Satan’s Blueprint For Your Destruction

You may not recall the name Mohammed al-Sahaaf, but you might remember him by his nickname, “Baghdad Bob.” He was Iraq’s Minister of Information during the final days before American forces captured the city of Baghdad in the spring of 2003. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, Baghdad Bob kept insisting that Iraq’s brutal dictator, Saddam Hussein, was winning the conflict. On April 6, after coalition forces had secured Baghdad’s Saddam Airport and renamed it Baghdad International Airport, this minister of disinformation claimed, “We butchered the enemy forces present at the airport.” 

The following day, after U.S. troops marched through the center of Baghdad and stormed one of Saddam’s palaces, Baghdad Bob declared, “There is no presence of the Americans in the city of Baghdad at all … We besieged them, and we killed most of them.” His comical efforts to deny what was visible to all became the fodder of late-night talk show hosts. When the President of the United States was asked about him, he chuckled and said, “He’s quite a guy, isn’t he?”

Satan is a lot like Baghdad Bob. Although he was soundly defeated at the cross of Jesus Christ and the date of his final judgment is already on God’s calendar, the devil attempts to persuade those who don’t know any better that he is still in control. But unlike Baghdad Bob, there is nothing funny about Satan’s lies. His ability to blind unbelievers to the freedom Christ offers results in their eternal separation from God in hell. But non-Christians are not the only ones who are victims of his propaganda. Many believers, unaware of Satan’s disarmament at the Cross, still act as if he is their master… they cower in fear at his threats. They surrender to his temptations. They allow themselves to be used for his purpose. 

The result? Even if Satan cannot rob them of a place in heaven in the next life, he is able to deprive them of the benefits of being a child of God in this life … and in the process, he is able to use them as his accomplices in his ongoing assault on the kingdom of God.  

Let’s no longer talk about “them” and talk about “you” for a moment. Do you realize that you have an enemy who is determined to: 

• Deceive you about his power (or lack thereof)
• Deprive you of your privileges as a child of God
• Destroy your effectiveness as a servant of God
• Deny you the rewards that God wants to bestow on you one day in heaven

In addition to such devious objectives, he has also developed a detailed, personalized game plan to accomplish those goals in your life. That sobering truth is what prompted Paul to exhort the Christians at Ephesus to put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). 

The word “schemes” (methodia in Greek) was originally used to describe a wild animal that would methodically stalk and then suddenly attack its victim. The predator would not treat all its prey in the same way. Different animals require different strategies. In the same way, Satan has developed a unique plan for destroying your relationship with God, dividing your family, and diminishing your effectiveness as a witness for Christ. 

Think of it. Right now, in the pit of hell, there is a completed blueprint with your name on it that details Satan’s Plan for robbing you of every good thing God has planned for you.   

Strategy #1: Discourage You from Worshipping God (Job 1:8, Job 2:9)

You and I are part of an unfolding drama on the stage called planet Earth. The audience for this production is “the universe of creatures” in heaven (and probably hell) who are carefully watching to see how God deals with the rebellion of one of His creatures. The purpose of this reality show is not for entertainment but is a demonstration of God’s power and character to that vast unseen audience of His created beings. This production will answer important questions, such as “Will God tolerate the revolt of His creatures? Does God love or hate those humans whom He created in his image? Is God justified in His eternal condemnation of those who fail to trust in Christ? Can God be trusted to keep His promises? Who is the better master to serve—God or Satan?” 

Satan is also fully aware of the vast, unseen audience as well. Since he is filled with pride—the primary flaw that caused his expulsion from heaven—he is determined to redeem his reputation in the universe by discrediting God’s character. If he cannot be successful in possessing the souls of God’s redeemed creatures for all eternity, the next best thing is to turn them against God in this life and humiliate God as the heavenly audience watches.  

How does Satan accomplish that goal? His primary tool is discouragement. 

Strategy #2: Distract You from Serving God (2 Timothy 2:4; Luke 8:14)

If Satan cannot persuade you to reject God, the next best thing is to distract you so that you ignore God. The adversary’s goal is to create as much distance as possible between you and your Creator.

While overt disobedience is one way to create a wedge between God and us, Satan does not always have to resort to spectacular strategies.  Many times, he can achieve the same result simply by distracting us from our relationship with God through what a previous generation of Christians called “worldliness.” Worldliness is not necessarily blatant sinfulness like sexual affairs or addictions.

I am using the term “worldliness” to refer to a preoccupation with the delights and details of living in this world. Such a preoccupation might manifest itself in:

• Choosing to watch ESPN Sports Center each night instead of reading your Bible
• Allowing the ups and downs of the stock market to determine your emotional well-being
• Permitting concerns about your child’s social standing at school to fill your mind during the  Sunday morning worship service
• Being so consumed with your job that you feel you cannot be involved in any meaningful ministry

Jesus described the dangers of such preoccupation in His parable about the soils, recorded in Luke 8. Here, He describes three varieties of weeds that can entangle our hearts and choke out our desire for God.

• Worries (2 Timothy 1:7)
• Riches (Matthew 6:24-25)
• Pleasures (2 Timothy 3:2,4)

What is it that is distracting you from your relationship with God? Honestly, has the what-if of worry sapped your emotional strength? Has money—earning it, saving it, or spending it—become the focus of your life? Has the pursuit of pleasure become the grand obsession of your existence? 

The first step in defeating Satan’s blueprint for your destruction is to recognize the specific strategy he is using against you. Is he trying to discourage you from worshipping God by sending difficulties into your life? Is he trying to distract you from serving God through worry, riches, or an inordinate focus on pleasure?   

Full Passage: Job 1:8; Luke 8:14