The Devil and His Demons
The Devil’s Schemes
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 2:10-11
If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven–if there was anything to forgive–I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Both the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter talk about the devil’s scheming ways. Peter reminds us that the devil is like a lion, sneaking around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The devil does not have the ability to be everywhere at the same time; the devil is not omnipresent. The devil does have thousands upon thousands of demons at his command. They all operate as the devil himself does – scheming up tricks and evil plots to trip us up. Not only must we fight the legions of demons, but they create waves of evil influences all around us. People we live by and work with, that don’t know and follow Christ, also become tools in the devil’s hands. It is not that they are demon possessed but they are under demon arrest… chained by his false and evil principles.
Being surrounded, then, by possibly the devil himself, or many of his demon cohorts, or by people under his influences, we need God’s help! The apostle Peter, in the same passage of scripture that tells us of the devil’s schemes, also directs us what to do. He tells us to be self-controlled and alert. It is my opinion that we have struggled with both disciplines. Many of us have especially not stayed alert when it comes to the devil and his demons. We have not wanted to see a “demon under every bush,” so to avoid this extreme too many of us have gone too far in the opposite direction. We must stay alert to the fact that our struggles, sufferings, trials, or pain may be a direct attack of these evil forces. If so, it takes the name of Jesus and the armor of God to fight against them. The Bible tells us to pray against these evil forces in faith and in Jesus’ name – let’s stay alert.
Father, you have warned me about our enemy. Help me to be prepared and ready to resist him and claim victory in Jesus’ name. It is in Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.