Bible Verse: “Anyone you forgive, I do too. For what I have forgiven—if I have forgiven anything—it is for your benefit in the presence of Christ, so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:5-11
I still remember watching the horror movie The Exorcist. I thought it gave me a good idea of how Satan and demons operate. Lights flicker; people are possessed and foam at the mouth; weird things happen.
Satan and his demons can work like that. Clinton Arnold has listed some things Satan and his minions can do:[1]
- interject an image into our minds of something enticing but sinful (Matthew 4:8–10; Luke 4:5–8)
- exploit a sinful tendency, such as anger, and cause it to flare out of control (Ephesians 4:27)
- inspire others to create a principle, teaching, or idea that sounds plausible but is wrong and dangerous to our souls (2 Corinthians 11:3, v. 15)
- afflict us with a physical illness or condition (2 Corinthians 12:7)
- send a horrible dream or demonic manifestation during the night that produces fear (Job 4:13–16; Psalm 91:5)
- entice us to lie (Acts 5:3)
- instigate a series of horrible “natural” calamities, e.g., the death of a loved one, loss of one’s home, or destruction or loss of property (Job 1–2)
Being aware of his actions can help us recognize them when they happen and know how to respond properly.
Satan sometimes acts in these ways, but not always. Usually, he uses more ordinary schemes. We’ll look at those tomorrow.
Prayer: Lord, help me understand Satan and be aware of his schemes. Amen.
Reflection: Have you seen Satan work in any of these ways in your life?
[1] Clinton E. Arnold, Ephesians: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 472.
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