Avoiding Satan's Pitfalls

By Bishop Keith A. Butler

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
II Corinthians 2:10

We are not ignorant of how Satan works. We don't want to fall into any pitfall or any trap that can do damage to us. There are two ways to learn about things. You can learn it from the positive aspect and you can learn it negatively. For instance, you can learn what to do or what not to do by watching someone successfully drive a car and reach their destination. You can also learn by someone who doesn't successfully drive a car and crashes it into the nearest wall.

Both lessons are useful. Both lessons are necessary.

Paul says in this Scripture that we shouldn't be ignorant of Satan's devices less Satan get an advantage of us. You'll recall in John 10:10 that Jesus makes it very clear of Satan's intentions for us and that is to kill, steal and destroy. Since we know this, we need to know how to avoid his pitfalls.

One such pitfall is willful or imposed ignorance. Obviously to be ignorant of something is to be in a position where you don't have the information required. For an individual to be willful, it can be self-inflicted where an individual has chosen not to hear the truth.

Over the years in pasturing, I have noticed that attendance rises and falls based upon what is preached that week. If you happen to be preaching a series of great interest such as getting out of debt, everyone who's in debt will come to church. However, if the subject matter is about walking in love with those who despitefully use you, the outcome may not be as much. Although people may not view it that way, they are willfully inflicting themselves, causing themselves to be ignorant of important information.

You will recall that the Bible says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and that all it is profitable for reproof or correction for instruction in righteousness. In other words God's Words will sometimes cause your feet to dance and fill you with so much joy that you may run around the church. But sometimes the Word of God will hit you right between the eyes and slap on you on the carpet, spiritually that is.

We can all admit that there are times in our lives when we need to be straightened out.

Hebrews 12:5 says, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him."

We must not fall out or get upset when we've been rebuked by the Lord. Verse six goes on to say, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. The word ?scourgeth' refers to whips, but how God whips us and straightens us up is through the spoken, exhorted Word of God. Sometimes that Word may come over the pulpit and it's not what your flesh wants to hear or what your mind wants to hear, but it will be just what you need.

Prayer for Today

Father,
Thank You for loving me so much that You do what's necessary to straighten me out. I will not be ignorant to Satan's devices for I am aware of his strategy. I know that You have only the best intentions in mind for me and for that I am eternally grateful. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Selah: Think on These Things

• 2 Timothy 3:16