SATAN’S STRATEGIES

1. Satan, the devil, is smarter than any believer and is a genius, Isa 14:12-17; Eze 28:11-19; Eph 2:2; Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:8.

2. His name—Lucifer—“great shining light”; son of the morning, prince of the power of the air, Isa 14:12, Eph. 2:2.

3. The devil is the ruler of this world, Lk 4:5, 7; Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2.

4. Devil’s strategy in regard to the unbeliever is to keep him unsaved, 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Lk 8:12; 2 Thess 2:9-10.

5. Devil’s strategy with regard to the nations is to move them into internationalism and destroy/distort the five laws of divine establishment (freedom, marriage, family, government, nationalism, cf. Gen 1-9).

6. The devil’s strategies with regard to believers, 2 Cor. 2:1.

a) Accusing: Rev 12:9-10; Zech 13:1-2. Jesus Christ is the believer’s advocate, 1 Jn. 2:1.

b) Keeping believers from the Word of God, 1 Tim 4:1; Eph 4:17-18; 2 Cor 11:3; 1 Chron 2:1.

c) Frustrating them in the will of God

1) Operational, Js 4:7

2) Geographical, 1 Thess 2:18

3) Mental, Eph 4:4

d) Moving them into worry, 1 Pet. 5:7-9

e) Keeping them from being occupied with Jesus Christ by getting them to focus on the details of life, 1 Kings 19:10; Jer 17:4; Heb. 13:5-6.

f) Getting believers involved with social gospel movement (which leads to distortion of the gospel and the proper relationship between church and state).

g) Getting believers to fear death, Heb. 2:14-15.

7. Religion is the devil’s creation, his ace trump, his counterfeit system, Isa 14:14; Ex 32:4; 2 Cor 11:15.

8. Satan trains false teachers to advance his idolatrous false religious system.

a) Idolatry, Habakkuk 2:18-19

b) Self-righteousness, Mt 7:15

c) Uses believers, Gal 4:17-18; 2 Tim 3:5-7

d) Appeals to ego, 2 Cor 10:12.

e) Satan’s false teachers go out into the world, 1 Jn 4:1