Satan persuades us to cultivate close friendships with ungodly peers. Even unbelievers know that bad company corrupts good morals. The Bible bristles with instructions to avoid close relationships with ungodly…
Satan encourages spiritual ignorance. Unbiblical thinking frequently results in unbiblical living. “Gross errors make the heart foolish, and render the life loose,” writes Thomas Brooks. “Error spreads and frets like…
Satan tempts us to compare ourselves to men whom we think are worse than we are. “You do so much better than Brother Ralph,” Satan says: “Compare yourself to Ralph.…
Satan shows us the disappointments and difficulties that godly men face. Following the Lord Jesus Christ means that you will share (to some measure) in Christ’s experience of hardship and…
Satan shows us the happiness and comfort that flagrant sinners seem to enjoy. Some non-Christians scoff at God, indulge in spectacular sins, and yet still seem to thrive. The Evil…
Satan tempts us to not fear sin, so that we will not keep a safe distance from it. Brooks characterized this strategy as “making the soul bold to venture upon…
Satan tells us that repentance is easy and forgiveness is available, so yielding to temptation is not serious. We are tempted to think that we’ll only commit a sin a…
Satan tempts us to think that God is so indulgent that we need not fear punishment for our sins. Few of Satan’s lies are more widespread and more dangerous today,…
Sometimes Satan tempts us to excuse or ignore our sin by showing us the sins of great men. There’s no need to turn to tabloid newspapers to see such sins;…
Satan downplays the seriousness of sin so that we think it poses no danger to our soul. “But it’s such a harmless sin,” he tells us, “It’s so small. No…
Scripture reports that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Understand that Satan’s deception extends beyond disguising his person; he also disguises his activities. Especially when…
This is Satan’s most common scheme: He presents the bait and hides the hook. Satan presents sin as fun, satisfying, profitable, and pleasurable, while concealing the miseries and pain that…
