Satan's Motives And Methods

by K. Dorricott, Toronto | Category: Satan And His Kingdom | Mar 1981

Motives

Satan's name itself gives us the key to his motives. Satan means "the adversary". John the apostle said (in 1 John 3:8) "the devil sinneth from the beginning". From the beginning when he was cast out of heaven, Satan set himself up in opposition to God and to God's purposes. Satan is the archenemy of God. And so the primary object of Satan's enmity is not Christians, or even unbelievers, but rather God Himself. He has not repented of his aspirations to God's throne and he is relentless in his pursuit of them. Expressions throughout Scripture such as, "as a roaring lion, walketh about" (1 Pet 5:8) and "straightway cometh Satan" (Mark 4:15) give us some idea of the never-ending activity of Satan in opposition to God. Why does God allow it? Surely it is within God's power right now to banish Satan to the lake of fire, which has specifically been prepared for him (Matt. 25:41). So why is it that Satan is allowed the power that he has?

In the answer to this question we are given a glimpse of the marvellous sovereign works of God. Psalm 76:10 tells us that God makes even the wrath of men to praise Him as He did in the case of Pharaoh (Exod. 9:16). And similarly God permits Satan a degree of power over the human creation for His own divine purpose. We see it in the experiences of Job, of Peter and of the Lord Jesus Himself. The words of Joseph, you "meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20) illustrate this principle. And so Satan's objective is to destroy (1 Pet. 5:8) - to destroy anything for God - which is why he is so active in the spiritual affairs of people on this earth; for God's eternal purpose revolves around people. Christ did not "take hold" of the seed of angels but of the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:16). God chose us (not angels) in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). Thus, because we are so central to the purpose and pleasure of God, Satan focuses his attacks on us. In the case of unbelievers who hear the gospel, Satan's purpose is clear. He who works in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2) blinds "the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel... should not dawn upon them" (2 Cor. 4:4). And so the gospel preacher may present Christ in a very clear way, but the sinner cannot see it. He is being hindered by the adversary. As the word of God is sown, the devil, like the birds of the air with seed, takes it away so that there might not be any life as a result (Mark 4:15). In the Gospels we see also Satan's influence over men - to the extent of demon possession. For example, the poor man who was called "Legion" in Luke 8:30 was possessed of many demons - presumably those angels who were associated with Satan in his great fall from heaven - and it took the authority of Christ to release him. Then again, the lady with the blood disease for twelve years is referred to as having been bound by Satan (Luke 13:16). And Satan's greatest power is the power of death, for Hebrews 2:14 describes him as "him that had the power of death".

With the believer - whether the Old Testament man or woman of faith or a Christian today - Satan's objectives are the same - to destroy anything of value for God. In the case of Job in the Old Testament, we are allowed to witness a scene in heaven - God holding forth Job as a shining example of faith and Satan on the other hand seeking to destroy that faith b~ doing everything within the powers granted to him by God on that occasion (Job 1,2). Satan's purpose? to destroy Job; God's purpose? to prove (and improve) him. This opposition takes place in the very presence of God.

In the case of the Lord's disciples in the New~ Testament, Jesus said to them (Luke 22:31) "Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat". And then He said to Peter in particular, "but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, stablish thy brethren". Satan's desire was to destroy; the Lord's desire was to preserve and to enable Peter, by this experience, to be strengthened for his future work. Satan meant it for evil; God meant it for good. And so God uses even the evil motives and enmity of Satan to His own divine ends. He is indeed the Almighty.

Methods

Satan's other name is the Devil, meaning "the deceiver". This gives us the key to his methods. Satan rarely attacks overtly or obviously - because this stiffens resistance. But he appears as an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). What a contrast between his real activity (as a roaring lion) and his appearance (as an angel of light)! During the life of Christ we have only one instance recorded of direct Satanic attack - in the confrontation in the wilderness after the Lord's baptism (Luke 4). But several times and in various indirect ways, Satan used other people in his opposition - such as, king Herod in the murder of the infants at the Lord's birth (Matt. 2:16), the Pharisees (John 8:44), Peter (Mark 8:33) and Judas Iscariot (John 13:2).

Ephesians 6:11 warns us against the wiles of the devil. 2 Corinthians 2:11 tells us "we are not ignorant of his devices" What then are his methods? One of Satan's primary powers is his ability to tempt us. Take the case of

Judas in John 13. Verse 2 says "the devil having already put into the heart of Judas. . . to betray Him". Then verse 27 says "then entered Satan into him". A great deal happened between these two verses. First, Judas was tempted by Satan. But temptation is not sin; Satan can provoke us to sin yet cannot make us sin. But temptation leads to sin if we harbour it and foster it (J as. 1:14,15) - and this is what Judas did, with the result that his greed for money caused him to betray the Son of God. But James says in his epistle (4:7) "resist the devil, and he will flee from you". How is it possible that Satan will flee from us? Only because of Christ's victory over him at Calvary. Christ "brought to nought him that had the power of death, that is the devil" (Heb. 2:14). In Christ's name, we are to resist Satan's advances.

One of Satan's primary weapons is his relentlessness. When resisted by Christ in the wilderness, he departed from Him - "for a season". Satan may be resisted but he will return - using all the attractions of the world (the occult, entertainment, sexual perversion, materialism, peer pressure, etc.) to appeal through our senses visually and aurally to our natural lusts of pride, greed, ambition, curiosity, self-gratification, etc. He is the father of lies (John 8:44) - making things seem to be what they are not, making what is wrong appear right. As Peter said to Ananias in Acts 5:3, "why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" We are never exempt from his attacks and never finished with them.

In the New Testament epistles specific instances are given as to how Satan tempts various classes of believers:

(i)he tempts husbands and wives to become selfish in their relationship with each other (1 Cor. 7:5);

(ii)he entices overseers to be impressed with their own importance (1 Tim. 3:6);

(iii) and saints to hold a grudge (2 Cor. 2:10,11).

In such cases Satan's stock in trade is deception. We are frequently not conscious that he is behind the temptation. Realizing this is vital. How often have we all felt hindrances to our spending time in scriptural reading and prayer? Defeating the enemy of God can only occur through the divine power available to us (Eph. 6:10-18).

"Faint not, Christian, though the road

Leading to thy blest abode

Darksome be and dangerous too;

Christ, thy Guide, will bring thee through.

Faint not, Christian, though in rage

Satan doth thy soul engage;

Take thee faith's anointed shield,

Bear it to the battlefield".

K. Dorricott, Toronto | Mar 1981
Satan And His Kingdom