Satan knows the Bible too

When I think about my true enemy, the enemy of mankind - there are scriptures that immediately pop into my mind that perfectly describe him:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:26-27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The devil is prowling around waiting for you to get offended, angry, claim something isn't fair… then he pounces with a foothold, the open door, you have given him so he can steal, kill, and destroy. These versus sum it up for me. I will not let him in, I will not let him win.

How does Satan do this? He is patient as his demons whisper in your ear and tickle your negative emotions. It is not the “big sins” like murder, it is a slow descent of moving away from the light and into the darkness.

It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.(C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters)

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:14-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Satan will deceive you, he will challenge you just as he did Eve in the garden… is

that really what God said, are you sure that is what the Bible meant. He even attempted to provoke a sin in Jesus using scripture.

“The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:3, 5-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of being in the word and in Christian community. Protect yourself with the word of God, the spirit of truth, and the light of faith.

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This comes from Satan, the great deceiver. One of his tricks is to pull out pieces of scripture from context, another to use scriptures to promote division and hate. Satan knows the Bible and will use just enough to manipulate those without the word.

So, do not forget that the enemy is prowling around waiting for you to get offended, angry, claim something isnt fair. Do not give him the opportunity to pounce and gain a foothold. Stay in the light, listen to the Holy Spirit, and keep God’s word in your heart so you do not falter when challenged with false teaching or snippets of scripture. If there is not peace and love then it isn’t from God.