“The devil led him to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me it will be all yours.’” Jesus didn’t deny Satan’s claim of ownership but he did resist the temptation. “The prince of the world is coming,” Jesus said on another occasion, “but he has no hold on me.”
Satan constantly invites us to venture into his world. There, like those who have walked before us, we succumb to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Sin tangles us up and prevents us from running a good race. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” We can’t run in Jesus’ world with compromised affection for Satan’s world. He’s a master at getting the child of God to split allegiance. “You don’t need just one true love. It is OK to love God and love the world. You can be a Christian and be like everyone else.” The enemy likes us to be double-minded.
Two strategies the devil has used throughout the ages are quite apparent today. One is to produce fear. Someone once told me (I have not counted to confirm) that there are 365 occasions in the Bible where we are told not to fear – one for each day of the year. Why so many reminders? God knows the devil uses fear to draw us into his world of worry, inactivity, and chaos. Jesus is in the boat with me; a storm comes up; it looks like I am going to sink; Jesus sleeps; what do I do? I’m not sure how to keep the heart from thumping a little harder as the wind howls and the waves splash, but Jesus clearly says, “Don’t be afraid.” That’s the voice I want to heed. I know too well the other voices: “He’s left you. You can’t really trust him. What’s going to happen to your family? His promises weren’t really for you. He won’t blame you if you abandon ship and look elsewhere for answers.” Fear causes us to lose our bearings. We react to circumstances rather than keep our feet fixed on the Rock. I don’t want to give in to fear.
The other strategy the devil loves is confusion. Notice in the Gospels how many times Jesus was accused of being demon possessed. Demon possession is not uncommon in one of the towns we visited in Brazil this past December. Three members of my family saw things that shocked them. They prayed for a woman who had given herself to the devil through the witchcraft that is very prevalent in the region. They saw and sensed evil and were greatly disturbed. So why was the Son of God accused of being inhabited by Beelzebub? “You are demon possessed!” The devil’s tactic is confusion. “No one can deny this Teacher’s power. No one can hide the healings taking place. So let’s just get people discussing his source. If the seed is planted that makes them think a demon is at work then perhaps people will discount his words.” “How preposterous!” we argue. But confusion is effective in Satan’s world.
A spirit of darkness will pose as an angel of light… and the angel of light will be accused of being a spirit of darkness. The false prophet will pretend to be a spokesman for God… and the true spokesman for God will be accused of being a false prophet. A bad thing will carry the name ‘good’ in our society… and something really good will be labeled ‘bad.’ Partial truths, white lies, planned deception… the ‘father of lies’ knows how to confuse and there’s not one of us smart enough to figure it all out. But there is One smart enough – Jesus calls Satan’s hand every time and he offers us instruction, grace, and wisdom. May we walk closely with the Master and far away from Satan’s world.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” James 1:5-8