I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      Our world is filled with predators that pose dangers to us.

                                                             1.      Some predators threaten physical danger, while others threaten emotional, mental, financial, political, or other types of danger.

                                                             2.      The most dangerous predator for us is Satan, who threatens the eternal existence of our souls.  He is described as "a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet. 5:8).

B.      In order to guard against any predator, we need to understand the methods they use to threaten harm to us.

                                                             1.      This is especially true of Satan, for he is the greatest schemer of them all.  Jesus said of him that "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” (John 8:44).

                                                             2.      Therefore, let us raise our awareness of his schemes that we may guard against them.

II.      DON’T BE IGNORANT OF SATAN’S SCHEMES

A.      God has given us the tools to overcome Satan’s schemes.

                                                             1.      God has given us truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit through Christ.  Together these form the armor of God, and He commands, "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

                                                             2.      With these tools, we can succeed in our war of resistance against Satan.  God has told us, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7).

B.      However, if we are ignorant of the schemes of the devil, then we will be caught unprepared for his attacks.

                                                             1.      Notice 2Corinthians 2:11 – "…so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”  This implies that if we are ignorant of his schemes, then Satan is likely to lure us into his traps.

                                                             2.      Paul expressed his fear for the Corinthians due to the threat of the devil, and we stand in danger also.  Notice 2Corinthians 11:3 – "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.”

C.      Therefore, let us be wise about the schemes of the devil.

                                                             1.      In 1Peter 5:8, Peter warns us, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

                                                             2.      The word of God gives us complete insight into Satan’s tactics so that we may be prepared for them.  Let us therefore use the wisdom of God’s word to protect our souls.

III.   WHAT ARE THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL?

A.      The schemes of the devil were fully employed in the garden of Eden.  Let us consider each of these tactics and notice how Satan used them against Adam and Eve.

B.      Scheme #1: Satan challenges God’s word to create doubt.

                                                             1.      Notice Genesis 3:1 – "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”?’”

a.       This serpent was Satan, and he is clearly identified in Revelation 12:9; 20:2.

b.       Satan knew that God had given this commandment to Adam and Eve, but he raised the question about God’s word to create doubt in Eve’s mind.

                                                             2.      Likewise, Satan leads us to question God’s word as a way of justifying sin in our own minds.

a.       Many times, Satan asks, "Indeed, has God said…?”  In other words, he leads us away from the plain and simple meaning of God’s word by encouraging speculation through our own reasoning.

b.       Satan uses this scheme to mislead us on many issues, such as:

i.         Hell – Did God really say the unrighteous will go away into eternal punishment?  See Matthew 25:46; Romans 2:5-10; 2Thessalonians 1:6-10.

ii.        Baptism – Did God really say that baptism is for salvation and forgiveness?  See Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1Peter 3:21.

iii.      Divorce – Did God really say divorced persons cannot remarry without committing adultery?  See Matthew 5:31-32; 19:8-9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18.

c.        It is not wrong to question our understanding of God’s word and study to find the truth, but we must not search for excuses to sin because we do not like what God has said.

C.      Scheme #2: Satan calls attention to the object of our temptation.

                                                             1.      Satan’s conversation with Eve drew her attention to the forbidden fruit.  Notice Genesis 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…”

                                                             2.      Satan often uses things made by God and His commandments to set temptations before us.

a.       God made the fruit and He gave the commandment prohibiting it, but Satan set the temptation.  Satan is the tempter who draws man to sin (Matt. 4:3; 1Thess. 3:5).

b.       Consider Romans 7:7-13 as an explanation for how Satan uses God’s laws against us.

c.        See James 1:13-15 – "Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

D.      Scheme #3: Satan denies the truth of God’s word.

                                                             1.      Whereas God had told Adam and Eve that they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit, Satan contradicted God and said to Eve, "You surely shall not die!” (Gen. 3:4).

                                                             2.      Likewise, Satan contradicts God’s word in many ways and through many sources today.

a.       Through atheism, Satan says, "There is no God.”  See Psalm 14:1; 53:1.

b.       Through evolution, he says, "God did not create the world in six days.”  See Genesis 1.

c.        Through false religions, he says, "Jesus is not the Son of God.”  See Romans 1:4.

d.       Through humanism, he says, "Man is God.” – See Philippians 3:18-19.

E.       Scheme #4: Satan can be legally accurate and yet completely deceptive.

                                                             1.      Technically speaking, Satan told Eve a form of truth, but his words were deceitful.

a.       In Genesis 3:4-5, he said, "You surely will not die!  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.”

b.       Adam and Eve did not drop dead the moment their lips touched the fruit, and they did become like God by knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:22).  In a way, Satan told the truth.

c.        Nevertheless, Eve was correct when she said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Gen. 3:13; see 1Cor. 11:3; 1Tim. 2:14).  Satan’s form of truth was deceitful and misleading.

                                                             2.      We must be on guard for Satan’s deceitful uses and abuses of truth, for they lead to transgressions.

a.       Half-truths and contextual misapplications of true words can be just as misleading as lies.

b.       Satan can even misuse God’s word as a means of deceiving us.  He even attempted deceive Jesus in this way, but Jesus was too wise for his schemes (Matt. 4:1-11).

c.        Satan may deceive us with such tricks, but we will not deceive the Lord with disingenuous technicalities when we stand in judgment.  "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

F.       Scheme #5: Satan uses others to do his work.

                                                             1.      Eve unwittingly became an agent of Satan unto her husband and caused him to join her in sin.

a.       Adam was not deceived by Satan (1Tim. 2:14).  Satan did not directly approach Adam.

b.       Adam’s failure was in departing from God’s word and following his wife into sin.

i.         Genesis 3:6 says, "..she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

ii.        When God questioned Adam, he said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12).

iii.      Adam was punished because he listened to the voice of his wife (Gen. 3:17).

                                                             2.      We must beware of many apparent "angels of light” and "servants of righteousness” who are truly ministers of Satan.

a.       Notice 2Corinthians 11:14-15 – "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.”

b.       Such servants of Satan may be among our closest relations.  Regardless of who they are, we must "know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20) and judge them accordingly.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      The devil does not "play by the rules.”  He uses every form of trickery, and we must be on our guard.

B.      Therefore, let us put on the armor of God to "stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).