Tricks of the Trade

A look at the Devil’s schemes
By Matt Hofeld
Pastor Mayfair Baptist Church, OKC

I know a neat little coin trick where you look at a nickel, dime and quarter and choose one in your head. After you make your choice you tell me which one you chose and then I show you where I have already written down in advance the one I knew you were going to pick. It’s a neat little trick and that’s the point. I make you think that I can do something that I really can’t.

We have an adversary who uses several tricks to try to influence, tempt and tear us away from our relationship with Jesus Christ. He is called the Devil and he is very real! I’m amazed at how many people actually try to deny the existence of the Devil when the bible is very clear on who he is. In fact, Jesus spends more time talking about hell than he does about heaven. He wants us to know the reality of eternity.

We are first introduced to the Devil in Genesis 3:1 when he is getting ready to tempt Eve in the Garden of Eden.

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

He was there in the very beginning doing what he does and that’s trying to turn people away from their focus on God. In fact, we even read about an encounter that Jesus had with the Devil in Matthew chapter 4.

Satan tempted the son of God so don’t think that he won’t try to tempt you and I away from God. In fact, that is what he does! He tries to take us away from God. In John 10:10 Jesus described him as a thief.

If we are believers in Christ the Devil tries to steal our joy and our witness.
You know those people who can find something to complain about in any good situation. That’s what the Devil does. He whispers in our ear and plants seeds of doubt and discouragement. It doesn’t matter what the situation is he wants to make it worse. Instead of having the peace of Christ he wants to fill your life turmoil.

He also wants to steal your credibility as a Christian. He is the best at bringing up the past and leading you to do things that go against what you believe and stand for. He wants you to not be able to tell people about Christ because of your lifestyle. Stop and think about your reputation at school, work and at home. Can you tell people about Christ the way you act, if you can’t you have let him steal your credibility. Get it back!

He does all this through deception. Look back at what he said to Eve in Genesis 3. "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
He knew what God had said to Eve and he used this one statement where he misquoted God to deceive the first man and woman into sinning against God.

He is still doing the same thing to you and me today, but the good news is that the Devil is subject to God’s authority. After the Devil had tempted him the third time Jesus had finally had enough and sent him away in Matthew 4:10.

10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

How do we get rid of the Devil and not fall for his tricks? Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only! Becoming a disciple of Christ means to follow Him with a desire to become like Him. The Devil will always be there and he will never give up on his task of attempting to steal you spiritual joy and witness. However when we worship and serve God only we learn to live in His authority and we are able to not only resist the Devil but also command him to go away from us.