As previously mentioned in the article called “The Three Tools of the Devil” (at https://www.outlookmag.org/the-three-tools-of-the-devil/ ), there are also three ways to combat Satan’s cunning use of division, distraction, and distrust. God was a step ahead of His adversary, even back when Adam and Eve enjoyed their stay in the Garden of Eden.
Let’s look specifically at the remedies God has available as we battle the forces of evil, and perhaps it will revive our appreciation of the overwhelming value of God’s interventions.
Unity (as opposed to Satan’s tool of division)
In the Garden of Eden, God had a plan to show us the importance of unity. The first marriage between Adam and Eve was designed to show how a close union operates. The union of the first couple, and all couples since, is a demonstration of how shared labor increases productivity and makes burdens lighter.
We know unity was a prime concern of Jesus from the prayer He prayed for His disciples in John, chapter 17. The bickering and arguing of the disciples over who would be first in God’s kingdom showed that they needed to be more united. It was only after Jesus had gone back to heaven that they prayed in the upper room and became of “one accord”. We then saw how quickly their unity led to much of the world knowing about Christ.
We have seen through the years how division increases when people groups, businesses, and even nations try to rise above their peers. God naturally prefers us to be united, rather than have feelings of superiority, be competitive, or nationalistic in our political aspirations. These sources of division have notoriously been the cause of many wars and strife in the world.
Focus (as opposed to Satan’s tool of distraction)
Satan’s use of distraction continues to this day. A beautiful, talking serpent may not be what draws our attention now, but anything man has made or done has the potential to distract us from the plans God has for us. It may be furniture, clothes, or unhealthy foods, or more intangible things like education, fame, and power. Satan delights in making these things so shiny and desirable that we forget the things in life that really matter.
God, on the other hand, made a beautiful world for us to enjoy, full of natural attractions. This helped Adam and Eve center their lives on the One who created the universe. Their given tasks were simply to bear fruit and take care of the Garden.
Jesus, too, recognized that we still need a focused mission to keep us from being distracted by the things of the world. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, 20 that we are to go and make disciples of all those willing to receive the gospel. That mission should be ours, till the Lord returns.
Trust (as opposed to Satan’s tool of distrust)
From the beginning and all through the Scriptures, God has communicated His desire for us to trust Him. Adam and Eve were given a choice of which trees to eat from. The blessing of that power of choice was meant to grow their love and trust in their heavenly Father.
Force, on the other hand, is something out of Satan’s toolbox, one of his most powerful weapons. Governments that forcefully try to make us more Christ-like do not change the heart; but Satan will use them at some point to cause us to bow down and worship him instead of God. Proverbs 14:12 warns us that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” We shouldn’t trust any power that tries to force our love and worship through laws, or other means.
God’s Power Tool: the Sabbath
The Sabbath was God’s signature antidote, designed to build our trust, unite us, and keep us focused on Him. When we trust and obey God’s word and worship on the day He originally set apart as holy, rather than the first day of the week that is traditionally kept now, we find the greatest opportunity to enter a trusting relationship with God. Satan has, therefore, left nothing to chance when it comes to lessening our love of the Sabbath, even diverting our attention to another day.
The seventh-day Sabbath, as God made it for us in the beginning, is a time to worship God with other believers, fostering unity with family and friends, and is a time to focus our attention on God’s beautiful, natural world.
The Sabbath reminds us that God is both our Creator (Exodus 20:11)I and Redeemer (Deuteronomy 5:15), a loving God we can trust.
