Overcoming the Devices of Satan

We just finished learning about the six devices of Satan in our last study. These methods of attack have caused many Christians to fall and left nonbelievers lost. Yet none of Satan’s devices can defeat someone who loves the truth enough to seek it.

At the root of all unbelief and hardened hearts is the love of a lie. We must examine our hearts to see whether we value truth more than a lie. Satan uses six devices—subtlety, ignorance, doubt, pride, pleasure, and guilt—to destroy those who do not.

Some say the Devil walks about as a roaring lion because he has no teeth. The truth is, he has teeth—and to underestimate him is dangerous. He prowls like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour—and he can devour those unprepared.

From the beginning, his method has been the same. The six devices are like his teeth. They haven’t changed.

Let’s learn to spot the enemy’s attacks in our own lives—and in the lives of others—and cast them down, one by one.

Subtlety – Device of Satan #1

How can you spot the snake in the grass? Satan is subtle. Sometimes he works in our lives without us even noticing.

This passage shows us how easily even a devoted believer can fall into Satan’s trap without realizing it. Before this, Jesus called Peter a rock. Now He rebukes him sharply, saying, “Get thee behind me, Satan.”

Peter didn’t realize he was acting in the wrong spirit—he thought he was protecting Jesus. This is the subtlety of Satan: he rarely attacks openly. He disguises himself as something good, even right.

Satan appeals to our morality, compassion, and sense of what is good. But when our feelings or thoughts contradict God’s Word, they are never truly right. We must always put God’s Word first. Otherwise, like the Pharisees, we may oppose God while thinking we are doing what is right.

So how do we guard ourselves against such hidden attacks?

The best way to overcome Satan’s subtlety is to be sober and vigilant. When we are alert, we can test the spirits, weigh every thought against God’s Word, and recognize what is not from Him.

He uses subtlety in many ways. He may change a single, seemingly insignificant word that alters the meaning of Scripture. He may shift from one logical point to a seemingly parallel one that really isn’t. He may distract you with one hand while striking with the other—all while appearing innocent.

To stay alert and sober, we need help to expose these subtle lies.

God’s Word is our lamp. Without it, we are blind to the subtle lies of Satan. By recognizing small compromises, sneaky distractions, and half-truths, we can spot him quickly.

Satan may attack through friends, family, or even our own minds. If it contradicts God’s Word, it is not from Him. Answer as Jesus did—with truth—and give the subtle snake no ground.

Ignorance – Device of Satan #2

“Hath God said?” This was the first sentence Satan spoke in the Bible. It was simple, but deadly. How many times have we heard similar questions?

“Isn’t the Bible full of contradictions?”

“Is this really a sin?”

“Does God really care?”
These seem harmless, but they can open the door to doubt. Satan asked questions in Eden not to learn, but to plant seeds of rebellion in Eve’s mind.

It’s tempting to avoid these questions. Some even cite Scripture to justify running away:

These Scriptures are often cited to suggest that we should avoid confrontation entirely. While they do instruct us to avoid strife, they also show that we must engage with those whose thinking is so backward that they oppose themselves.

This isn’t a contradiction—it’s a riddle for the wise. It teaches us how to handle foolish people. We should first endeavor to help the fool understand, because our goal is their salvation. But once they have proven resistant to instruction, we must know when to let them go.

Titus helps to clarify Proverbs. We are to avoid foolish questions—those that are unprofitable and vain. These are questions asked not for answers but to make a point. Answering them is pointless. For example: why does an atheist care what God’s law says when he doesn’t believe in God in the first place?

Notice, though, that we are never told to not give an answer at all. We are instructed to pick our battles. Once someone proves they will not listen, we must reject them, because they are only attempting to undermine God’s authority (subverted is one way to describe this).

Battling ignorance is not just about overcoming our own lack of knowledge—it is also about addressing the ignorance in others. We must know how to confront this device of Satan.

Before we can teach others, we must know the truth ourselves. Fear of the Lord means honoring God, recognizing His authority, and submitting to His Word. Without it, there is only mocking and scoffing.

Teaching and learning take time. Few understand Christianity well enough to teach at first. But if we fear the Lord and study Scripture, we grow. Mistakes may happen, but knowledge and discernment follow those who persist.

Ignorance is dangerous, but it can be overcome—with truth, patience, and the fear of the Lord.

Doubt – Device of Satan #3

Doubt doesn’t just mean you don’t believe something is true. It means you aren’t sure either way. You lean toward unbelief. You become skeptical.

It isn’t hard to understand why some struggle with uncertainty about God and the Bible. Many accusations are thrown at them—some even sound plausible.

As with ignorance, doubt often stems from a lack of knowledge. You may question the accuracy of the Bible because you’ve heard supposed contradictions but don’t know how to respond. You may wonder whether the Scriptures have been corrupted because you’re unfamiliar with their history. Or you may hear the scientific community present “facts” about evolution or the world and feel unprepared to reply.

So how do you overcome doubt? By being fully persuaded. You must know what you believe—and why. You must be willing to learn.

Be humble enough to admit you don’t have all the answers. But not understanding something doesn’t mean the Bible is wrong. It simply means your understanding is limited at the moment.

As a teacher, I often told my students, “You don’t have to know all the answers; you just have to know how to find them.” This is true here as well.

Search the Scriptures to understand them. God’s Word is like hidden treasure—you sometimes have to dig to uncover its wisdom.

Don’t stop there. Dive into apologetics. Learn new ways of looking at things the world may overlook. Instead of letting ignorance breed doubt, let it drive you to learn.

You may have started your walk with God without really knowing why. You may have just felt the need in your soul but that’s all you know right now. That is often all it takes to start the race. But to finish it you will need to overcome ignorance to know what you believe and why you believe it.

Pride – Device of Satan #4

Who decides what is right and wrong? What if each of us chose for ourselves? There would be no jails, no crime—but likely no people either, because many would destroy one another. Some even believe the “right” thing is to eliminate anyone who disagrees with them.

Wouldn’t it be better for a perfect God to set the law? We are flawed humans who don’t fully understand how the universe works. What if we made a law, thinking it was good, but it caused disaster?

Do you think this couldn’t happen if you were in charge? It is pride that makes us think we could do a better job than God. Pride tricks us into thinking our understanding is enough.

Yes, there are parts of the Bible that seem hard to accept. God’s Word addresses slavery, the treatment of women, the destruction of entire nations, and more. But when we humbly search, we see that everything God does is righteous.

The choice is ours: will we judge God by our limited standards? No. God is the Judge, and He never makes mistakes—because He sees what we cannot.

How do we overcome the device of pride?

Instead of fighting against the Judge, we should seek to understand why He does what He does. This builds humility instead of lifting ourselves up in our own eyes.

Consider God ordering His people to wipe out entire cities. At first, it may sound morally wrong. But what would have happened if He hadn’t? Everyone dies because of sin. God alone has the authority to decide how and when, and He can even use death for good.

Defeating pride means seeing ourselves as we truly are—not as we wish we were. We are not God. We are not always right. Pride is defeated by putting God first and our neighbor second—and by remembering that doing what is expected of us is only our rightful duty, not reason to think higher of ourselves.

Pleasure – Device of Satan #5

We sin because we enjoy it. Make no mistake—there is pleasure in sin. The Bible even says so:

Sin offers an immediate “reward”—pleasure now, long before the end of our lives. But we don’t know when the end will come.

We have a choice to make: will we love pleasure more than God? Some think they can turn to God on their deathbed. But true salvation requires genuine repentance. If God were to heal you today, would you follow Him—or wait until your next brush with death? Be honest.

So how do we overcome this device?

Count the cost. Know what living for pleasure really means. Know that as long as you live for pleasure, you cannot live for God. Know that it hardens your heart, delays your repentance, and could cause you to miss your chance at salvation.

What is worth more: pleasure now and an eternity of hell—or discomfort now and an eternity of joy? Count the cost.

Guilt – Device of Satan #6

Once you recognize you are in trouble, you have a choice: will you fight against God, run and hide, or face Him honestly? You can know you need Him yet resist that knowledge, turning away from the truth. Or you can humble yourself, face God honestly, and accept what He says.

Scripture reminds us:

• “All have sinned.” – Romans 3:23
• “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
• “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” – Ezekiel 18:20
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
• “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:15
• “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” – Acts 3:19
• “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” – Romans 11:22

Avoiding God because you feel guilty is like refusing a shower because you feel dirty. This device of Satan is overcome by trusting God’s Word, regardless of what your feelings say.

It’s important to understand that faith does not depend on how you feel. You may feel unworthy, broken, or too guilty to approach God—but your feelings do not determine His forgiveness. God’s Word is true whether you feel it or not. Believing in His promises and trusting in Christ is enough. You don’t have to feel forgiven to be forgiven; you simply need to accept what God says.

Overcoming Satan’s devices is only part of the battle. How do we stand firm when our faith is challenged? Now that we’ve covered how to overcome the devices of Satan, let’s learn how to defend our faith in the next study.

Unit 3:17 – How to Defend The Faith OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 3 To Review What You Have Gone Over