SATAN’S SUBTLE STRATEGY
“I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Jude 4 NLT
We do not know the exact time Satan sought the power of God – to be like God – however, we do know this pride root that lacks submission to God and His ways, is the root of sins committed throughout history.
Refusing to submit unto God and His Sovereignty.
Prior to the Garden of Eden, Satan convinced one-third of God’s holy angels to leave the position of power God placed them in. Then in the Garden of Eden, Satan successfully manipulated Eve, enticing her with obtaining the wisdom and knowledge of God to be like God– Genesis 3:1-6. Eve’s initial defiance, stepping away from her position of submission unto God’s Sovereignty brought sin into the world, separating humanity from God the Father – bringing about the need for a Savior, Jesus Christ – the Messiah. At this time in the Garden of Eden, God told Satan, the serpent, his future, “I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Therefore, because Satan tempted Eve successfully – God said there will be a continual battle between Satan, his demonic minions and non-believers – his offspring – and Eve and her offspring, which is Jesus Christ and Christians. Nevertheless, God informed Satan that all of his assaults would only cause suffering, they would never destroy, break, or defeat Jesus Christ and thus, all Christians.
All Satan can do is cause suffering, he can never take over the Christian church.
We see throughout the history of the Israelites – Satan tempted people to sin in order to prevent the coming of the Messiah. Even with what God told him, Satan still continued to seek the power of God, defiantly. Never successful in preventing the Messiah from physically coming, only somewhat successful in convincing people Jesus Christ, the Messiah, has not yet come. Thus, we hear Paul’s heart in Romans 10:1 NLT “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.”
Satan is constantly lying to people – seeking to persuade people away from the truth.
Therefore, we see after Jesus Christ came and walked this earth perfect and died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead – and the creation of the Christian church – Satan stepping in with false teaching, continually desiring the power of God over God’s people. Satan desires preeminence in hearts and minds. He does not want us focused on Jesus Christ, loving Jesus nor obeying Jesus.
So, here we see Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, witnessing these false teachers work their way into churches, persuading people away from the truth.
Many believers might say “that won’t happen to us at our church” or “that cannot happen.” Which would indicate denial of reality, as it is happening every day. There’s a reason we are exhorted to take heed lest we fall.
I find describing the subtlety of Satan difficult. Can you describe it?
His demonic ways seek to persuade people to live corrupt lives, with the belief they will experience grace regardless of their behavior. And this apparently is pleasing and desirable to many – showing they are ruled by their carnal heart and mind, not filled with the Holy Spirit. They are not thinking upon the things of the Spirit.
You would think this would only persuade those who are biblically illiterate, and yet Satan has successfully persuaded Christian teachers and preachers away from the truth throughout history – with a simple false belief, “it’s ok.”
However, it is never ok to sin. We Christians need to not be spiritually immature, realizing every sin committed holds some destructive element either to the witness of Jesus Christ that will then keep people from believing in Him as Savior, or destruction on His people who then question His love and might possibly walk away from the Christian faith. We do not always see the destruction of one “simple” sin. We don’t see the physical damage nor do we see the spiritual damage necessarily, telling in the lack of power in the church.
And yet many, unfortunately, have a testimony of how they have been hurt by Christians who justified their sinful act. Immature people go back and forth sinning against each other, and the Kingdom of God is not advanced.
We, Christians, need to take God’s word to heart and ask Him to open our eyes to how His truth is being lived out right before our eyes.
Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that in end times people will be lovers of themselves, they will love money, will be boastful, proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, they will consider nothing sacred, they will be unloving, unforgiving, they will slander others and have no self-control, they will be cruel, will hate what is good, will betray their friends, be reckless, prideful, and will love pleasure rather than love God.
Pretty much, narcissism, sadism, psychopathy and sociopathy will increase.
Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11 NLT “Keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”
It begins with justifying their step of compromise, failing to completely submit unto God’s word and what Jesus declares.
We see here in Jude that the false teachers twisted the definition of grace. Jude is written around AD 65, while Paul wrote Romans around AD 58 and Paul discussed this misconception of grace in Romans chapter 6.
Paul asks this question in Romans 6:2 NLT, “If we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”
Grace is to be received with gratitude upon repentance of the sin and recognition of the cost on God the Father in Jesus Christ’s death – but it is not to be expected. When we expect grace for our chosen sin, we show to deny God and His authority. We reveal we do not know God nor His word. We also reveal a truth about our heart – we do not fear Him, nor love Him.
God has declared what immoral living is and has told us to not sin that way.
We are not to question God, we are to submit unto His Sovereignty, recognizing His wisdom.
We Christians know that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer slaves to sin – we are set free by God’s grace, witnessed in Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and rising again. Jesus’ grace that bore the weight of our sin, taking our place.
Since we are no longer slaves to sin, and we have the Holy Spirit filling us, we have no excuse when we sin – every sin we commit, we chose to commit.
If we say we cannot help but sin, we are telling the world we are slaves to sin and are not children of God.
False teachers are crafty, with evil schemes always desiring the power of God. The best way to guard our hearts is to remain right with Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit. We will experience conviction on our heart from the Holy Spirit, or a heart check – indicating something is not right.
Always best to take heed -1 Corinthians 10:12.
Prayer: Abba, thank You for Your words of truth providing us with the knowledge that we need to stand strong against Satan’s subtle strategies. Because You gave us Jesus Christ, we know we are more than conquerors. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
