God’s word teaches us how the devil works through his three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Clearly, the devil tempted Jesus to submit to his authority instead of God’s, which is not much different from the schemes the devil unleashes on us. Though our Lord defeated Satan completely and finally at the cross, in this age the devil is still our adversary who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). In fact, starting in the garden of Eden we can learn much about the schemes Satan is still using.
The devil uses doubt to tempt us.
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell into the devil’s trap much like many today fall into his traps. We should be wary of the same schemes he used against Adam and Eve. We should, as Peter wrote, be sober-minded and watchful when we are confronted with crafty temptations to follow the ways of the world rather than submitting to our Lord and Savior.
For example, when the devil asked Eve, “‘Did God actually say…?'” (Gen. 3:1), he was creating doubt concerning God’s word. He was challenging God’s commandments, creating suspicion and confusion as he began to drawn Eve away from our heavenly Father. We are often faced with the same doubts as the world rejects the existence of God or some self-professing Christians reject the truth of his eternal Word. It’s not difficult to be drawn into the devil’s schemes when people around us challenge the truth God has given in his holy Scriptures, the Bible.
The devil uses desire to tempt us.
Another leading scheme the devil used in the garden and continues to use today is desire. He places things in our lives and in front of our eyes to try and lead us away from God. After the devil challenged the truth of God, directly assaulting God’s word when he lied, saying, “‘You will not surely die'” (Gen 3:4), Eve looked at the fruit of the forbidden tree and saw that it was, “good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes” (Gen 3:6). Against the will of God, Eve desired what was forbidden, much like the world assaults our eyes with innumerable temptations.
Advertisements entice us to covet and consume beyond our financial limits. Satan uses soft and hard pornography to lead us to lustful and adulterous desires. Lifestyles of the wealthy, reality entertainers, politicians, and others who appear to be living “the good life” tempt us to pursue endeavors at odds with God’s moral law—away from loving God and others toward the selfishness of self-gratification. All these are the devil’s schemes, which are designed to separate us from our Lord and Savior.
God has given us protection against the enemy’s schemes.
Yet, God has given us his armor to protect us against schemes like this—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:14-18). The last is especially notable since it is God’s word that is truth, which like a sword does battle for us against schemes of the devil. And God has not left us without the means to resist. His word, the fellowship and encouragement of fellow believers, prayer, worship, and especially the power of the Holy Spirit—who dwells within us—are all means of grace God has given to us to help us persevere against the devil’s schemes.
Daniel Rowlands is content editor at Beautiful Christian Life. He returned to an academic setting to complete Master of
Arts degrees in Biblical Studies and Theological Studies from
Westminster Seminary California after serving more than two decades in
the United States Army as a helicopter and airplane pilot, and
completing a career in various investment advisory roles and financial
planning. He has lived and traveled around the world and currently
resides in Idaho where he serves in his church as a teacher. For
leisure, besides studying the Scriptures, he enjoys fly fishing, hiking,
and road biking.
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