It Starts Small

Friends, we could take hours, days, weeks, months, if not years talking about the schemes of the devil. What I love about God’s Word, He gives us the play book of the enemy. Yesterday we talked about how Paul says our posture of being battle ready is to stand. Then he says, we stand in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan.

That word schemes, in Greek is noema. IT literally means thoughts, devices, contrivances, that which he thinks.

so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.

2 Corinthians 2:11

Just as satan lead Adam and eve to be deceived by his craftiness, our minds can also be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3

The enemy seeks to establish his base of operations in our mind. This is why we are to eat the Word of God and meditate on it day and night so that our minds can be renewed each day.

IN our scripture for today, the word schemes has a little bit of different meaning. Paul used the Greek word methodea. It means to work by method in turn. It is the combination of meta-, which means with, after and –hodos, which means way. These Greek words together refer to an orderly, logical, effective arrangement, usually in steps followed to achieve an end.

It is a deliberate planning or systematic approach and can have a positive or negative connotation. The negative meaning of methodeia implies the use of clever methods or strategies to attain the desired end. Scripture ALWAYS uses methodeia with a negative connotation.

When we think about this simple definition in the context of spiritual warfare, satan is orderly and logical in his steps employed against you to achieve his nefarious purposes. This realization should get us on our feet and prompt each of us to be even more appreciative of the fact that we cannot stand against our invisible enemy on our own intelligence strength or human “methods” or “schemes.” we can not beat the devil at his own game. We MUST put on the full armor of God that He supplies through Christ.

The negative connotation of methodeia tells us the enemy’s tactics: cleverness, craftiness, cunning and deception. The “deceiver” uses specific, subtitle, stealthy plans to target each individual and his goal is to defeat, discourage, and then dishearten each of us. Another way to say it, is that satan’s attacks are tailor made, carefully and methodically selected to attack each person’s specific weaknesses and vulnerabilities. His wiles and methods are usually attractive, deceptive, and ensnaring.

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

1 Peter 5:8

When we look at the scriptures that use methodea, there are several adjectives to describe the type of planning, actions, and method that satan uses.

As you read through this list think about how each describes your mortal foe, the devil.

Craftiness – adept in the use of subtlety and cunning. No place in Scripture reveals Satan’s schemes better than Genesis 3, which records Satan’s initial contact with man.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness;

1 Corinthians 3:19

He traps the wise in their craftiness
so that the plans of the deceptive
are quickly brought to an end.

Job 5:13

Cunning – characterized by wiliness and trickery. It describes the faculty of executing well what one has devised.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Genesis 3:1

Scheming – given to making plots; shrewdly devious and intriguing. Synonyms include artful, calculating, conniving, cunning, deceitful, designing, duplicitous, foxy, Machiavellian, slippery, sly, tricky, underhand, wily.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

Ephesians 4:14

Strategies – careful plans or methods. Strategy can also refer to the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war. The Columbia Encyclopedia notes that “strategy and tactics, in warfare are related terms referring, respectively, to large-scale and small-scale planning to achieve military success. Strategy may be defined as the general scheme of the conduct of a war, tactics as the planning of means to achieve strategic objectives. Synonyms for strategy include: blueprint, design, game plan, project, scheme.

Stratagems – an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy. A cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end. Stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

Tactics – The derivation of the word tactic is very interesting and gives us some insight into the meaning of the devil’s methods. The word “tactics” is from the Greek word taktikos which means “of order, of tactics, fit for arranging” and which in turn is derived from “tassein” which means to arrange or place in battle formation. Tactics is defined then as the science and art of disposing and maneuvering forces in combat. It refers to the art or skill of employing available means to accomplish an end. In short, the tactics of the devil are calculated plans specifically designed to bring the downfall of God’s people and His kingdom.

Trickery – the practice of crafty underhanded ingenuity to deceive or cheat. It implies ingenious acts intended to dupe or cheat.

¹⁶ The Lord hates six things;
in fact, seven are detestable to him:
¹⁷ arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸ a heart that plots wicked schemes,
feet eager to run to evil,
¹⁹ a lying witness who gives false testimony,
and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.

Proverbs 6:16-19

Wiles – tricks or strategy carried out with the intent to entice, ensnare or deceive. Wiles suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

Ray Stedman in his excellent book “Spiritual Warfare” has this note regarding “methodeia“:

“What are the tactics the devil employs? He destroys by deceiving, by lying, by distorting, by counterfeiting, by masquerading, by clouding human minds with illusion and fantasy. This is what Paul calls “the devil’s schemes,” or as some translations put it, “the wiles of the devil” Read through the Bible and see how many times the work of the devil is referred to in that manner – the snares and the traps of the devil, the lies and illusions, the stratagems and the wiles. That is why we must look closely at the tactics the devil uses against us so that we can be strong and well-defended when he comes to us to defeat us, weaken us, and ruin our lives….By far, the majority of attacks of the devil against Christians are not direct but indirect. That is why they are called the “schemes” of the devil. Schemes suggest deviousness or acting in a way that is subtle, secretive, and treacherous. We need to examine this more thoroughly, for the major attack of the devil and his powers against human life is not by direct means, but indirectly by satanic suggestions through the natural and commonplace situations of life. So we have an enormous responsibility before God and before the entire world to give ourselves, body and soul, to this great battle against the schemes of the evil one. We have a responsibility to battle the schemes of the devil in this world, and to point the way to the peace and security that lies ahead of us in the world to come…most often the devil comes in disguise, through the channel of “the flesh” our inner selves with silken, subtle, suggestive schemes. That is the avenue of satanic attack the apostle Paul warns us most strenuously about: the subtle schemes of the devil.”

(Stedman, Ray. Spiritual Warfare. Revised edition, 1999)

Stedman goes on to write

“Friend, in Christ there is nothing that more clearly indicates that we have succumbed to the schemes of the devil than to complain about our lot in life. Again and again, the Word of God shows that the mark of a Christian who has learned how to be a Christian is that he rejoices in everything and gives thanks in all things.”

I would recommend his book for all believers who have received Christ to read. It really opened my eyes to the unseen world around me. I learned that seldom does Satan ever attack openly with an overt frontal assault. Most of us will probably never be attacked by Satan himself as he is a finite not omnipresent being, however, Satan does command a host of fallen angels who share his evil design for mankind.

Satan’s Schemes are nearly always unseen, shrewd, and perfectly tailored to ensnare his victim like a fowler camouflaging his net to trap a bird (“methodical”). “Schemes, wiles and methods” speak of the trickery and subterfuge by which evil and temptation present themselves in our lives.

Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal.

Satan and his minions gain entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate. But to reiterate it is a baited and camouflaged trap.

¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

1 Corinthians 11:4

God is so goooooood! He gives us all we need to know about evil in His word. I put together a listing of scriptures that teaches us that the devil is:

1) Accuses – Job1:6-11; Job 2:1-4; Zech 3:1; Rev 12:10

2) Afflicts – Job1:12-19; Job 2:6-7; Luke 13:16; Rev 2:10

3) Conquers – Acts 10:38; Eph 6:16; 2Ti 2:26

4) Deceives – Ge 3:1-6; Jn 8:44; Ac 13:10; 2Co 4:4; 11-15; 2Th 2:9-10; Rev 2:9; 3:9

5) Hinders – 1Th 2:18

6) Murders – John 8:44

7) Perverts – Acts 13:10; 2Th 2:9, 10

8) Prompts – 1Chr 21:1; John 13:2,27; Acts 5:3

9) Schemes – 2Cor 2:11; Eph 6:11; 1Ti 3:7

10) Stalks – 1Pe 5:8

11) Steals – Mt 13:19; Luke 8:12

12) Tempts – Mt 6:13; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13; 1Cor 7:5; 1Th 3:5

13) Threatens – Heb 2:14-15

This list of the “wiles of the devil” should thoroughly convince each of us of our need to be totally dependent on the full of armor of God and not hesitate to put on the whole armor!

What are you waiting for dear Christian friend?