Satan’s Strategies

Satan’s Overall Strategy

In Revelation 12:9-10 and Zechariah 3:1-2, Satan is the accuser. Satan in the Hebrew is שׂטן (śâṭân) and in the Greek διάβολος (diabolos) the devil. Both mean slanderer and accuser.

"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:9-10, NASB)

"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"" (Zechariah 3:1-2, NASB)

Satan strives to keep the believer away from the Word of God. Gen. 3:1. 1 Chronicles 21:1 is an illustration of how Satan got David to ignore the Word.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"" (Genesis 3:1, NASB)

"Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel." (1 Chronicles 21:1, NASB)

In Ephesians 6:11, “Schemes” is μεθοδεία (methodeia) and means strategies, methodology. We are to know our enemy.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11, NASB)

In 2 Corinthians 2:11, “Schemes” is νόημα (noēma) and is sometimes translated thoughts, mind, devices. Here it is translated schemes.

"so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2 Corinthians 2:11, NASB)

In Ephesians 6:12, “is not against flesh and blood” means our personal contact with the enemy in the Angelic Conflict is not face to face with human beings. Our contact is with the unseen fallen angelic army who have targeted believers.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)

Satan’s Counterfeits

Satan has a regular system of counterfeit evangelists, preachers, and apostles. 2 Cor. 11:13-15.

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, NASB)

These false evangelists preach a counterfeit gospel with a system of salvation that Satan has concocted. Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Cor. 11:3-4.

"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-9, NASB)

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully." (2 Corinthians 11:3-4, NASB)

Satan has a counterfeit system of doctrine. 1 Tim. 4:1-3.

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth." (1 Timothy 4:1-3, NASB)

Satan has a counterfeit communion table with idolatry of an image representing man or animal or worship of things with no image such as money, status, etc. 1 Cor. 10:21.

"You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons." (1 Corinthians 10:21, NASB)

Satan has a counterfeit righteousness with a system of morality and a system of religion. It is criticized and condemned in Matthew 23:27-28.

""Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matthew 23:27-28, NASB)

Satan has a smoke screen to obscure the truth. 2 Cor. 4:3-4.

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, NASB)

Satan’s Strategy Toward Adam & Eve

The issue in the Garden was whether Adam or Satan would rule the world. Satan’s strategy was to deceive Eve and let her convince Adam to join her in sin. Satan’s strategy of guile and deception worked. Satan used his higher intelligence in the form of a serpent and deceived Eve through conversation. Gen. 3:1.

Eve demonstrated ignorance or failure to apply Bible doctrine to her situation. She was gullible because she was short on doctrine. When you deal with Satan biblically you do not need brains, you need Bible doctrine in your soul. Gen. 3:2-3.

"The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"" (Genesis 3:2-3, NASB)

Satan deceived through attacking verbal inspiration. Gen 2:17. God said nothing about touching the fruit, just eating it. She actually misinterpreted God’s Word, misunderstood it, and then added to it. In Genesis 3:4, Satan contradicted God’s Word.

"but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."" (Genesis 2:17, NASB)

"The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!" (Genesis 3:4, NASB)

Satan’s strategy also involved denying the connection between sin and its punishment. In Genesis 2:17, God said from the Hebrew, “Dying (spiritual death) you will die (physically).” Satan said in Genesis 3:4, “Dying (spiritual death) you will not die (physically) you still go to heaven.”

Satan deceived through religion in Genesis 3:5. Here was an appeal to ego, to pride saying that you’ll be as smart as God! Satan fell in the area of pride. Isaiah 14. Eve’s eyes were going to be opened, but she would find out what God was like, not that she was like God. This is the deification of man. There is nothing worse than religion because it puts man in the place of God and man’s works in the place of grace.

""For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."" (Genesis 3:5, NASB)

Eve was deceived through rationalization in Genesis 3:6. She saw, but had not done anything yet. Eve had literally everything, yet she wanted something else. Why? Human desire. This is an example of lust of the eyes. 1 John 2:16.

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." (1 John 2:16, NASB)

Another illustration is Solomon who always wanted more, but became ever more miserable. Another illustration is that Americans have more, but they are the most miserable people, most are superficial and shallow. It is difficult to find an American who can carry on a conversation about anything except sex, cars, jobs, sports, TV or movies. There is no bona fide conversation.

But there is beauty and satisfaction in the Christian life, inner peace, stability that no material thing can bring! No matter what we have, there is always something else we want. You get that. You want something else. The only way to handle this is by applying the epignosis Bible doctrine in your soul to life’s situations and choices. Stay in fellowship.

Eve scrutinized (the lust of the eyes) and took a long look at the fruit. She rationalized, “Why that does look good for food, I don’t want that to go to waste, I’m willing to try anything once!” She was window shopping in the orchard. She always stopped and looked at this tree, longed for it and now she wanted it! Her final reasoning was “After all, it will increase my wisdom, my understanding, and I’ll be like God.” So she took the fruit and ate it. What was the penalty? Immediate spiritual death. It would also result in her physical death much later.

Satan deceives through loved ones. Your own loved ones help or hinder in large magnitude. Eve shared with her husband Adam and what happened? He went along with his wife and men have been doing this ever since. Gen. 3:6.

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." (Genesis 3:6, NASB)

This sounds like it was written yesterday. Through adjusting to each other without adjustment to God. They feel if they get right with each other, they will be right with God. Gen. 3:7.

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings." (Genesis 3:7, NASB)

People today say, “I’m going to heaven because I treat my neighbor right, because I pay my debts, because I don’t beat my wife.” In other words, I’m going to heaven because I’m properly adjusted to my fellow man. They assume that adjustment with fellow members of the human race provides adjustment with God. It does not. We must first be adjusted with God.

Satan’s strategy involves hiding from the issues like an ostrich with their head in the sand and not facing them. Gen. 3:8.

"They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8, NASB)

What makes a person hide from God? Not seeing the issue? The unbeliever doesn’t see because they are spiritually dead. A believer under conviction is out of fellowship. Gen. 3:10. When a man gets into a tight spot like this, then it is always someone else’s fault. They try to pass the buck.

"He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."" (Genesis 3:10, NASB)

Satan’s Angelic Infiltration of the Human Race

Angels are invisible except when God permits them to become visible and to take on human form. For example, the angel Gabriel taught Daniel. Two visible angels also destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

There are four civilizations in human history. The Antediluvian Civilization that existed before the Great Flood. The Postdiluvian Civilization that existed after the Great Flood. The Millennial Civilization that will exist following the Tribulation and will be a literal 1,000 years. Then there will be the Eternal Civilization. Rev. 21-22.

In the Antediluvian Civilization (before the flood), there was a tremendous concentration of fallen angels lead by Satan in a great attempt to dilute the human race DNA with angelic DNA, thus preventing Jesus Christ from being perfect mankind and perfect God in one person. The first reference to the salvation work of Jesus Christ was declared in Genesis 3:15 and is called the “Proto-Evangel.” This really bothered Satan.

"And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."" (Genesis 3:15, NASB)

One of his attempts to keep Jesus Christ from coming into the human race through a true human mother is recorded in Genesis 6:1-6. We assume that this was Satan’s motive for the Genesis 6 infiltration into the human race.

In Genesis 6:1-2, “men” refers to homo sapiens, “daughters” refers to a situation on earth where there were more females than men, and “sons of God” is beni ha elohim in the Hebrew and refers to angels, never to mankind. Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7. These three verses use the same Hebrew word. In the context of Genesis 6:1-2, these are fallen angels. The term “Son of God” refers to Jesus Christ and “sons of God” in the New Testament refers to believers.

"Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose." (Genesis 6:1-2, NASB)

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them." (Job 1:6, NASB)

"Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD." (Job 2:1, NASB)

"When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:7, NASB)

“Took wives” means angelic volition was involved. “Wives” is plural meaning that most had more than one. This may sound weird to you, but it doesn’t to human history. Norse, Greek and Latin contain accounts of Zeus, Pericles, Castor, and Pollox - gods (angels) marrying women and resulting in angel-human offspring. Cohabitation of fallen angels and human women was the beginning of Satan’s plan. “Marriage” in the angelic realm was stopped after this as a judgment from God as now angels are not married nor given in marriage. Matt. 22:30.

""For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." (Matthew 22:30, NASB)

Apparently angels, even though a superior type of creation, procreated in a manner similar to members of the human race and just as animals (a lower creation) procreate and reproduce their own kind.

Satan’s master plan to cut off the Cross was to infiltrate the human race with some angelic males finding human females and procreating, thereby developing a race that was no longer true homo sapiens. Noah’s line remained true humanity. Genesis 6:9. The rest of the human race was infiltrated by angels which resulted in supermen such as Hercules, Atlas, Castor, and Pollox.

"These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God." (Genesis 6:9, NASB)

God’s reaction to Satan’s plot is found in Genesis 6:3. “My Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit. “Shall not strive” means to make the Gospel clear to the unbeliever who is spiritually dead. John 16:7-11.

"Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."" (Genesis 6:3, NASB)

""But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged." (John 16:7-11, NASB)

“Flesh” means true humanity. Mankind is under attack from Satan to contaminate the human DNA with angelic DNA, thus preventing the arrival of the Savior Jesus Christ as both true humanity and true deity in one person. The reference to 120 years means that at the end of that time there would be no pure uncontaminated humans remaining except for Noah and his family. All others had some angelic DNA in them. They had heard the Gospel for 120 years. For 120 years, the Holy Spirit evangelized through various people such as Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah. The only people who accepted Christ as their Savior were eight humans who remained true humanity and were in the Ark starting the new civilization - the Postdiluvian Civilization.

The Result of the Infiltration of Angels

In Genesis 6:4, ”The Nephilim” were human fallen and corrupt ones – the half-human, half-angelic creatures from the union of angel and human. They had fallen from the human race. They were not true humanity. “The mighty men who were of old, men of renown” refers to the heroes and supermen of Greek and Roman mythology such as Perseus, Dionysus, Hercules, Apollo, Jason, Pollux, Prometheus, and Castor. The Nephilim had great strength and had much higher intelligence than humans.

"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:4, NASB)

In Genesis 6:5, “wickedness of man” refers to a concentration of wickedness along with the destruction of true humanity. “His heart” refers to the right lobe of the soul. Mental attitude sins are the greatest source of wickedness.

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5, NASB)

God’s observation and decision was to destroy all humans and Nephilim by drowning except for Noah and his family. The reason Noah and his family didn’t get involved is because they were true humanity and born again. The rest were very warlike and brutal and prone to fighting, drinking, singing, hunting, and copulating. That was their life. Gen. 6:6-7; Gen. 6:12.

"The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."" (Genesis 6:6-7, NASB)

"God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." (Genesis 6:12, NASB)

It’s important that Noah can trace his genealogy back to Adam minus angelic infiltration. “Found favor” means salvation. Noah and his family were believers – the only believers remaining on the earth at that time. In Genesis 6:9, “righteous” means Noah was justified. “Blameless in his time” refers to true humanity. “Walked with God” refers to post-salvation spiritual growth – he walked in fellowship with God. Gen. 6:8-9.

"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God." (Genesis 6:8-9, NASB)

So what happened to the Nephilim? We know the super race couldn’t outswim the Great Flood, so they drowned. Also, what happened to the fallen angels that had sex with human women and produced the Nephilim? These demons are not operative now. These fallen angels remain imprisoned in a section of Hades called “Tartarus” because of their attack on the virgin birth, the humanity of our Lord. 1 Peter 3:19-22; 2 Peter 2:4-5.

In Jude 1:6, some of the fallen angels refused to stay in their abode designated by God. They are the ones who mingled with the human race on earth. They remain in total darkness without contact with any other creatures until they are released in the middle of the Tribulation. Their ultimate fate is the “judgment of the great day” or the eternal Lake of Fire.

"And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day," (Jude 1:6, NASB)

Jesus said in the Gospels that angels neither are married or given in marriage. This was true when he spoke. It is an idiom for loss of sexual capability. Before Genesis 6, the fallen angels could cohabit and procreate. After Genesis 6, fallen angels can inhabit the earth, they can engage in demon possession of unbelievers, but they cannot have sex with humans and procreation is not possible.

In 1 Peter 3:18, Christ bore our sins and was resurrected from the dead. “Made alive in the spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit who provided the power to resurrect Jesus Christ.

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" (1 Peter 3:18, NASB)

In 1 Peter 3:19, Jesus Christ was transported to Tartarus to make the Victorious Proclamation. “Spirits” are the fallen angels who infiltrated the humanity of the Antediluvian Civilization. Remember, the confined fallen angels were in complete darkness with no contact with Satan or Christ or life on earth. Christ tells them in the Victorious Proclamation that even though Satan tried to frustrate God’s plan, Jesus Christ being true sinless humanity and perfect deity in one person forever had been judged on the Cross for the sins of all mankind and the justice of God the Father had been satisfied.

"in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison," (1 Peter 3:19, NASB)

In 1 Peter 3:20, the fallen angels were disobedient to the divine command which prohibits sexual activity between different categories of creation.

"who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." (1 Peter 3:20, NASB)

“Who once” is an adverb referring to Genesis 6:1-11. “Safely” is διασώζω (diasōzō) not sodzo. This is a deliverance through some agency. Eight souls were brought to a place of safety. “Through the water” is literally translated and this is actual water. This water is judgment to the unregenerate and the instrument of deliverance to the believer. The believers were believers before they ever got on the ark. This is not analogous to baptism.

The analogy of the Ark is found in 1 Peter 3:21. “Corresponding to that” is ἀντίτυπον (antitupon) refers to the antitype, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the means of Positional Truth. “Baptism now saves you” refers to baptism of the Holy Spirit because the only water around is that which gets rid of unbelievers. Many people see the word “baptism” and they immediately think of water baptism. Water baptism is not involved here. This is baptism by the Holy Spirit.

"Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (1 Peter 3:21, NASB)

“Not the removal of dirt from the flesh” literally means this is not taking a bath, not water baptism. “But an appeal” is ἐπερώτημα (eperōtēma) and means a pledge of a good conscience toward God. This is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for salvation resulting in the Baptism of the Spirit and union with Christ.

1 Peter 3:22 speaks of the ascension and session of our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father. “Angels and authorities and powers” should be translated, angels, both demons and Satanic powers being subordinated to His humanity. Psalms 110:1.

"who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." (1 Peter 3:22, NASB)

"A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."" (Psalms 110:1, NASB)

2 Peter 2:4-5 speaks of God’s judgment of the fallen angels involved and the resulting destruction of all Nephilim on the earth. These fallen angels were cast into Tartarus in Hades awaiting final judgment in the Lake of Fire. They continue to be in this angelic prison until the middle of the Tribulation at which time Satan is cast down to the earth (denied access to heaven) and the events of Revelation 9:1-11 where demons are released from the angelic hell called the bottomless pit. Their ultimate fate still will be the Lake of Fire at the end of the Millennium.

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;" (2 Peter 2:4-5, NASB)

Never sell the grace of God short. God will change human history to keep His promises! God never walks away from an obligation. Isaiah 53:5-6 says He was obligated to die for the human race once the promise of a Savior was given in Genesis 3:15.

"But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:5-6, NASB)

"And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."" (Genesis 3:15, NASB)

Satan’s Strategy to Oppose Jesus Christ

The world system of Satan opposes all believers and anything to do with the plan of God or God's grace. Satan knows he cannot attack the sovereignty of God, so he attacks the volition of mankind. The greatest attack on human volition occurred against the humanity of Jesus Christ when He was on earth. He was attacked constantly and was tempted beyond anything we will ever know.

Few groups in history have had greater opposition to Jesus Christ and God’s grace plan of salvation than the Scribes and Pharisees. Those in opposition were consistently anti-authority. They were astonished at Christ’s authority and the content of His words in Matthew 7:24, Matthew 22:29-33, John 7:46, and Luke 4:32.

" "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. " (Matthew 7:24, NASB)

"But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. "But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching." (Matthew 22:29-33, NASB)

"The officers answered, "Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks."" (John 7:46, NASB)

"and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority." (Luke 4:32, NASB)

They questioned our Lord’s authority in Mark 11:27-28.

"They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, and began saying to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?"" (Mark 11:27-28, NASB)

The Pharisees were frustrated by His authority in Matthew 21:23.

"When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?"" (Matthew 21:23, NASB)

The Pharisees’ opposition to the spoken Word was caused by their even deeper opposition to the written Word. John 5:45-47.

" "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" " (John 5:45-47, NASB)

Opposition to the content of a communicator of Bible doctrine leads to opposition of the communicator Himself. John 8:42-47.

"Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God." " (John 8:42-47, NASB)

They opposed John the Baptist for not eating or drinking in Matthew 11:18.

" "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' " (Matthew 11:18, NASB)

The Pharisees opposed Jesus Christ for associating with those who they felt were undesirables in Matthew 11:19.

" "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." " (Matthew 11:19, NASB)

The Pharisees opposed Jesus Christ in every possible way. In Matthew 12:24, they oppose Him as to His credentials.

"But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."" (Matthew 12:24, NASB)

Satan’s Strategies Toward Unbelievers

In the Church Age, Satan and his demons attack unbelievers by either demon possession or demon influence. In demon possession, the demon actually indwells the unbeliever’s body. In demon influence, demon doctrines enter the soul of the unbeliever to cause their change in thinking and behavior.

Satan and his fallen angels blind the unbeliever’s mind so they will reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:3-4; 2 Thess. 2:9-10.

"that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved." (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, NASB)

He convinces man to deify and glorify mankind just as he did himself at his fall. He promotes man’s ability as the only solution to man’s problems without any help from God. His ace trump is religion. Religion is the super-blinder and opposes the grace plan of God. Religious internationalism is the worst. Isaiah 14:14; Gen. 3; Col. 2:8; Luke 8:12.

"'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'" (Isaiah 14:14, NASB)

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8, NASB)

""Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved." (Luke 8:12, NASB)

Blindness is a satanic activity by which the perceptive and norm and standard lobe is influenced, promoting darkness, snatching away the seed of the Gospel, enticing to mental attitude sins with the result of scar tissue in the soul.

Satan has a strategy regarding nations. The key word is “deceive.” Rev. 20:3; Rev. 20:8; Rev. 12:9.

"and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time." (Revelation 20:3, NASB)

"and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore." (Revelation 20:8, NASB)

Satan seeks to knock out the four Divine Institutions in the thinking of both unbelievers and believers. Gen. 2-11. This is being done by ignorance of what the Divine Institutions really are. Satan deceives by promoting militant, atheistic crusades against them, by substitutes for them in brotherhood organizations, human panaceas, and world citizenship emphasis.

You should understand the doctrines of the four Divine Institutions, the four generation family curse, the five cycles of discipline, the doctrine of war, morality vs. human good, the doctrine of depression, the doctrine of revolution, crime, immorality, lawlessness, and the doctrine of legalism.

Satan’s Strategies to Oppose Believers

In the Church Age, Satan and his demons can attack believers only by demon influence. A believer cannot be indwelt by a demon because all Church Age believers are indwelt by God the Father, God the Son as the Shekinah Glory, and God the Holy Spirit. In demon influence, demon doctrines enter the soul of the believer to cause their change in thinking and behavior. 1 Tim. 4:1-2.

Satan’s basic motive is to get believers involved in and ensnared with anything but Bible doctrine. It really doesn’t matter to him as long as the believer fails to grow spiritually and ideally retrogresses to reversionism to become an enemy of God. 1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Tim. 6:9.

"And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:7, NASB)

"with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth," (2 Timothy 2:25, NASB)

"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:9, NASB)

In 2 Timothy 2:26, “snare” is παγίς (pagis) and means a trap, a trick, a stratagem. Pagis is from πήγνυμι (pēgnumi) meaning to fix, to make fast, to peg, to setup.

"and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:26, NASB)

In heaven, Satan accuses believers who are doing the work of the Lord on earth. Satan has access to heaven. The believer’s defense attorney is the Lord Jesus Christ who continually intercedes for us as our High Priest. In Job 1:6 is an accusation before the throne of grace by Satan. 2 Cor. 2:11; 1 John 3:l.

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them." (Job 1:6, NASB)

“so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11, NASB)

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1, NASB)

Satan deceives believers and gets them to accuse other believers. In Titus 2:3 and 2 Timothy 3:3, they are the “malicious gossips.”

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good," (Titus 2:3, NASB)

"unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good," (2 Timothy 3:3, NASB)

The Will of God

Satan deceives believers to ignore the viewpoint will of God. God wants the believer to think with divine viewpoint in their soul and remain in fellowship a maximum amount of the time. Satan wants the believer to stay with human viewpoint in carnality. Isaiah 55:7-9; Prov. 23:7; 2 Cor. 10:5.

"For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you." (Proverbs 23:7, NASB)

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB)

Satan deceives believers to ignore the operational will of God. Satan hinders the believer in their spiritual growth and tries to keep them out of fellowship. Gal. 5:7; James 4:7-8.

"You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?" (Galatians 5:7, NASB)

"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:7-8, NASB)

Satan deceives believers to ignore the geographical will of God just as he did with Paul’s missionary team in 1 Thessalonians 2:18.

"For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us." (1 Thessalonians 2:18, NASB)

Satan wants to keep believers apart by divisions and from being like-minded in Bible doctrine. Satan seeks to get the eyes of the believer off of the Lord Jesus Christ by obscuring the focus of the believer. He seeks to get the believer to focus on self. Examples are Elijah in 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 and Genesis 3:4-5 and Peter in Matthew 26:31-35.

"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you." (1 Corinthians 1:10-11, NASB)

"He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."" (1 Kings 19:10, NASB)

“Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.' "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too.” (Matthew 26:31-35, NASB)

Satan wants you to get your eyes on materialistic things or the details of life as the means of happiness instead of focus on Jesus Christ and His Word. The details of life include money, success, social life, pleasure, friends, loved ones, health, sex, status symbols, and materialistic things. With the grace apparatus for perception, you can enjoy the details of life. Otherwise, the details of life lead the believer on a merry chase and make them miserable. Heb. 13:5-6.

"Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"" (Hebrews 13:5-6, NASB)

Satan encourages believers to worry. 1 Peter 5:8-9.

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9, NASB)

He seeks to get the believer to focus on trusting people and by exhibiting admiration and jealousy of other people. Jer. 17:5. The answer can be found in Hebrews 12:2 and Colossians 3:1-2.

"Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD." (Jeremiah 17:5, NASB)

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2, NASB)

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2, NASB)

Satan wants you to get your eyes on other people. 1 Cor. 3:6-7; 1 Cor. 3:11.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7, NASB)

"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11, NASB)

Satan instills the fear of death in believers. Heb. 2:14-15; Job 5:21; Psalms 23:4.

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Hebrews 2:14-15, NASB)

""You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes." (Job 5:21, NASB)

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalms 23:4, NASB)

Satan strives to confuse the believer on dispensations and how God administers them differently, but always with salvation and spiritual growth provided through His grace provision. Satan would like every believer to have a guilt complex so they will stay out of fellowship. 2 Tim. 3:6-7.

"For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:6-7, NASB)

Satan opposes your daily intake of Bible doctrine and use of the grace apparatus for perception so that you will never succeed in building the edification complex in your soul. He wants you to select the wrong person to marry and for the wrong reasons. Satan wants to get believers mixed up on creation, intellectualism, making academics the end of all pursuits, and the use of rationalism and empiricism as the criteria for belief. He wants the believer ignorant of Bible doctrine and its divine inspiration so they cannot apply doctrine to their problems in life and to their experiences. Gen. 3:2-3.

Satan invites believers to ignore the Word and accept false doctrine. Satan gets believers occupied with the temporal solution to man’s problems and to neglect divine solutions. 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 Cor. 10:19-20; 2 Cor. 11:3; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Chron. 21:1.

"But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons," (1 Timothy 4:1, NASB)

“What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:19-20, NASB)

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3, NASB)

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, NASB)

“Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” (1 Chronicles 21:1, NASB)

Satan definitely wants to keep you ignorant of his methods of deceit. 2 Cor. 2:11.

"so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes." (2 Corinthians 2:11, NASB)

He wants the believer to be occupied with him as the cause of all problems. The “It must be the devil” syndrome. Gen. 3:1.

Satan wants the believer to deny the connection between sin and its punishment. Gen. 3:4.

"The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!" (Genesis 3:4, NASB)

Satan wants the believer to choose religion instead of emphasizing the personal relationship that belief in Jesus Christ for salvation brings and what spiritual growth through intake and application of Bible doctrine brings. Satan is always behind the “religion of man” and its infiltration into the Angelic Conflict. Religion among men is the greatest success of fallen angels in the Angelic Conflict. Gen. 3:5.

""For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."" (Genesis 3:5, NASB)

He deceives believers into using rationalization instead of faith and application of Bible doctrine. In Genesis 3:6, Eve saw, she scrutinized, then she took the fruit. Satan also deceives believers through loved ones.

Satan opposes the believer by deceiving them into believing they can adjust to other people without any adjustment to God. Gen. 3:7.

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings." (Genesis 3:7, NASB)

He wants believers to hide from the issues by not facing them. In Genesis 3:8, Adam had become an unbeliever.

Satan opposes the believer by convincing them that it is better to pass the buck than to take responsibility for their decisions. Gen. 3:10.

"He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself."" (Genesis 3:10, NASB)

He opposes the believer through keeping them occupied with examples of where believers in the Bible failed, but neglecting to mention how God's grace provision turned those failures into spiritually mature believers that had a great impact on those around them and within the plan of God. The life of Moses is a good example of this. In Exodus 2:11-12 and Acts 7:23-24, Moses took it upon himself to remedy an injustice by vengeance apart from the plan of God. Moses then left Egypt for Midian where he spent 40 years learning Bible doctrine and the plan God had for him. Heb. 11:24-27; Exodus 2:15.

"Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand." (Exodus 2:11-12, NASB)

""But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. "And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian." (Acts 7:23-24, NASB)

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." (Hebrews 11:24-27, NASB)

"When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well." (Exodus 2:15, NASB)

Satan opposes the believer by attempting to deter them through false teachers that teach contrary to the Word of God or teach a system of works that they do not even follow. 2 Peter 2:1-3; Rom. 2:17-24; Matt. 23:13.

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." (2 Peter 2:1-3, NASB)

" "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. " (Matthew 23:13, NASB)

False teachers also oppose God's plan by creating more followers like themselves through their false teaching. Matt. 23:15.

" "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. " (Matthew 23:15, NASB)

Those that oppose the believer are the first to criticize and the last to be constructive. Matt. 23:4.

" "They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. " (Matthew 23:4, NASB)

They are eager to hassle others over trivial matters and omit the real spiritual issues of God’s justice, mercy and faithfulness. Matt. 23:23.

" "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. " (Matthew 23:23, NASB)

They are eager for external status recognition, but short on inner character. In Matthew 23:25, “robbery” is ἁρπαγή (harpagē) in the Greek and means extortion, seizing of booty for personal gain and personal gratification. “Self-indulgence” is ἀκρασία (akrasia) and means excess, lack of self-control, inability to restrain yourself from profiteering.

" "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. " (Matthew 23:25, NASB)

Those that oppose God's grace plan for salvation will object to the moral rights of others. They will object to the community rights of others. They will object to the spiritual rights of others. They will object to the Gospel. They will object to teaching for edification. They will object to the local church. They will object to the expression of divine viewpoint. They will oppose you as you grow spiritually.

Satan uses the emotional crowd who emphasize the false use of temporary spiritual gifts that ceased to function prior to 96 AD. Many are involved in the emotions of tongues, casting out demons, and healing. These people have become neutralized in the Angelic Conflict. When emotionalism take precedence over doctrine, it dilutes doctrine. Emotionalism is never bona fide. We have emotions and they are given to appreciate the Word. The filling of the Spirit has nothing to do with emotion. Rom. 16:17-18.

"Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." (Romans 16:17-18, NASB)

Satan also uses the program crowd in local churches that make such programs a higher priority than learning Bible doctrine. They have no impact in the Angelic Conflict because they have no Bible doctrine in their souls to apply to their spiritual lives. 2 Tim. 3:5; 2 Tim. 3:7.

"holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." (2 Timothy 3:5, NASB)

"always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:7, NASB)

These church programs can also take the believers out of the local church and direct their focus on things “more important” than taking in Bible doctrine from a trained pastor-teacher. 1 Tim. 6:9.

"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:9, NASB)