Don't Be Ignorant to Satan's Schemes

Satan as deceiver

Synopsis

Satan’s character is deceitful, devious and cunning as in a variety of guises he seeks to influence people for his own ends.

Satan’s deceitful character

He is evil

Mt 6:13

Matthew 6:13 (ESV) — 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

See also Mt 5:37; Mt 13:19; Jn 17:15; 2 Th 3:3; 1 Jn 2:13–14; 1 Jn 3:8; 1 Jn 3:12; 1 Jn 5:18

Matthew 5:37 (ESV) — 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 13:19 (ESV) — 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

John 17:15 (ESV) — 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV) — 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

1 John 2:13–14 (ESV) — 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1 John 3:8 (ESV) — 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:12 (ESV) — 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

1 John 5:18 (ESV) — 18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

He is a liar

Jn 8:44

John 8:44 (ESV) — 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

See also Ge 3:4–5; Job 1:11; Job 2:5; Re 3:9

Genesis 3:4–5 (ESV) — 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Job 1:11 (ESV) — 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”

Job 2:5 (ESV) — 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”

Revelation 3:9 (ESV) — 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.

He is devious

2 Co 11:14

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV) — 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

See also 2 Co 11:3; Eph 6:11; 2 Th 2:9; 1 Ti 3:7; 2 Ti 2:26

2 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV) — 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) — 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 (ESV) — 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

1 Timothy 3:7 (ESV) — 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

2 Timothy 2:26 (ESV) — 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

He is scheming

Eph 6:11

Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) — 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

See also 2 Co 2:10–11

2 Corinthians 2:10–11 (ESV) — 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

He is a slanderer

Job 1:9–11

Job 1:9–11 (ESV) — 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”

See also 1 Ti 5:14–15; Re 2:9

1 Timothy 5:14–15 (ESV) — 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan.

Revelation 2:9 (ESV) — 9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Satan’s deceitful work

He deceives individuals

1 Ti 2:14 Eve was deceived by Satan the serpent.

1 Timothy 2:14 (ESV) — 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

See also Da 8:25; 2 Ti 3:13; Re 12:9; Re 20:3; Re 20:10

Daniel 8:25 (ESV) — 25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.

2 Timothy 3:13 (ESV) — 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Revelation 12:9 (ESV) — 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 20:3 (ESV) — 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Revelation 20:10 (ESV) — 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

He works counterfeit miracles

2 Th 2:9–10

2 Thessalonians 2:9–10 (ESV) — 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

See also Ex 7:11–12; Ex 7:22; Dt 13:1–2; Mt 24:24; Re 13:13–14; Re 19:20

Exodus 7:11–12 (ESV) — 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Exodus 7:22 (ESV) — 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

Deuteronomy 13:1–2 (ESV) — 1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’

Matthew 24:24 (ESV) — 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Revelation 13:13–14 (ESV) — 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Revelation 19:20 (ESV) — 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

He appoints false prophets

Mt 7:15

Matthew 7:15 (ESV) — 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

See also Dt 13:5; Je 23:26; Je 28:15; Je 29:21; Eze 13:6–10; 2 Pe 2:1–3; 2 Pe 2:18–19

Deuteronomy 13:5 (ESV) — 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Jeremiah 23:26 (ESV) — 26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,

Jeremiah 28:15 (ESV) — 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.

Jeremiah 29:21 (ESV) — 21 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes.

Ezekiel 13:6–10 (ESV) — 6 They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. 7 Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?” 8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God. 10 Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash,

2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV) — 1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:18–19 (ESV) — 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

He misuses Scripture

Mt 4:6

Matthew 4:6 (ESV) — 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

He blinds unbelievers

2 Co 4:4

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) — 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.