How To Outwit Satan (Stopping Deception Before It Starts)
Spiritual Warfare Made Simple, Chapter 12, Part 3
“Satan should not outwit us”
Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, wrote to the church in Corinth, saying:
If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven it in the presence of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 BSB)
The devil lies.
What does it take to outwit Satan? Being aware of his schemes. If we know the truth of what he can and can’t do, his lies won’t deceive us. When he can’t lie to us, he can’t do anything to us. He can’t outwit us when we know the truth.
All the devil can do is lie. When his lies encounter a Christian who knows the truth, the devil is powerless.
Further, pay attention to how often Paul mentions forgiveness in these two short verses. Forgiveness and spiritual warfare aren’t two separate topics. Paul weaves them together inextricably.
To forgive is to prevent Satan from outwitting us. Why? Because refusing to forgive is rebellion against God. Refusing to forgive is a refusal to submit, which gives the devil an opening to attack. Refusing to forgive opens you up to deception, as you distance yourself from God and open yourself up to the enemy.
But when you forgive, you submit to God. When you forgive, you draw near to God. When you forgive, you prevent Satan from outwitting you, because you are adhering to the truth. You are aware of his schemes, how the devil tries to stoke division, hatred, bitterness, and anger. You’re aware, and you refuse to fall for these schemes, choosing instead to forgive as God has forgiven you.
You have dominion. If you use your dominion to forgive, the enemy isn’t outwitting you. If you use your dominion to submit to God and forgive, the enemy’s lies can’t touch you.
“As the serpent deceived Eve”
In the same letter to the Corinthian church, Paul also wrote:
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV).
The devil wants you confused.
That’s one of the primary reasons he lies. The devil seeks to fill your mind with lies so that you can’t recognize the truth — so that the lie seems more appealing than the truth.
Confusion aids the enemy.
Why? Consider what a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ” means. If you have a pure devotion to Jesus, are you submitting to Him? Of course. If you have a sincere and pure devotion to Jesus, are you believing what He says? Of course.
With a sincere and pure devotion to Christ, you believe the truth and submit to God. In that state, the enemy can’t touch you.
If you know the simple truth, you won’t end up deceived.
God is sovereign.
You have dominion.
The devil lies.
Let these three simple truths anchor a pure and sincere devotion to Christ.
Immerse yourself in the Gospels. Draw near to Jesus. The more you know Him, the more the purity of who He is will expose every deception.
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Yes!!! Thanks for the comfort.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Good points. We need to be aware that the devil prowls about like a lion seeking whom he can devour and that his agents are active even on Christian Substack. We need to try to practice discernment at all times and not give a foothold to the enemy as he twists Scripture, and the such.