“Lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 (NKJV)
I once heard a statement that has stayed with me, “The devil does not have new tricks.” Recently, that thought has been sitting heavily in my mind, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Satan does not invent new strategies. He goes back to his playbook, pulls out an old trick, and runs it again. And the reason he keeps repeating the same things is because they work. Nobody keeps doing what does not work. Even the temptation we face in our own life is the same all other believers face. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
In our text today, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church. Earlier, he had told them that if someone sinned, the church could discipline that person. But here, he adds balance. He says that after a while, love must be reaffirmed, and the person must be received again, so that Satan does not take advantage of us. Paul understood that if discipline is stretched too long, the enemy will twist what was meant for restoration and use it against the person. Instead of bringing healing, it begins to produce what we now call church hurt. Paul was saying, we know how the enemy behaves, we know his devices. And even in Bible times, this shows us that the tricks of the enemy are not hidden, they are things that can be discerned.
Not so tricky
When Scripture says we are not to be ignorant of the devices of the enemy, it means those tricks can actually be known. Most times, they show up as patterns. I have seen people who notice that every time something big is about to happen in their lives, something suddenly triggers their emotions. They get pulled into their feelings, and before they realise it, they miss the opportunity God had placed before them. That is a trick.
Beloved, study your life. Notice the patterns at play and do not let the enemy take advantage of you. Ephesians 6 reminds us that we can overcome the enemy’s wiles by being clothed in the armour of God and standing firm in the victory of Christ.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank You because every scheme and every lie of the enemy was defeated at the cross. Help me to be discerning, so I stop falling for the same tricks. Strengthen me to stand in the victory You have already given me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
God bless you.
