Knowing Your Enemy--Part 2

I hear athletes all the time talk about “putting on their game face.” Just prior to competition they get mentally prepared by focusing in on the task at hand. They recall the scouting report. They go over the game plan in their head. They visualize what they must do in order to be successful. Some call it getting into the zone. The “game face” is an intense look an athlete exhibits that shows that he or she is focused and intent on doing whatever it takes to achieve victory.

Satan has his game face on. At times it may be the face of a subtle serpent (Gen. 3:1ff). He attacks through distraction, attempting to take our eyes off of the prize. At times he employs the face of "an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). The mission of this face is to deceive. Or, Satan may take on the face of a "roaring lion" (1 Pet. 5:8). The mission of this face is to destroy. We must prepare ourselves for battle by being able to recognize the face. In 2 Corinthians 2:10 & 11 Paul wrote, “But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Ignorance is costly when it comes to battling Satan. We must guard our hearts, and we must be keenly aware of his devices.

In chapter 4, verses 7 & 8 of his epistle, James gives us a key piece of strategy for combating the devil: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” The language of this passage denotes warfare. James is speaking militarily. A good soldier puts himself in complete subjection to his captain. He will resist by standing bravely in the face of the enemy. God, of course, is our leader, our general and our commander. Strong as the devil is, God never permits Satan to conquer the man who continues to resist him. Satan cannot force the human will; therefore, the man who finds himself closer to God and serving faithfully in His army, finds himself closer to victory.

We must also go into battle prepared. We learn from Jesus, when He faced Satan in the wilderness, that our best weapon is God’s Word. After the devil tempted Jesus to turn the stones into bread, a weary and hungry Christ responded, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4).” The Word is our sword in the fight against Satan. It is our most valuable possession when we stand toe to toe with the enemy because it is truth that sustains us in the face of a liar.

Peter gives us another crucial piece of advice. He tells us to "be of sober spirit, be on alert" (1 Pet. 5:8a). The KJV uses the word "vigilant." The idea here is to be awake and mindful to what the devil’s devices are, for he is prowling around searching for his next victim. We must respect our opponent in the sense that we realize what he is capable of. We must watch and we pray. Our senses must be alert to the fact that the devil is always seeking an opportunity to devour us. We must make certain that we are hard to swallow.

There is an outfit out of Union, NJ that calls itself Red Devil Tool Company. Their slogan is: “It’s easy with the devil.” Obviously they are boasting that their tools transform difficult tasks into simple ones. This slogan doesn’t transfer over into life. It's not easy with the devil. Satan presents a beautiful and attractive picture of sin and immorality, but never does he present the entire picture. Never does he show sin’s tragic results: the heartache, the anguish, the dysfunction, the brokenness, the pain and, of course, the separation from God. Life isn’t easy with the devil. In fact, it’s the most difficult life of all. Let’s not be ignorant of his devices. Let’s not fall prey to his lying and deceitful nature. Let's not become the roaring lion's lunch!