The great Chinese military strategist, Lao Tzu, advised that there is no greater danger than to underestimate our enemy. We can fail to properly assess his or her forces, resources, strategic brilliance, spy network, perseverance, courage, or patience. Of all these, perhaps the worst mistake is to underestimate the enemy’s ability to do the unexpected. Rome never expected Hannibal to take his army across the Alps. The British never thought Washington would attempt to cross the semi-frozen Delaware River to attack Trenton. The Allies never expected the Germans to launch a counter-offensive called the Battle of the Bulge. Expecting the unexpected is a necessary defensive mindset because the enemy may be more clever than we think.
Be sober, be vigilant; because [of] your adversary the devil... 1 Peter 5:8–11 (NKJV)
In spiritual warfare, we should never underestimate Satan or God.
We should neither underestimate the sinister cunning and patience of Satan nor God’s wisdom, creative genius, unlimited power, and love of surprises. Satan is not truly creative. He can only mar and twist what God made. His main weapons are deception and the use of violence and fear. His goal is enslavement, destruction, and death. God desires for us to enjoy abundant life with him forever.
Paul gave us sound advice and a warning in Ephesians Chapter Four.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, Ephesians 4:14–15 (NASB95)
The particular Greek words Paul used give us clues regarding the nature of Satan’s schemes. The “trickery of men” literally means rolling the dice, which is a game of chance. “Deceitful scheming” is the translation of two Greek words – plane and methodia. The word plane means “wandering,” in this case away from truth. The word methodia indicates that there is a method or scheme at work. Today we might call this a conspiracy or a secret plan. It is certain that Satan has nefarious schemes, but God has benevolent mysteries which he has revealed through the gospel.
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, Ephesians 3:4–6 (NASB95)
Jesus called Satan the “father of lies” in whom there is no truth at all.
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44 (NKJV)
He said the Jewish leaders who rejected him as Lord were children of the devil. Since they were never born again through faith in Christ, the retained the fallen condition of being under Satan’s sway. Since they refused the revelation of Christ right in front of them, they were given over to do Satan’s will.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; Romans 1:28 (NKJV)
Ironically, even God’s born-again children who fall for and align themselves with Satan’s lies may find themselves resisting and even denying God’s Word and aligning with antichrist agendas. This should never be!
The essence of a good lie is that it fools the hearer. If a lie is known to be a lie, it loses its effectiveness, unless, of course, the hearer prefers the lie to the truth, which is sometimes the case. The idea that the devil develops clever schemes to undermine God’s plans and destroy humans and the earth in which we live might be a new concept to some. If so, it only shows that we have greatly underestimated the enemy.
Paul wrote that he was personally aware of the devil’s schemes.
Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:10–11 (NKJV)
In this case the satanic “device” – Greek: noema – thought or purpose – was to tempt the church to become bitter and alienated from each other. That is a low-level scheme. There are much grander ones at work, too.
One of the devil’s cleverest schemes in the last several decades has been to introduce into our vocabulary a phrase concocted by a government agency that is dedicated to lying. It’s the term “conspiracy theory.”
When people began to investigate a suspected government conspiracy behind JFK’s assassination, the CIA coined the term to discredit truth seekers. Ever since, this pejorative has been increasingly used to disparage anyone who thinks there is more to discover than what we have been told. The general message is that conspiracy theorists have too much time on their hands. Since they lack critical information, they go looking for hidden reasons behind events that really does not exist. The term infers that such people lack wisdom and judgment and are unstable. And yet… the CIA still refuses to let us see all the JFK files for some reason.
Any person or group that routinely lies is working for the devil.
JFK said that a free society cannot endure such behavior and determined to dismantle the agency. He believed there was (is) a worldwide secret “conspiracy” (his word) that must be opposed and removed. Did he underestimate the enemy?
The devil’s first known conspiracy led to a failed attempt to usurp God’s throne. We know it must have been a secret plan because he had to convince about a third (we think) of the angels to follow him. Imagine being so persuasive that angels who had experienced the presence of God in heaven fell for the lie! This rebellion resulted in his expulsion from heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). It would be a foolish underestimation of our enemy to assume that he afterward gave up his goal to displace God. The Bible makes it clear that he will fight until the very end and never cease his rebellion until he is destroyed in the lake of fire.
Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:7–10 (NKJV)
The devil works to destroy everything he touches.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (NASB95)
All those captured by the devil act with similar treachery. King David’s son, Absalom, was so motivated. Inspired by pride and bitterness, he cunningly conspired to take his father’s throne. His plan was so clever and patiently carried out that it duped thousands of Israelites into following him into battle against God’s appointed king. Joab, David’s general, understood that the only way to eliminate the threat was to kill the traitor, which he did. As long as Absalom lived, treachery would continue. As long as Satan is free to act, God’s people must beware.
Christ ultimately defeated Satan when he rose from the dead, but mopping up operations continue. It seems that God did it this way so that his people might participate in the final victory.
And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Romans 16:20 (NKJV)
We can expect the devil to fight ferociously until the bitter end, deceiving as many as will follow him into likewise resisting God’s kingdom and thereby consigning themselves to the lake of fire with the devil and the fallen angels.
Apparently, the second conspiracy hatched by Satan was to harm the people God created and placed on this beautiful place called earth. He deceived Adam and Eve into mistrusting God and following (honoring and serving) him instead. Their disloyalty and disobedience opened the door for Satan to dish out death and destruction to all humanity and to mar the beautiful earth God created for our habitation.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Romans 8:22 (NKJV)
We cannot be sure if Satan was simply motivated by malice or if he had something bigger in mind when he duped our first parents into betraying God, but we would be wrong to underestimate our enemy.
I personally believe the devil’s goal was and is to enlist as many people as possible into his resistance army in an attempt to overthrow God.
Immediately after our first parents’ sin, God announced his secret plan that one of Eve’s descendants one day would crush Satan’s head.
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed (singular); He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)
We do not know if Adam and Eve immediately understood the import of this prophetic promise, but apparently Satan did, and he began to work to circumvent God’s purpose. As the centuries passed, God made some astounding promises regarding this coming Seed. Two of the most significant are crucial to the New Covenant.
- Abraham’s promised “Seed,” would become a blessing to the entire earth. (Galatians 3:8)
- David’s promised “Seed,” would rule over God’s kingdom for all eternity. (Acts 2:30)
Satan planned to destroy the promised “Seed” and to use deceived and rebellious people to do it. Thankfully, it did not work because God is greater.
From Eden to Calvary, the devil conspired to use humans under his sway to put to death those suspected of being part of the blood line of the Messiah. The first victim was Abel. The last were the children Herod killed. Eventually, however, just as God promised, Jesus was born.
Nevertheless,Satan did not give up. He is a persistent foe and ruthless enemy. After Jesus grew to manhood, Satan’s plan changed somewhat. He then put his efforts into corrupting Jesus through temptation. That also did not work; so, the devil began to inspire the Jewish leaders to put him to death, imagining that would accomplish his purpose. (John 11:53)
Here is where Satan was guilty of greatly underestimating God. He thought, if he could kill Jesus, the kingdom of God on the earth would be his.
He duped the first Adam to wrest authority from him. Now he planned to kill the “Second Adam” to prevent his gaining the throne and the inheritance. As always, Satan used people to carry out his conspiracy against God. Ironically, in this case, he used the very ones whom God had privileged to preserve the promises and be the vehicle through whom the Messiah would come – the Jews. Just as Absalom conspired to take his father’s throne, the Jewish leaders, thought that by killing the Jesus, the rightful heir, they would own the vineyard for themselves
Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Matthew 21:37–39 (NKJV)
What a coup for the devil to turn Israel against God, a rebellion from which they, as a whole, have never recovered! Only a remnant has confessed Christ as Lord over the years. The rest persist in unbelief and rebellious defiance of God and his appointed King.
As always, Satan never anticipated the genius of God. He did not realize that killing the promised “Seed” would facilitate God’s victory and Christ’s exaltation.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7–8 (NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8–11 (NKJV)
But Satan, the adversary, did not give up after Christ’s resurrection. Having been thwarted in his plan to destroy the promised Seed or prevent his gaining the throne, Satan next turned to destroy those God has called to participate in Christ’s victory by being “in” him. Some of the names for this groups are the Body of Christ, the church, the elect of God, the one new man, and the bride of Christ. If you cannot hurt a strong man, hurt those he loves.
Again, at least at first, he used the Jews as his instruments. Later he influenced the leaders of the Roman empire to join in the persecution of God’s people. Still today Christians are the most persecuted group of people on the earth. No doubt this is because the church has been chosen by God to rule and reign with Christ for all eternity.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4–7 (NKJV)
This group, the elect of God, has been granted the very thing that Satan tried to usurp, a place at God’s throne!
We who confess Christ as Lord have been elevated in glory and authority above the angels, having been granted a seat with Christ at God’s right hand. No wonder Satan hates the church!
Not only did Satan completely fail to prevent the Edenic prophecy from coming to pass, the unthinkable, as far as he is concerned, has taken place!
People he thought that he had completely ruined through the disobedience of Adam and Eve have been redeemed, reconciled to God, made God’s sons and daughters, and seated next to God’s throne in Christ.
You would think, perhaps, that at this point Satan would give up, but let us not be guilty of underestimating him again. We do not know what Satan thinks, of course, but we know he is a deluded evil egotist who is fueled by pride and hatred. Perhaps Satan still believes he can defeat God and take the heavenly throne. Perhaps he simply wants to defile the earth, God’s footstool, and persuade as many humans as possible to worship him and fight against God’s rule on their journey to the lake of fire.
I am convinced that he also wants to steal the hearts of those who are part of the New Covenant temple called the church, a spiritual edifice constructed with what Peter called “living stones.”
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4–5 (NKJV)
The Old Covenant temple was destroyed to make way for the New Covenant fulfillment, a spiritual temple made of people for God to inhabit. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
If the devil was able to corrupt the nation of Israel into following false gods and rejecting their promised Messiah, dare we underestimate what he might be doing to throw the church off track today?
Are we on the lookout for Satan’s deceitful schemes concocted to fool us into enthroning him in the place reserved for God alone? I have written extensively about two of the deadliest schemes of which I am aware.
The Conspiracy to Displace God in the Hearts of Men
The first grand scheme began over five hundred years ago. Its purpose is to undermine our confidence in the Bible, remove God from the consciousness of humanity, and set up what may be a final conspiracy to convince humanity to join Satan in his epic fight against Christ when he comes again. This lie is the Big Bang Heliocentric Theory (BBHT), which is a clever scheme to capture the hearts and minds of humanity. It relies on evolutionary theory, a corollary lie, which says that all of creation with its amazing order and complexity, resulted by pure random chance from a primordial explosion called the Big Bang. This is the equivalent of a cosmic rolling of the dice, a game of chance, which Paul called the trickery of men. The heliocentric theory is impossible without the cosmic evolution associated with the Big Bang. If Christians believe this lie, it forces them to abandon their confidence in the utter reliability of God’s Word and elevates what is called science to the position of arbiter of truth.
At first this trickery was recognized for what it is by the contemporaries of Copernicus, the Reformers,
but it took only a few generations for the mighty momentum of Sola Scriptura to be blunted by the Age of Reason’s insistence that Science is supreme over the Bible. Today most of the church is held in a kind of Copernican Captivity.
It is interesting that the Greek word plane is used for deceit. This is the word from which our English word planet is derived. The deception here is that we have been fooled into thinking that these lights in the firmament, as Genesis calls them, are actually spherical worlds which are all named after false gods that, along with the earth, orbit Helios, another name for Satan. It is time for the church to break up with her pagan boyfriend and recommit to fully to Christ and his Word.
The Conspiracy to Undermine the New Covenant and Displace Christ with Israel
The next monumental deception that Satan concocted 150 or so years ago was designed to displace Jesus with Israel in the thinking of millions of Christians. It has fooled us into thinking that modern Israel is the promised “Seed,” rather than Jesus. This is pure idolatry, but a large percentage of the church has fallen for this lie hook, line, and sinker. As a result, we are backing the attempts of an antichrist nation to establish its worldly kingdom while denouncing the lordship of Christ. This nation resists the gospel and persecutes Christians. Why believers think they are God’s chosen people, a title that belongs only to the elect in Christ, reveals a lack of biblical understanding and is evidence of satanic deception.
In addition, by insisting that Dispensational theology is true, Christians reveal that they do not understand the New Covenant. I have written several articles to demonstrate this, including “Five Ways Dispensationalism Opposes the New Covenant.” I encourage you to study this topic and escape the snare of the devil.
Conclusion
Jesus warned us to beware when all men speak well of us. (Luke 6:26) That is how people treat false prophets. Those who speak the truth, however, are quite often maligned and persecuted. I am not surprised when unbelievers mock those who resolutely stand by their belief in the absolute truthfulness of the Bible, but never would I have expected such behavior from followers of Christ. Yet the two issues mentioned above often trigger just such a response. Why would a Christian deride anyone for professing faith in the utter truthfulness of the Bible? There would need to be a powerful delusion in play or some other strong motivation to produce such a betrayal of God and his Word.
Perhaps we are afraid of being thought stupid by our peers.
The devil’s false claims forces us to make a stand for God. This is a good thing. Elijah called for the Israelites on Mount Carmel to decide between God and Baal. Today God is calling us Christians to make a similar stand.
Will we choose God and his Word or continue to bow the knee to what is called science?
Christians have always been a minority. Part of our ability to speak to the world system depends on our being qualitatively different. Please study the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the truth about these matters. We want to be on the right side of the truth when Jesus returns.
