Acquainted with His Strategies

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Friday, December 16, 2005

For we are very familiar with his evil schemes. —2 Corinthians 2:11

Billy Sunday said, "One reason that sin flourishes is that we treat it like a cream puff instead of a rattlesnake."

Not only do we need to recognize the power of temptation, but we also need to realize that our adversary, the devil, is powerful. We do not want to underestimate him. He is a powerful spirit being with a well-organized network of demon powers ready to do his bidding. The apostle Paul said he was not "ignorant of his devices," or literally, his strategies and his deceits (see 2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV).

Jesus told us what the ultimate agenda of the devil is: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10 NKJV). But then in contrast, He added, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Christ wants us to have life and that more abundantly, not to mention life in heaven, beyond the grave. The devil wants to steal us from God's protection. He wants to destroy us. He wants to kill us.

And while we don't want to underestimate the devil's power, neither do we want to overestimate what he can do or have an overblown concept of who he is. As 1 John 4:4 says, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (NKJV).

God has put a hedge of protection around every one of His children. That is not to say He will not allow hardship. Nor is it to say that He will keep us free from all temptation. But it is to say that God will never let us be tempted beyond what we are able to withstand.

Used with Permission