Section 3: First Device

Section 3

Satan’s Devices to Keep Souls from Holy Duties,

To Hinder Souls in Holy Services,

& to Keep Them Off from Religious Performances

Device 1 – Satan dresses up the world in such a way that it entraps and wins a person’s affections.  He presents the world in all its finery, which proves a bewitching sight to a world of men.  He tried this with Christ but could find nothing in Him for his temptation to work upon (Mt. 4:8-10). How many people have followed hard after God for a time until the devil beguiles them with the world’s finery and they start to neglect holy duties and eventually turn their back on them altogether (2 Timothy 4:10). Where a thousand have been destroyed by the world’s frowns, ten thousand have been destroyed by its smiles.  

First Remedy – To think on the impotency and weakness of things below.  A crown of gold cannot cure a headache.  Our own experience proves this when we see that all the riches and fame that men enjoy cannot keep them from common infirmities.  We also notice that great wealth cannot keep a man from falling into poverty.  Why then should something that cannot give you true comfort and security on earth keep you from gaining entrance to heaven?

Second Remedy – To think not only upon the impotency but the vanity of things below.  This is the sum of Solomon’s message in Ecclesiastes, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” He had tried all of these things and was able to pronounce with authority that anything but the fear of God was vanity (Ecclesiastes 12:13).  There are many thousands who would profess to agree with Solomon’s words, yet chase after these things as though there were nothing more glorious.  John Chrysostom once said that if he had an opportunity to gather the whole world before him, he would stand on a mountain and preach Psalm 4:2, “O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?”

If you say that you believe that the things of this world are vanity, why do you spend more time on thoughts of the world than on Christ, heaven and eternity? Why do you neglect your duty toward God to gain the world? Why are you so fervent in pursuing the world and so cold in your pursuit after God, Christ and holiness? Why are you so happy when the world smiles at you and so dejected when it frowns upon you? 

Third Remedy – To think often about the uncertainty and changeableness of all things here below.  Man himself is but a vapor (James 4:14), The Scriptures constantly remind us not to trust in the fleeting treasures of this world, which is itself only temporary.  Consider Proverbs 23:4-5, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.  When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Again, 1 Corinthians 7:31, “and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.” Paul gave Timothy this instruction concerning rich men, “charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” 

As a bird hops from tree to tree, so do riches and fame hop from man to man. Where is the glory of Solomon today?  Where are the palaces of Nebuchadnezzar?  Where is the power of Alexander? Where is the authority of Caesar?  Those that had the most glory in life have often come to the most inglorious ends.  

Fourth Remedy – remember that the things of this world are dangerous to both the inner and outer man due to the corruptions of the heart.  A wealthy man’s riches are a strong tower in his imagination (Psalm 30:6).  They very often swell the heart with pride and make men forget and neglect God. Consider Moses’ pronouncement in Deuteronomy 32:15, or God’s sobering assessment of Judah’s once faithful King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16).  Even honestly gained riches are like manna; those that gathered less had no want, and those that gathered more than they needed daily found it a trouble and annoyance to them.  

Fifth Remedy – Remember that all the happiness of this world is mixed.  Our light is mixed with darkness, our joy with sorrow, our pleasure with pain, our honor with dishonor and our riches with wants.  Sorrow accompanies worldly joy, danger accompanies worldly safety, loss accompanies our labors and tears accompany our worldly purposes.  To chase after these things is to chase after vain hope and counterfeit joy.  

Sixth Remedy – Get better acquainted with and become assured of better and more glorious things. Consider the faithful of Hebrews 10-11.  That which lifted up their spirits to rise above this world was the assurance of better things.  They were looking for a city whose architect and maker was God.  This caused them to count all the glory of this world as something too contemptible to set their hearts upon.  The riches of heaven are the Holy Spirit, adoption, justification, remission of sin, and peace with God; these triumph over the riches of this life and the favor of men.  Those that become acquainted with the goods of the throne will easily trample on the goods of the footstool.  How much wiser is the man who works to acquire the things of eternity that will yield joy in life and peace in death!  Assurance of glorious things will breed in the soul a holy scorn and contempt of all the trivial things we valued before we met Christ.  

Seventh Remedy – Consider that true happiness and satisfaction is never to be had in the enjoyment of worldly goods.  The angels in heaven experience perfect happiness and blessedness yet they do not have the things of this world.  If happiness was to be found in these things, the Lord Jesus, who is the heir of all things, would have exchanged his cradle for a crown.  Will honor, riches, or the admiration of men comfort you when you die or will it be faith in the blood of Christ, the witness of the Spirit of Christ, the love and favor of Christ and the hope of reigning eternally with Christ? Happiness cannot be found in those things that cannot satisfy the soul of man, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). 

Eighth Remedy – Consider the worth of the soul.  The soul of man is worth more than a thousand worlds.  It is the height of folly to let it dwell upon the fading glory of this world when it is capable of union with Christ, of communion with the Father, and of enjoying an eternal vision of God.  Seneca once said, “I am too great and born to greater things than that I should be a slave to bodily passions.”

So much time has been spent on the remedies against this device of Satan because he usually does more harm to men by this one than all others.  We would be wise to always keep these words before us, “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).  Don’t let the things of this world keep you from the holy and heavenly services that will make you blessed while you live and happy when you die.  Blessed are they who prefer Christ’s spirituals and eternals above all temporary and transitory things. 

Satan's 12th Device to Draw Us into Sin

Device 12 - Satan will entice you to have sinful friends and run in sinful circles. 

First Remedy - Meditate on the commands of God that expressly forbid us to shun the company of the wicked (Proverbs 1:10-15; Proverbs 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6).  These commands cannot be taken lightly.  If you don't observe them, they will rise up like witnesses against you and like a millstone around your neck to sink you in the day of judgment. 

Second Remedy - Consider how bad company is infectious and dangerous. "As ye shun a stinking carcass, as the seaman shuns rocks and sand, as ye shun those who have plague-sores running on them, so you should shun the society of wicked men." As weeds endanger a garden, the company of evil people endangers the soul (Proverbs 13:20)!

Third Remedy - Consider the names that Scripture gives to evil men. They are referred to as lions for their fierceness, bears for their cruelty, dragons for their destruction, dogs for their filthiness, and wolves for their craftiness.  Scripture also calls them scorpions, vipers, thorns, briars, thistles, brambles, stubble, dirt, chaff, dust and dregs.  It is not to safe to look at them with the names that sinful men may give them, but we must remember those names that Scripture sets upon them.  As was Nabal's name, so was his nature (1 Samuel 25:25)!  You may know what is in a man's nature by the names that the Holy Spirit gives them in Scripture. 

Fourth Remedy - Remember that the company of evil men was a source of grief to the saints who have gone before  (Psalm 120:5-6; Jeremiah 9:2; 2 Peter 2:7). Guilt or grief is all that the saints receive from the company of evil men. 

Satan's 11th Device to Draw Us Into Sin

Device 11 - Satan will cloud the minds and judgments of men with dangerous errors of doctrine that will lead them into sin.  For example, he will encourage us to have such low views of Scripture, the ordinances, or the church that we begin to think that these things are unimportant.

First Remedy - Consider that wrong beliefs are just as evil to God as evil deeds. Think about Romans 1:28.  Because men suppressed the truth in unrighteousness, God's punishment was to give them over to depraved minds.  Depraved minds lead to depraved deeds.  We cannot separate thought from action.
 
Second Remedy - Be ready and willing to receive the truth and to let it dwell in your heart.  When men bar the doors of their hearts against truth, God gives them up to be deluded and deceived by error to their eternal undoing (2Thessalonians 2:10-12).  It is not he that receives the most truth into his head, but the one that receives it affectionately into his heart that will enjoy the blessing of sound judgment and discernment while others are deluded and deceived by error.  If you would love truth then don't let God's word be a stranger but make it your best friend!

Third Remedy - Remember that maintaining error, even those sincerely held, brings nothing but loss. Consider Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.  All those who rise early and retire late and travel the world to propagate falsehood will lose all the fruits of their labor no matter how sincerely they held those beliefs.  How sad to discover in eternity that one's labors will burn up in futility.  How much wiser to 'buy truth and sell it not" (Proverbs 23:23).

Fourth Remedy - Learn to hate every doctrine that would lead to legalism or license and that would substitute our righteousness for that of Christ's.

Fifth Remedy - Hold fast to truth (1 Tim. 1:13; Titus 1:9)! Hasn't truth been your best friend on your worst days?  Hasn't truth stood by you when others have forsaken you? Hasn't it done more for you than all the world?  How then can you forsake the least truth of God? Truth is your right eye, without which you cannot see Christ.  It is your right hand, without which you cannot work for Christ.  It is your right foot, without which you cannot walk with Christ.  Learn to treasure it more than rubies and gold (Proverbs 3:15)!

Sixth Remedy - Keep Humble! Just as low trees and shrubs are safer from violent winds, so humble souls are safer from the blasts of Satan that would tear down proud men. The God of light and truth delights to dwell with the humble, and the more light and truth dwell in your hearts the further off darkness and error will stand from your soul. 

Seventh Remedy - Consider the great evils that false doctrines have produced. "Error is a fruitful mother, and hath brought forth such monstrous children as hath set towns, cities and nations on fire." Ideas have consequences!

Satan's 10th Device to Draw Us Into Sin

Device 10 - Satan will encourage us to compare ourselves and our lives with those who are reported to be more evil than we are.  Look no further than the Pharisee who compared himself to the tax-collector (Luke 18:11).  Satan will encourage you to think that your imperfections and weaknesses are not as grievous as others so you are not as great a sinner as they are.
 
First Remedy - Remember that there is no clearer proof that a man is a hypocrite than to see the speck in another's eye while missing the plank in his own. (Matt. 7:3-4). Don't turn a magnifying glass on others without turning it first to yourself!

Second Remedy - Spend more time comparing your attitudes and actions with the perfect standard of God's word, by which you will be judged, than in comparing yourself to others.  What monsters men would appear to be if they would compare themselves with a righteous rule and not with sinful men; they would appear as black as hell itself!

Third Remedy - Remember that though your sins may not seem as great as others, without repentance and pardoning mercy you will be just as guilty and equally damned as others though their punishments may not be as severe.  God will suit men's punishments to their sins; the greatest sins will receive the greatest punishments. But what comfort will that be if you are shut out forever from the glorious presence of Christ and every good thing for eternity.  If the Ephesian elders wept because they wouldn't see Paul's face again (Acts 20:37), how much worse will it be to be eternally shut out from the presence of God.  Not only to be shut out of the presence of heaven but to be shut up with demons and evil men for eternity. 

Satan's 9th Tactic To Draw Us Into Sin

Tactic 9: Satan will highlight all the difficulties that accompany those who walk in the ways of holiness. Satan will work to convince you that there are none more troubled in the world than those who are trying to follow Christ.  He will tell you that it is madness to spend your days in sorrow, vexation and affliction when it can be prevented by walking in the way he presents to you.  

First Remedy: Remember that all the troubles that come upon God's people will ultimately benefit them.  We can point out at least seven benefits to the saints. 

• First, In our affliction we learn to see sin in its true colors.  They function like a magnifying glass to give us the clearest possible picture of sin's ugliness.
• Second, they contribute to the mortifying and purging of sins (Isaiah 1:15; Isaiah 27:8-9). They are the furnace which purifies God's people of their impurities.  Remember that Israel would not listen to the prophets in a time of prosperity, but captivity in Babylon caused them to put away their idolatry.
• Third, afflictions work as preservatives to keep the saints from sin (Job 34:31-32). A child which touches a hot stove remembers not to do it again.  A saint under the discipline of the Lord does not want to purchase repentance at so high a price again.  
• Fourth, afflictions make us more fruitful in holiness (Hebrews 12:10-11). Stephen was only able to see heaven open and the Savior standing at the right hand of God while the rocks were beating his body and he was only moments from death.  By the afflictions that befall them, the saints gain a clearer picture of the God that upholds them.  
• Fifth, afflictions serve to keep the saints humble and tender (Lamentations 3:19-20). Prosperity tends to puff us up while affliction brings us low. 
• Sixth, afflictions bring the saints nearer to God and make them more earnest in prayer (Psalm 119:67,71).  Brooks writes, "Afflictions are like pricks at the nightingale's breast, that awakes her, and puts her upon sweet and delightful singing."
• Finally, afflictions work to revive and recover graces that have fallen into disuse and faith that has grown weak.  The more the saints are beaten by the hammer of affliction the more they become trumpets of God's praises.   Adversity serves to diminish our desire for the world and gratification of the flesh.

Given these benefits, let no one be so mad as to leave the difficult road to holiness to walk the smooth path of wickedness.


Second Remedy: Remember that all the afflictions that affect the saints can only affect the flesh, they cannot harm the spirit (1 Peter 3:13). Socrates said of his enemies, "They may kill me but they cannot hurt me."  Afflictions may kill us but they cannot hurt us; they may take away our life, but they cannot take away our God, our Christ nor our crown (Mt. 10:28).

Third Remedy: Remember that the afflictions of the saints are only momentary (Psalm 30:5).  It is a very short time between grace and glory, between our title to the crown and our wearing the crown, between our right to the heavenly inheritance and our possession of the heavenly inheritance (Hebrews 13:36-37). Remember that God does not account time like we do and the scriptures speak of our "slight momentary affliction" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Fourth Remedy: Remember that the afflictions that come upon the saints flow from the deepest love of God (Rev. 3:19).  A person who escapes affliction may have good reason to suspect his adoption into God's family (Hebrews 12:5-8).  When we are first converted we are just a rough model of what God intends us to be but it is through affliction that God shapes us into a man or woman that is fit for glory.  This shaping and molding is a sign of God's love.

Fifth Remedy: Remember that it is our duty and glory not to measure afflictions by their beginning but by their end.  When Israel left bondage in Egypt they did so with all the treasures of their oppressors (Exodus 11:3). When they left Babylon, they did so with the treasures and blessings of that kingdom (Ezra 1:7-11). Look more closely at the end of a Christian than the beginning of his affliction.  Don't look at the beggar Lazarus but rather see him lying in Abraham's bosom.  Don't look at Joseph in prison but see him as ruler of Egypt.  Don't see David being chased by Saul, but see him as King of all Israel.  Afflictions are like the dirt road that leads to a royal palace; they are the dark door to the Father's house. 


Sixth Remedy: Remember that God's design in affliction is to prove the character of his saints, not to ruin them (Job 33:10; Deuteronomy 8:2).  God sometimes afflicts his people to display to them and to others what is truly in their hearts.  In the same way that snow can cover a dunghill, prosperity can cover a rotten heart.  Withered leaves fall off in windy weather and rotten limbs are removed by the storm.  Afflictions show us where are hearts are most unsound.  Our complaints will reveal where are most vulnerable to sin.

Seventh Remedy: Remember that the afflictions that accompany sin are far worse than those that are found in the way of holiness.  What is a golden cup that has poison at the bottom? The curse of God, the wrath of God and the fierce indignation of God always accompany those who choose wickedness and disobedience.  Turn to Deuteronomy 28:15 ff. or Leviticus 26:14 ff., and you will see how the curse of God follows the sinful.  There is no solid joy or lasting comfort that travels with sinners in their wicked ways.