The other day as I
was reading my Bible, I was struck by this phrase in 2 Corinthians 2:8:
"We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes." Two things about this
sentence caught my attention. First, "not ignorant" suggests that we
have some knowledge concerning Satan's ploys, though not necessarily thorough
knowledge about every one of them. In other words, "we know the general
way that Satan operates." Second, Paul does not say, "We are not
ignorant of this scheme" (in the context, unforgiveness), but "of
Satan's schemes,"
plural. In other words, we are familiar
with the type of weapon that Satan uses.
How can this be?
Personally, I'm convinced that at least one reason is that Satan works
primarily through existing conditions and weaknesses. I'm not saying that he
never works supernaturally, but that Satan's usual method is to attack through
existing means. James 1:14 describes
temptation as being lured and enticed by one's own lust. Guess what? In this
case, Satan doesn't even appear in the equation! While in a general sense, temptation is
certainly one of "Satan's schemes," he is simply neither powerful nor
interested enough to be directly involved in the minor details of our lives.
(On the other hand, our infinitely loving and powerful God is!)
To be fair, the
examples of Job, David, and Jesus all prove that Satan is at least sometimes
directly involved in temptation. But even in these times, we see the attack
directed toward existing fears, desires or tendencies. Job acknowledged,
"That which I greatly feared has come upon me." Scholars generally
agree that David's sin in taking a census of Israel was based on his desire for
a strong military protection. And in tempting Jesus, Satan appealed to Jesus'
hunger and human desire to avoid the pain of rejection and crucifixion. So even
these are examples of Satan tempting through existing conditions.
Maybe this helps
explain the numerous places in Scripture where we are warned to "watch
yourselves" or to "pay attention to yourselves" in order to
avoid turning away from God. The better we understand ourselves, the better
prepared we are to resist Satan's devices.
- You can help guard against temptation by being realistic about your weaknesses. In fact, you probably already know where your weaknesses are - expect temptation in those areas.
- Unexpected or especially recurring temptations generally have underlying causes. By understanding these causes, you can understand the temptation and thus be better prepared to handle it. For example, having a hard time standing up against negative peer pressure may stem from a strong desire to be accepted; self-centeredness may be fueled by a need to be respected. Recognizing that Satan's answers will never satisfy God-given desires can help you guard against temptation in whatever area you struggle.
- Just saying "Satan's really tempting me" may be accurate (at least in a very general sense), but it does not help you find a way to handle the temptation. It directs your attention away from what you can control (yourself) and toward what you cannot control (Satan's activity). Instead, try praying that God will help you recognize what it is that makes this temptation especially strong for you.
The ability to live
the Christian life ultimately comes from Christ, not yourself. What I'm
describing is a tool, not the whole workshop - but it's a tool that God has
given us to use, that Scripture commands us to use, and that we overlook at our
own peril.
