Using various tricks, methods, and deceptions, Satan tries to destroy the faith of Christians and lead them astray. This devotional reminds us of the victory we have in Christ and encourages us to stand strong against the enemy and his tactics–no matter what he brings against us.
We would like to thank grief and trauma expert, Katherine Barner.
Day 1
Scriptures: John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:10
The Enemy’s Goal: Our Destruction
The 2020 thriller, The Invisible Man, follows a woman’s harrowing struggle against an abusive ex-partner who has somehow found a way to make himself invisible. The ex uses his invisibility to follow and torment the woman, and we see her struggle throughout the film to uncover her tormentor’s schemes, protect her life, and finally stop the invisible man for good. Of course, this is fiction, but the Christian’s struggle against Satan, the true invisible enemy, is very real.
That’s right – we have an enemy! An unseen adversary who works against us and aims towards our demise. He has many names—Satan, the devil, the accuser—but he has one goal: to destroy the people of God. We see in the first chapters of the Bible how the enemy came and tempted Adam and Eve. His deceptions caused them to sin and forfeit their place in Eden. From there, the domino effect of sin began, and sin’s sad effects are evident all around us today. Satan has not stopped working to tempt humanity away from God’s will and His purpose for our lives.
As Christians, we must know this so we can live aware and armed to face this enemy of our souls. If we can borrow from another movie, there is a famous quote from the modern classic, The Usual Suspects, warning us of one of Satan’s schemes: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn’t exist.” We can’t fall for this trick and live like there isn’t a real struggle for our lives and allegiance. Because Satan moves imperceptibly many people have turned him into a myth or a figment of religious imagination. But he is very real.
So, how should we live in light of this knowledge? Should we be afraid? Looking for our invisible enemy behind every door or under every rock? No, of course not. We are not called to fear or spiritual paranoia. We are called to live in the victory that Christ has secured for us. The Scriptures assure us of this victory and tell us that one day, this invisible enemy will be defeated once and for all. That’s how the story ends. In the meantime, what we need to do is to live aware—aware of the enemy’s existence and his schemes. Throughout this devotional, we’ll look more closely at Satan’s schemes, and arm ourselves with God’s truth to help us stand strong against whatever he brings.
Thought of the Day: I have a real enemy who works against me and seeks to tempt me away from the truth. But thank God, I have a real Savior in Jesus and victory in His name! Today, I will live aware, but not afraid, as I seek to follow God and remain in His will.
Day 2
Scriptures: Genesis 3:1-5, John 8:44, Matthew 4:1-10
The Enemy’s Tactic: Deception
Crime dramas and detective shows like “Law & Order” and “CSI” have popularized law enforcement lingo, familiarizing many of us with terms like “perp” and “M. O.” An “M. O.” which refers to a criminal’s modus operandi or “method of operation.” It’s how repeat offenders usually carry out their criminal enterprises, and their repeated tactics can become useful clues for police and detectives when they work to solve or prevent crimes.
Satan, our enemy, has his own M.O. More than any other tactic, his primary scheme against us is deception. He is known as the deceiver and the father of lies, and he often uses deception to tempt God’s people away from truth. Yesterday, we spoke briefly about the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan didn’t try to chase Adam and Eve out of the garden by force. He didn’t try to scare them with shows of power or mystical strength. No, he merely used his powers of deception to cause them to question God’s character and commands. This was, sadly, an effective strategy, and we have all paid dearly for it.
There is another account in the Bible of Satan working to tempt someone away from God’s will. This temptation happened to Jesus, and Matthew 4 tells us all about it. Again, Satan doesn’t come against Jesus with a show of force or power. They don’t duel it out or go fist-to-fist. Satan slyly and deceptively tries to tempt Jesus to worship, follow, and obey him. At one point, Satan even uses Scripture to tempt Jesus. He tells Jesus to throw himself off a cliff and quotes Psalm 91 to entice Jesus to fall for the temptation. Jesus, of course, does not give in to Satan’s temptations or fall for his deception. To every temptation Satan throws His way, Jesus responds with the truth of God’s Word. This is an example that we can follow. When Satan tries to tempt and deceive us, it is vital that we stand on God’s Word and His truth to resist the devil’s schemes.
Anti-counterfeit agencies do their most effective work against the illegal counterfeit industry, not just by being good at spotting the fakes, but by being experts about the genuine articles. The better they know the real thing, the easier it is to know when a fraud comes along. It’s the same with us. The more familiar we are with the truth of God’s Word and character, the easier it will be for us to recognize the enemy’s lies and schemes.
Thought of the Day: I may be tempted today, but I will follow Christ’s example to help me stand against Satan’s schemes. I will hold to God’s Word because it is truth and my best defense against the enemy’s lies.
Day 3
Scriptures: James 4:7, Ephesians 4:27, 1 Peter 5:9
Our Response: Resistance
We’ve talked about the reality of Satan’s existence and his usual tactics of temptation. We need to know these things, and even more importantly to know how to respond when temptations come. Yesterday, we saw how Jesus responded to Satan’s temptations with the truth of God’s Word. This is a powerful means of overcoming temptation for us, too. Today, we will look at another important response to temptation: resistance.
Like brave soldiers who are resolved to stand against the enemy at the gates, we must resolve to resist. Our resistance is a strong defense against the enemy. Scripture tells us that our resistance can cause the devil to flee! Two specific things we can resolve to resist today are condemnation and comparison. The enemy will use both of these to take our eyes off God and to move our feet off the path we are called to follow.
Condemnation can make us feel defeated and hopeless. One of Satan’s descriptions is The Accuser because he works to accuse and condemn us before God. We must resist his accusations and remember who we are in Christ and what Christ has done for us. The Bible tells us that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins. His work has made us sons and daughters of God. We are no longer condemned. We are children of God!
Comparison can make us jealous and discontent. It can bring resentment in our hearts against God and others. We must resist the temptation to compare because it can bring bitterness and disunity. Instead of comparing, we can trust that God is not holding anything back from us. We can be grateful for what He has given us and focus on His generous blessings. When we take time to be grateful for what we have, we’re less prone to focus on what we don’t have. It will make it easier for us to recognize the lies of the enemy that make us compare and complain.
Of course, this is all easier said than done, but God has given us what we need to stand strong and resist the devil. Ephesians tells us about the armor of God that we are all called to wear in defense of the temptations of the enemy. Each piece of the armor is vital, and by God’s grace, is available to us in Christ. Pray today that God will arm you as you resist, fight, and stand strong against the enemy of your soul!
Thought of the Day: Today, I resolve to resist the enemy and his temptations. I will put on the armor of God and stand strong in Christ’s victory!