“You are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6).
In 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, Germany and Russia signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In this treaty, both country’s leaders promised that they would not attack the other, and it laid out a plan for how they would divide the nations of Eastern Europe between them. Yet in 1941, without warning or provocation, Adolf Hitler sent his tanks across the Russian border in a sneak attack. Hitler had no interest in keeping his word. The treaty was meant only as a temporary measure, until he could make his plans, gather his war weapons, and assemble his troops to do what he wanted. Similarly, the devil will tell us anything we want to hear to get us to do what he wants us to do. He is the master liar. In fact, Jesus, in John 8:44, declared Satan to be “the father of lies.” The devil breaks every promise that he makes. He never delivers what he leads us to expect, and every offer and overture of Satan to us is aimed at getting us to sin. While sin may be enjoyable for a little while, it always leads to a bitter end. Often, our undoing is that we make the fatal mistake of underestimating our enemy. He is vicious and determined. Moreover, if we let down our guard, he will strike. The Bible warns us not to forsake wisdom and understanding that come from God. It is never enough to merely do our best to know and follow the principles our living God lays out for us in His Word. We must continue to live submitted to the Holy Spirit’s work in us and His power working through us to be kept safe (https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/the-devil-s-broken-promises).
In addition, it is tomfoolery and plain senselessness to live indifferent and inattentive to Satan’s shenanigans. We are warned in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” There is not even a moment when Satan is not up to his trickery and deception in our lives. Be wise to his lies, trickery, and deception. Remember that 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." He, therefore, comes to us flashing lies dressed up as truth. Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that Satan "was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him."
Furthermore, Satan will not stop his chicanery, not until Jesus Himself stops him, and stop him Jesus did promise. The Bible promises us that, upon Jesus’ second coming, when He judges the world, His first order of business is to stop Satan for good. Listen to His promise in Revelation 20:10: “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
However, until Judgment Day, we will have to remain wise, vigilant, and on guard to Satan’s religious chicanery. To do so requires we obey God’s word in Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Never forget, dear friends, the promise of 1 John 4:4: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” If you are a true Christian, born again by God’s grace through faith in Jesus as Lord, the God who indwells you is greater than Satan who temporarily roams the earth plying his trade of trickery and deception to steal as many people as possible from Jesus, kill people’s desire to know Jesus and be children of God, and destroy as many people as possible in Hell with him for eternity. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 reminds us who belong to Jesus: “You are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” We do not live ignorant of Satan’s schemes or consumed with sin. Therefore, we should not live blind to our enemy’s tricks and chicanery. We should, instead, keep alert and serious in this spiritual battle for our souls and lives.
Friends, without Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, our only defense and protection against God’s enemy and our enemy, Satan, is human reasoning and ability. That was not enough for our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, and it is not enough for us today. They succumbed to Satan’s trickery, and we will too, every time, without Jesus ruling our lives and the Holy Spirit guiding our thoughts and actions. With Christ, we have the victory. Without Christ, our defeat is certain. If you have not repented of your sin, believed in Jesus, and received Him as Lord, do so today, and gain His presence, power, and protection with which to face Satan’s chicanery.
One final reminder: Satan will come at you with trickery and deception a thousand times today, often without you even recognizing his temptations. So, go now, without wasting even a second, place your life in the safe, secure, strong hands of Jesus Christ.