Corinthians 2:11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Satan is a ruthless enemy. When Christians fail to realize, that our enemy is real, and seeks to do us real harm, we give him even more opportunity. But make no mistake – if you belong to Jesus Christ, you are hated for that very reason. Hated by one who is more vicious, wicked and desirous of your destruction than you can ever imagine. There is not one drop of mercy within him. He is bent on destroying God’s name whatever the cost. Especially since he intends YOU to bear that cost. He has two chief ends in mind: a. To keep men bound in unbelief. And barring that, b. To keep the Believer bound and ineffective. Now our text is plain, but I fear that our understanding of it is shallow. We get it that Satan “can” outwit us and that he has “designs” against us – or as the KJV puts it – “devices. But all too often we really are ignorant of those devices. Let me list 5 of his most potent weapons against those who are in Christ.

Satan’s first device, is DECEPTION. He keeps the lost from thinking about Heaven, Hell, personal moral responsibility, and what it will mean to face God in the judgment. And for both the lost and the Redeemed, He tries to make sin easy, sweet, pleasing to the eye, with palpable benefits and the promise of no downside – at least nothing too painful. It is all a lie. But we are so prone to it. How we need to have the “belt of truth” on at all times.

Next, he specializes in DISTRACTION. Anything to get all of us so tied up with business, life, pleasure, self-pity, temptation, even “ministry” – so that we care less for finding our supreme pleasure in God Himself – and put ANYTHING else in front of it. If he can get us texting one another while driving on the Autobahn – disaster is sure to come. As one wag said: “Why use murder when a deck of cards will do?” However simple, however captivating, however seemingly harmless – just distraction from seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.

DIVISION. Oh how the enemy of our souls – but even more of our Savior – loves to foment unnecessary arguments, hurt feelings, self-righteous stands and outright hostility between those who are also in Christ’s Body. If Jesus said the World would know us as His by how we love each other – how is it we find it so easy to malign, gossip, misrepresent, grieve and divide? How Satan laughs as we do his work for him.

DISILLUSIONMENT. Once we have put some other Christian upon a pedestal they fall from, or think God has failed us somehow, or engage in the battle this life is and feel we ought to have only peace and fruitfulness, or see how it is that Christians are not perfect yet and that ministry is often thankless, unglamorous, tiresome, tedious and hard – how easily we want to throw in the towel.

DISCOURAGEMENT. More fall to this device than virtually anything else in the Wicked One’s arsenal. Beloved, we must guard our hearts here with such tenacity and constant vigilance – for nothing will find us more quickly put off track and ruined for service than this hideous monster called discouragement. The tendency to let the other matters weigh upon us – especially our own failures – to make more of our own sin than of Christ’s imputed righteousness, more of our weakness than His strength, more of our guilt than His imputed righteousness and more of our set backs than Heaven’s promise of gain, cannot be fought too hard against. The JOY of the Lord is our strength. None other. If it is gone – fight until you get it back.

DO NOT RELENT! Beloved, this is war. The stakes are eternal. The battle is real. The wounds really hurt. And our God is really God. Our every trust and hope must be in Him. Our victory in Christ IS assured.

In my spare time, I am working on a project. The project is “translating” a book written by Joesph Bellamy in the 1700’s – into more readable English.

If you don’t read anything else – scroll down to the opening paragraph of Bellamy’s preface. 

The original title of the book is:

True Religion Delineated,

or, 

Experimental Religion,

as distinguished from formality on the one hand, and

enthusiasm on the other,

set in a Scriptural and rational light. 

In Two Discourses:

in which

Some of the principle errors of both The Arminians and An-

tinomians are confuted….The foundation and super-

structure of their different schemes de-

molished…. and the truth, as it

is in Jesus, explained

and proved. 

The whole adapted to the weakest capacities, and designed for

the establishment, comfort, and quickening

of the people of God.

So far, I’ve only done the Preface – which is an endorsement written by Jonathan Edwards, and the first paragraph of the the Author’s own preface. I’ve given them to you below to whet your appetites. Enjoy. 

1- Luke 9:46-48 (ESV) ⁴⁶An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

RAF: a. When we are gracious and kind to those of no account simply because we are Christ’s representative here – it is as though we were showing Him kindness and grace.

b. And when we act for Christ’s sake in the world, we act for the Father’s sake as well. His heart is delighted in us.

c. It is not those who are perceived as great by the world’s standards who are truly great – but those who make Christ known in their reception and treatment of others for His name’s sake irrespective of their station. This is greatness.

2 – Luke 10:25-28 (ESV) ²⁵And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

RAF: Indeed, this Lawyer’s response here is everything. It is this one thing which every human being is bound to – the Law of Love. The Jews were bound to the Mosaic Law additionally. They were bound to such things as marked them out as God’s chosen people among all the nations of the earth. But there is a law which is binding upon all mankind – not the Mosaic code – but the obligation to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength – and its necessary corollary – to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is what every human being is guilty of having transgressed – even those who did not sin in exactly the same way Adam did – and why death reigned even in those who did not violate the first code – “thou shalt not eat…” Behind every external code which may be expressed for mankind to obey, Jews or Gentiles – is this – the law of love. And it is on the basis of this that every man will be judged. For our righteousness is found in it. Every sin is but a defect of this love. When we fail to love God rightly, supremely and entirely – we sin. The WAYS we sin are myriad. But every sin shares this – the failure to love God supremely. When we fail to love men rightly – as made in God’s image and for His glory – we sin. And once again – the manifestations of that sin are countless. But behind each and every particular manifestation – is the defective love we were created to live in. The failure to bear His image – the image of the God who “is love” (1 John 4:16). “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 (ESV) No hoops to jump through. No ceremonies to carry out. No high duties to accomplish. Take care that a full and right and consuming passion for God rules our hearts and minds – and all the rest will be accomplished by default. Fail at this, and nothing we do is worth a thing.

To love Him. To have Him as our highest prize, our chief delight, our deepest desire, our sweetest notion, our most lovely vision. To find Him more beautiful than anything. To see in Him every excellence, and to be compelled to look only at Him to the exclusion of all others. To want to know Him, be with Him, hear the music of His voice, feel His touch and smell the holy fragrance of His presence. To count knowing His heart and mind more precious than anything which can capture our imaginations or desires here. To find Him so pleasing, that nothing else can satisfy. This is to love Him in but the barest terms. Oh to study to love Him with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength. This, is to cease from sin.

1 – Luke 9:12-13 (ESV) ¹²Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” ¹³But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”RAF: The lesson is a profound one. The day will come when the Disciples will be ministering to the people, and the needs of the people will exceed their perception of God’s provision. But, if by faith they will take what they have been given by the Father, and ask His blessing upon it, it will be sufficient – indeed – abundant.

There is great encouragement here for preachers at this point. Many is the time a preacher looks at his notes and wonders how in the world will this ever feed a soul? Yet it is the portion which has been provided that day. Though the needs be never so great, what God provides will suffice. There will be an abundance to meet the need. When once it is consecrated to the Father, it can be broken and will meet the and satisfy all who re there.

2 – Luke 9:17 (ESV) And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

RAF: It is good to remember that God is a God of abundance. To the human eye, the 12 extra baskets seem superfluous. But in His economy, we see there is not simply provision – but abundant provision. Eph. 3:20 reminds us He is able to do far more abundantly than we can ask or think. Though the imagination of man be ever so extravagant – God is always infinitely greater still.

Is there still room at the cross for you sinner? Do not fear. He who fed the multitudes, made provision for more than just them. Come to Christ. You need never fear His lack of willingness or power to save – though He has saved so many already.

3 – Luke 9:42-45 (ESV) ⁴²While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

RAF: More astonishing; more important; more worthy of our attention and consideration – than the supernatural deliverance of this young lad – is the death Jesus was about to die. Oh, how many things I assign more importance to than the brutal slaying of my Savior at the hands of men, and the grace of God in using that murder as His own sacrificial Lamb for our sins. These are themes worth pondering. It is no wonder that God has power over the demons. It is a wonder indeed that He would go to such lengths to justify lost men. It is a wonder that He would give His only begotten Son to be our substitute. It is a wonder that He would lay upon Him “the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6) It is a wonder that the God against whom we have wrestled with every fiber of our being, would not relent until He brought His elect to glory. It is a wonder to behold such love, such mercy, such unfathomable grace. It is a wonder to be given new life in Christ, the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. It is a wonder to be adopted into His family – to be set as sons of God with as much familial attachment as Christ Himself. It is a wonder we are loved so. Oh the death of our wonderful Savior! Rom. 11:33 (ESV) “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

1 – Mark 1:4-5 (ESV) 4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

RAF: Let no one imagine a salvation that is aimed so as to leave us in our sins. Here we see that repentance from sins and the forgiveness of sins are directly tied to one another. The one coming to Christ must be made aware that they are being called to forsake this world and its ways, self and its dominance – to take up and follow Him. For it is only those who follow Him who will one day be with Him. This will be reinforced by Christ’s own teaching not much further into Mark’s Gospel.

2 – Mark 1:14-15 (ESV) 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

RAF: Gospel preaching must deal with these central themes. 1. Christ’s Kingdom is dawning – Enter it. Become His subject, His citizen. 2. Amnesty is declared. He will forgive and receive all who come believing His message and turning from sin and self to Him. 3. All this, understanding that- He will yet judge all who refuse.

He comes as a King about to take possession of a conquered land and its people. He gives opportunity for those He is about to take possession of to side with Him and live under His rule and reign. To lay down their arms and become His subjects. He promises them forgiveness for how they warred against Him and didn’t want His rule – and how they have done that from the very beginning – against His Father’s rightful reign as well. They have lived in rebellion all these years – and still He is willing to have mercy and forgive, to grant grace and accept them as His own. And no one in that day would have missed how this works – having seen it in the geopolitical scene since the dawn of time. To those who would not receive Him – certain death was the only other option.

3 – Mark 1:16-20 (ESV) 16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

RAF: As with all of us, Christ Jesus found these men:

a. Where they were.

b. Doing what they were doing.

c. Because they were who they were.

He find us:

a. In the world

b. Sinning

c. Because we are sinners.

Then He promises to make us the real, or substance, of which we are but shadows at the present. We are but indistinct in our reflection of His image. He promises to recover that in us fully.

1 – John 17:3 (ESV) ³And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

RAF: This, is the great question isn’t it? Do we know Him? Do YOU know Him? Not simply – do you know God is? – everyone knows that, even those who deny it (Rom. 1:18-23). And not – do you merely have some acquaintance with Him? Nicodemus, the Rich Young Ruler and a thousand others could claim that. Not – do you have some true relationship to Him? Jesus’ unbelieving brothers were no different. Not – do you consider yourself His disciple? Judas was truly a disciple and one of His chosen apostles. Not – do you know Christ and His divinity? For the devils themselves know that much. To KNOW God in that it is eternal life, is to know Him such that the wretchedness of this world’s and your own sin are shameful, rebellious and completely “other”, and that He is so perfect and infinitely lovely in every way, that your heart longs after Him and seeks Him and delights in Him. Do you love Him so as to love nothing else as much? Do you know Him so that He captivates your heart and mind? Do you love Him with a constant longing to love Him more and to have others see Him and love Him too? Do you love Him so as to want to make His glories known? Do you know His glories such that every glimpse makes you want more? Do you know Him so that Heaven is to be with Him and to know Him fully? Do you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent – in mercy and grace to be the propitiation for your sins? Do you know Him?

2 – John 17:6 (ESV) ⁶“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

RAF: In this simple sentence, Jesus defines what it means to “glorify” God. And if we could grasp this, so much else in true religion would at once fall into its proper place. To glorify God, is to MANIFEST His name. In other words, to make Him known as He really is in His nature, character and disposition. Christ walked in perfect holiness. He made it plain for all to see what God’s holiness is, and what it is like to confront it and interact with it. How He hates lies, hypocrisy, greed, hatred, neglect of love, faithlessness, sin of all and every kind – and how He loves what is good, perfect, just, right, holy, sweet, kind, gentle, patient, upright, true, merciful, gracious and in accord with the God of light. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all – 1 John 1:5. NO darkness at ALL. No defect. No sin. No taint of any kind. Nothing even hinting at evil, injustice, corruption, selfishness, foolishness, failure or error. Nothing that is not absolutely perfect, laudable, glorious, true, holy and desirable. This is how Christ was, how He lived on this earth. This is what He made known to us. That His Father, though infinitely holy and absolutely just, nevertheless was also infinitely merciful and full of grace and forgiveness. That His Father loved the fallen sons of Adam. That His Father would move Heaven and earth to make a way of reconciliation between Himself and lost men. That His Father took no delight in the perishing of the wicked. That His Father would not lose the race He had created, but by sovereign grace would save some of them even though none would seek Him on their own. That His Father would see to it this message of reconciliation was commanded to be preached throughout the world, that through His ambassadors, He would plead with men to come to Him. That His Father would bestow upon all who will believe – not only the forgiveness of sins, but the highest glories of Heaven in adopting them as Sons. That He was the Son, the only begotten Son of such a Father as this, and that to clear His Father’s name from every misunderstanding, calumny, slur, slander and accusation – He would show the Father’s love and how that love draws out such a return of infinite love, that He would give His own life to purchase the forgiveness that alone could save a wretch like me. This dear one is how our Savior glorified the Father. He made Him known. And this then is our great instructive in the same occupation. This is how we glorify God – we make Him known, especially in His mercy and grace – in Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Pet. 2:9-10.