Pont 3 - The enemies advantages, wiles and devices - Ephesians 6:11

Because the enemy is not like God, he and his cohorts takes advantage of what we give them and set up wiles and deceptive devices to lure and trick people 1st Peter 5:8.  It’s essential to recognize and understand them if we desire to overcome and win the victory. Keep in mind, and very important is that most of the enemy’s devices appeal to our egos, carnality, flesh and sensibilities.

There was a recent study done concerning those who proclaim to be Christians and them reading their bibles. The study revealed that only nine percent of those professing to be Christian read their bibles. I can only assume the number goes even lower in regards to those who actually study their bibles. Therefore, there are certain topics in the bible that many simply don’t know about. This ignorance gives the enemy an advantage. By not knowing what the scriptures say about him, his cohorts and tactics, it’s easy to set traps and influence people because they have little biblical frame of references to recognize or qualify them. So his activities go unchecked by many. Please understand that God’s word is the number one thing the enemy wars and fights against people learning and being exposed to. We should be continually learning God’s word. 1^st Timothy 4:13-16

Even today, there are a number of people who do not believe that Satan exists and is an actual real being. This gives the enemy an advantage because he can set up influences and influence people anonymously. People will not attribute concepts, ideologies and pyridines to him. Moreover, they may think that it is coming from their own thought life. If the enemy can infiltrate peoples thoughts, and convince them that the thoughts that they are having are their own, they will never see his influence. The more people don’t believe the enemy exist and is behind many of our social and moral problems, the greater advantage and edge he has. The devil is real and he is behind many of the problems we are experiencing in the world today. Many of the concepts that drive society comes from him. Racism, hate, social and immoral ills come from the enemy. Yet, people think that it’s their ideas. Therefore, and often we perceive ourselves as the enemy towards one another. When in reality, the enemy and his concepts are the real enemy. But he is hidden in anonymity , therefore undetected. The enemy uses anonymity to his advantage. Jesus knew who was behind Peter’s actions and dealt with it. Matthew 16:21-23

Look at Isaiah 14:16. This text is speaking about the enemy being revealed as the instigator of many of humanities problems. The inference here also is understood that his influence was clandestine and anonymous. People are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Therefore there is a natural propensity to sin and make certain choices.  However, this does not release people for being responsible for their actions. As mentioned earlier, the enemy cannot make us do anything. I remember years ago, a comedian name Flip Wilson would say “the devil made me do it”. Well, that’s simply not true. Yes, the enemy’s concepts, wiles and schemes may have unknowingly influenced you, but the choice was yours to make. He cannot make anyone do anything. We are responsible for our choices. 

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 / Deuteronomy 30:19. However, this does not eliminate the influence of the enemy. He purposely remains anonymous to his advantage. 

The word wiles used is the Greek word is methodiah. Cleary associated with a method of trickery. The enemy uses different kinds of wiles. A wile is a method, plan, scheme or machination used to deceive, entrap and ruin the souls of men. A wile is a deceptive cunning trick to manipulate someone into believing or doing something with the assumption of an end result. When in reality, the end result turns out to be something else. Often, the end result makes things worst.

The devil is presenting the kingdoms of the world to Jesus as the end result of Him bowing down to him. While knowing that once He goes after it, the end result will be something else. The Lord would be separated from God, aborting His purpose, giving up humanity and serving the enemy. Clearly He didn’t fall for it. He rebuked the enemy and declared God’s word. We overcome this wile by staying focused on God’s will and word, preferring God’s will and riches above the worlds.

The enemy presents what appears to be something good and desirable. Once you take the bait, it’s switched to vanity, deception or bondage. When given the opportunity, the devil will make it appear worth your while to violate the statutes of God; only to switch and enslave you to sin. This method is used to deceive and enslave people to sin.

Look at Numbers 25:16-18. This is why it’s so important to obey God’s word and be led by His Spirit. The enemy is crafty. We do well to obey God and His word.

A device is a deceptive lie or concept. They could be a concept about how we view life, religious practices or societal standards. The enemy uses devices to deceive, trap and influence people. Devices blind and deceive people through its concepts and ideologies. 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4. The enemy’s devices or concepts undermine God's truth, standards and position as Almighty God, creator and sovereign ruler of all. The answer to a wile is God’s truth understood and spoken by love. Devices develop into strongholds. Strongholds are citadels occupied by the enemy. This occupation can exist in the heart or soul as in oppression possession. Or it can be maintained by a concept, ideology or mental paradigm. They are pulled down and dislodged by truth instructed and spoken in love. 2nd Corinthians 10:4-5 / Ephesians 4:15

God has placed in every human a void or desire to know and understand Him. In an attempt to satisfy that void, humanity looks to the ends of the world to find God. The enemy knows this and he presents devices of perverted truths and false religions to deceive and hold people captive. He sows them in the world as error, cults and false religious organizations. He uses leaders to implement and teach them. 

Acts 8:9-24 / Acts 13:6-12 / the Judaizers in Acts 15:1 and Galatians 3:1-2  

Secular Humanism is a concept that humanity determines its own standards opposed to God. It is principled in the belief that humanity evolved, therefore it sets the bar for its standards and morality without God. This is a worldwide concept planted by the enemy to exalt man and eliminate the principles of creation and the existence of God. We find this concept impacting our laws and education systems attempting to eliminate biblical concepts. Secular Humanism dismisses God's position as the creator of all things and the King James Bible as the inspired word of God. Therefore, humanity determines right and wrong and life’s standards. This sets humanity up to live without accountability to God and opens them to His judgments. The answer to a device is the truth of God’s word spoken in love.

Evolution is a theory that creation was random. It is a Charles Darwin theory that believes that creation is the result of organisms changing and evolving from a certain species into another one. It is described as a change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It is the thinking that people evolved and came from particles, to another form of animal life, then to humans. I imagine that most evolutionists believe in evolution because they want to. As this concept have so many holes in it. It is a lie of the enemy to cause people to believe that creation occurred without an intentional intelligent Creator. The desire of the enemy is to discount the biblical facts of creation to dismiss God in our lives. Actually, science knows this is not true. Once they discovered that cell DNA were already programmed it became clear that creation had intelligence and intent. (Stephen Myer – Signature in the cell). Evolution simply is a lie and a device of the enemy to separate people from God. Again, the answer is God’s truth, spoken in love.

The word is a combination of the Greek-derived combining forms neo-, meaning "new," and -philia, meaning "liking for." Neophilia simply means “love of the new.” Those who suffer from this insatiable love of new things are referred to as neophiliacs or neophiles. There is nothing wrong with new things or technology. The problem is enemy’s desire for us to dismiss those land marks, standards and biblical tenants and principles in favor of the new adjusted watered down carnal version. The inference is that the old no longer applies or has relevance and thus rejected. This leads people to dismiss biblical standards and concepts to except the enemy’s new worldly concepts and philosophies. This impacts what we determine as pillars in the faith as well as in our society and how we live.

Individualism in the concept that speaks to a person’s focus and actions centered only on them. Individualism plays in place with secular humanism. In that they both have man at the center of life. This concept drives a great part of our social structure and how some behave. It promotes a self-centered selfish life style without any consideration of others. Everything is about you. It challenges the team concept or the bigger picture in favor of how it impacts me only. Its make all relationships transactional, looking for what you can get out of it or them. This concept is the opposite of biblical thinking that speak to us serving and being considerate of others. This impacts relationship and the family community dynamics. This impacts our young people greatly. In that it encourages them to think only about themselves and it hinders their social development. Fact is; God’s way of serving considering others, teams and contributing to groups and family brings the most fulfillments in our lives.  

It is the concept that material possessions and physical comforts as more valuable and important than spiritual values. This can lead people to equate their self worth with the things that they possess. This can cause people to attempt to get as much as they can to present an outward declaration of self worth. And because it does not work, people go to great extents to feed into this black hole of a lie, setting themselves up for vanity discontent and disappointment. Our lives are valued by God in regards to what it cost to redeem us. The answer is that Jesus was the cost, as He is our redeemer. 1st Peter 1:18-20

Relativism is the view that a belief or philosophy of life can be true for one person but not for another. This is a doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to ones culture, society, or historical context, not from God and are not absolute. This means that all moral positions, religious systems, art forms, political movements, etc., are truths that are fluent and relative to the individual. Unfortunately, the philosophy of relativism is huge in our culture today. Some typical expressions that reveal an underlying presupposition of relativism are comments such as: "That is your truth, not mine;" "It is true for you, but not for me;" "There are no absolute truths." “Who are you to say that someone else is wrong?” And because this concept makes truth subjective it becomes self serving. The enemy is a sneaky rat. This device and diabolical lie tries to dismiss God's absolutes and truths. 

Numbers 23:19 / Hebrews 13:8 / Isaiah 40:8 / Psalm 119:89

It matters not the deceptive concepts or philosophies the enemy employs. The desire of the enemy is to separate people from the truth of God’s word. This can impact how they determine their moral compass, treat others, behave and live life. The enemy desires that we choose his ways and reject God’s, bringing corrosion to our families, communities, social system, and separation from God and eventual death.

This is not easy as many of them appeal to our egos and flesh. We are to reject these devices and walk in God’s word. And when given the opportunity, pull down these concepts with the truth of God’s word. Not argumentative, but in love. This war is not won by winning an arguments. It’s won by displacing lies with truth. We present God’s word with love, having their best interest at heart Ephesians 4:15. And we are to pray that God would open their hearts and minds to receive His word. 2^nd Corinthians 4:3