you see Christianity as a whole and its leaders. Satan desires to twist how you see God, His people, and the church so that you form distorted thinking patterns. People may let you down but God will never let you down. Remember God does not have mans’ attributes.
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?” Galatians 3:1-2 NKJV
Satan’s methods are predictable. He is using the same strategies on you that he did with your Christian brothers in the early church. The enemy has always sought to teach his own doctrines. This is why it is so important for you to not just read but study the Bible. Knowing the Word is your best protection. To know the authentic enables you to recognize the counterfeit. Satan twists Scripture and seeks to teach the doctrine of demons. The Bible gives many warning about this as it started even in the early church.
6. Satan attempts to teach the doctrines of demons.
Any deviation from the true gospel is no gospel at all. Twisting of the Scripture, misapplication, or unbelief about portions of Scripture is the enemy twisting to bring destruction.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” 1Timothy 4:1-2 NIV
In the last days the Scripture warns us not of antichrists’ that have always been among us, but the antichrist. Those who follow false teachings will be ready to turn their eyes toward false miracles, signs, and wonders. It is through Satan convincing them of falsehoods that cause them to question God and His Word. It is the departure from Truth that gives Satan an opportunity to perform false miracles so that many will be deceived and follow a false messiah.
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
2 Thessalonians 2:9 -10
You remain steadfast when you know God and His Word and are not caught unaware of the devils plans. Loving God and His Truth will keep you on the right path.
7. The enemy wants a worldwide church to worship him and will bring a great apostasy in the last days.
You must discern what you are taught in church. The Scripture warns you to discern teachers, prophecies, companions, and doctrines least you follow the doctrine of demons. Perilous times are here; you must love the Truth and seek God and you will not be deceived.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things…” 2 Timothy 4:3-5 NKJV
The Scripture warns of false gospels and you cannot chase teachings and doctrines that feed your flesh and do not preach the whole gospel. Today you can turn on any form of social media and find the Word of God being twisted. There are messages that tell you that serving God is all about you being blessed. Yes, God loves you and wants to bless you, but He is not your errand boy. He is more concerned with your holiness than your comfort and happiness. Any Truth taken out of context is no Truth at all.
The Greek word for apostasy is apostasia and it means defection, departure, revolt, or rebellion. Apostasy is rejection of true Christianity by someone who was a former Christian. Apostasy teaches either a part of the Truth, rejecting other Scriptures, a complete twisting of the Word, or completely rejects Christ.
To follow these teachings is to be deceived and lead away from the Truth. Don’t be tricked by evil plots and schemes. This twisting doesn’t just happen in your Bible teachings but in how you live in agreement to the Word in thought, speech, and behaviors. You are to be transformed into Christs’ image. The Greek word for repentance is Metanoia and means change your mind. When you change your mind it begins the transformation process in your daily presentation through speech and behaviors.
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.” Matt 3:8 NKJV
Agreement with the full measure of the Word makes you look like Christ. If you hear a weak gospel then you may never apply the Bible to your daily life. Too often Christians separate their beliefs from how they actually live, but as Christians you are to bear fruit and slowly be transformed to look like Jesus.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:13-16 NIV
Listen to the voice of God and know His Word to discern those who portray themself as sheep and are actually ferocious wolves. Take heed of this Scripture and discern those among you. You do not need to be paranoid or fearful just remain in touch with God’s Spirit to guide you.
You have entered through a narrow road. This narrow road is not the one upheld by public opinion. It is not the road free from problems because you are standing against the world’s system as God’s man or woman. It is the road where you will be perfected in God’s holiness so keep walking.
Surrender your heart to God. God is forever holy and righteous and He calls you to die to self, and crucify your flesh. Measure everything in the world to His Word, and do not submit or adopt the opinions and views of the world. Do not even agree with your life experiences, but stand rooted in agreement with His Word.
Then you are walking in wisdom and keeping the doors to the enemy closed so that you will not be lead astray. All teachings, companions, prophecies, and doctrines should lead you back to the Word and a relationship that is focused on God and His plans. It is not all about you, and you only follow men as they follow God.
We must heed the warning of the Scriptures. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16-17
The enemy of your soul seeks to carry out plans to strategically build and enforce thought patterns, motives, attitudes, belief systems, expectations, and behaviors that are contrary to God’s Word. He uses life experiences and lies to twist your perception and bump you off course.
You must be aware of the enemy’s strategies and wise to his schemes. He is a spiritual enemy that works in the natural, so the challenges that you face in all of the above areas will come through people, situations, and experiences. He will seek to hinder and deceive you with His strategic and predictable methods through your thoughts, beliefs, expectations, desires, emotions, relationships, and life skills.
Identify the situations in your life that have produced thought processes that are contrary to the Bible. How do they fit in to the schemes and strategies of the enemy? When you recognize these temptations, thoughts, and distortions for what they are tear them down and do not give the devil a foothold in your life or relationships.
Be wise, know your Word, draw near to God and remember the first Scripture. “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” God is your greatest defense and your submission to Him will keep you operating in wisdom and discernment to recognize the wiles of the enemy.