Part 3: Identifying Satan’s Pattern
Revelation 12:9…the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Luke 10:18…He (Jesus) replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightening…”
Prideful Lucifer is hurled to earth as a serpent—the devil—Satan, and he schemes and tests his three-part plan on Eve in hopes of deceiving both of God’s beloved.
What exactly would he gain if he succeeds?
Not only would he gain control over Adam (whom many commentators conjecture Lucifer considered to be a direct threat to his superiority), he would also gain utter control over all of earth. What a prize!
And unbelievably, Adam (created after God’s image) and the woman (formed from Adam’s rib)—who strolled and talked with God every day, who were fully blessed, and loved, who experienced perfection in everything—reject God, and believe the serpent.
Satan’s three-part plan proved to be a huge success. And without deviation, Satan has used it on mankind ever since.
So how does Satan niggle his way into the human heart? Scripture tells us all about Satan’s three-part pattern:
First, prey on the person’s weakness in a way they cannot—or refuse to—discern…
Genesis 3:1-3…Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle) than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”
Satan is Crafty: Clever at achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods—cunning, devious, sly, tricky, duplicitous, dishonest, underhanded, scheming.
Satan is Subtle: Especially of a change or distinction so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe, of a mixture or effect delicately complex and understated, making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something—crafty, cunning, vague, elusive, shrewd, clever, intelligent, wily, devious.
Second, instill doubt about something that is clearly known and understood…
Genesis 3:4…The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!“
Can you hear the sarcasm in this statement? Can you imagine Satan wound around a tree branch next to Eve’s head? His two reptilian eyes unblinking—staring Eve in the face—assessing whether or not she recognized his delicately complex, clever, and wholly destructive ruse? After all, he succeeded in prodding Eve to engage, maybe he could turn her heart as well. But she must make a decision first.
And third, an outright lie…
Genesis 3:5…“for God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
This woman physically saw God face-to-face every day, and witnessed first hand His love and gentleness and truth. He provided every need she had. What more could she want?
Plus, scripture proves God never said the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make Mr. and Mrs. Adam like Him. (See Genesis 2:9 and Genesis 2:16-17.) He did say if they ate of the fruit they would die. Truth and fact…however, the name God gave the tree proves too intoxicating for Eve, and she believes this creature over her clearly known and understood knowledge that she will surely die.
Why? Satan observes before he strikes. He witnessed something and went for it, playing his cards right, he niggled Eve’s emotions—pride and egoism. Same exact emotions he experienced against God. He played her right into his control, and she choose to serve her self-interests—to be like God.
Satan’s three-step pattern cons, dupes, and hooks people into believing their emotions instead of remaining mentally acute, acknowledging what they know to be truth. Satan hates truth, because truth is of God. Whereas Satan is all lies. Therefore, Satan wants mankind to be like him, not like God.
Satan uses all his wiles to provoke emotion, while God encourages us to use critical thinking, mental acuity, His truth, knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. These things ARE THE TRUTH, and come from Him.
In Satan’s first test of his plan, he discovered prideful people are easy to manipulate. God wants no part of manipulation. Instead, He granted mankind free-will so they would freely CHOOSE to be with Him—but not to BE Him.
Just like Lucifer discovered he cannot be God, after eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve discovered they cannot be God, either. But it was too late, the decision made. Satan successfully manipulated the separation between God and His beloved couple, and that separation continues today. Satan actively attempts to lure as many people as he can away from eternal life with God, because he knows the only other option is eternal life in hell. Those are the only two choices, although Satan successfully deceives people into believing there are other options. Nope. God is clear on this. God desires everyone choose Him, but He’s made it abundantly clear that He gives eternal life only to those who do.
Eve had no concept of evil, because God made her and Adam perfect. And God made them immortal, but they had to obey His single command. Adam and Eve had everything! Yet they turned away from perfection and immorality, and chose the liar.
God knew that Eve would choose self-fulfillment, her longing to be like Him. God also knew Adam would outright disobey Him. Adam wanted to be God, too. The couple later discovered the truth, that God’s single command protected them from worldly knowledge—the knowledge of evil.
This begs several questions…
Why did Eve—knowing God rejected Lucifer, and turned him into a snake—choose to converse with the snake? Why allow herself to get hooked? The snake was talking nonsense. She could have ignored him, or picked some acceptable fruit and left. Going back to work tending the garden would have been a great choice. She could have run to Adam for protection. Or yelled for God’s help!
What was Eve doing in the center of the garden? Food was plentiful throughout Eden, so she could have taken her lunch break anywhere. Was she already thinking about eating from that forbidden tree? Adam was with her, had they discussed it prior? Is this what Satan observed prior to administering his test?
God gave Mr. and Mrs. Adam a job to do. A job filled with responsibility. A job so big it would keep them occupied all day long, six days a week, forever. Genesis 1:26…God made Adam in His image and set him to rule over His creation. Then he formed Mrs. Adam from a rib and blessed the couple and told them to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over all of His creation. This command is repeated again in Genesis 2:15. This is a huge responsibility—a big six-day-a-week job. So what was the couple doing lounging around the center of Eden on a work day?
Interesting questions.
By disobeying God, Adam and Eve signed a death warrant for all of humanity. They signed the Deed of Earth over to Satan. Had they obeyed, all of mankind would be living in perfection, immortal, walking with God in the Garden of Eden. Instead, they turned all of creation over to Satan’s plan. Thereafter, Adam and Eve and their subsequent generations, along with everything on earth, began a slow decent into decay and death. Adam and Eve went from immortality to death.
Someday we will fully know and understand, but right now, scripture warns us strongly to avoid Satan’s three-part pattern.
Never allow emotions (and subsequent emotional decisions) to overcome your mind. 1 Peter 5:8…Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Study and sear into your brain that no matter the circumstance, God is love, truth, goodness, and hope. He offers mercy, grace, blessings, amazing promises, and protection.
Exodus 34:6-7…Then the Lord passed by in front of him (Moses) and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness and truth; who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished…”
God will NEVER lie or deceive—He is incapable of doing so. 2 Corinthians 4:4…The god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Identify and obliterate all forms of pride from your heart! 2 Chronicles 32:26…however, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart…so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them. Job 33:17…that He may turn man aside from his conduct, and keep man from pride. Job 35:12…there they cry out, but He does not answer because of the pride of evil men.
There are dozens of scripture verses about pride, and how to abolish it.
Fill your heart with love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep it safe and active with a longing to deepen your relationship with Him. Deuteronomy 6:5…you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. John 14:15…“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9…know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments….”
Serve Him in the capacity He wills for you. Exodus 23:25…But you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. Job 36:11…If they hear and serve Him, they will end their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. Malachi 3:18…so you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Do not be idle! 2 Thessalonians 3:11…for we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Proverbs 13:4…the soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. 2 Thessalonians 3:10…if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
Be willing to change out your old self, for the new. Ephesians 4:22-24…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. It is a matter of discipline.
He provides the Way!
Amen.