I had the privilege of teaching the Sophomore seminary class this morning. The topics today were of a sensitive nature, dealing with persecution and Satan's pattern of trying to influence the youth. We would talk about the temptations, challenges, and sins that the youth face each day. Some of the youth in the class have had personal experience with some of these things and I knew that it could be awkward for them. So my prayer this morning was focused on the youth and especially this seminary class. I prayed that the Spirit might be not only with me, but with each member of the class as we tackled these topics and that when they left the class they would feel like they could make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of those around them.
Exodus 7-11
We are now to the confrontations between Pharaoh and Moses that lead to the ten plagues. There are many lessons in these chapters, more than one post worth, so I will use these chapters for the next couple of posts to pull out the lessons that stood out to me. Today I would like to talk about discerning evil. As Moses goes before Pharaoh he will perform some miracles to try to show the power of God, but Pharaoh will call his wise men and sorcerers to perform the same acts. They are successful with some of the challenges, but not all, and it is important to recognize that God's miracles always trump their efforts.
It is Satan who is behind these acts. Satan, the devil, is the enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God. (BD Devil). I wanted to know more about what power Satan has and how are we to discern the evil from the good in our own lives?
Knowing the Enemy
Names for Satan
Satan is known as the "great counterfeiter" or the "great imitator". He wanted to be the Redeemer (Moses 4:1-3), he claimed to be the Only Begotten (Moses 1:19), he is a master of great secrets (Moses 5:29-31), and he is also known as the "great deceiver". He is called the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11); the adversary (1 Pet 5:8); Beelzebub, meaning the prince of the devils (Mark 3:22); the wicked one (Matt 13:38); the enemy (Matt 13:39); Lucifer (Isa 14:12; D&C 76:26)); Devil (D&C 29:37); prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2-3); Perdition (D&C 76:26)); son of the morning (D&C 76:26-27); that old serpent (Rev 12:9; D&C 76:28); the great dragon (Rev 12:7-9); a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44); a liar from the beginning (D&C 93:25); and the accuser (Rev 12:10). When he accomplishes his work through men they are called False Christs and False Prophets.
All these names and none of them nice, that should be our first warning sign!
Satan strives to lead men and women from the work of God. What techniques does he use to accomplish his work?
Techniques of Satan
Miracles
He is a worker of miracles, by which he deceives many upon the earth. One of the major messages in Exodus 7 is the fact that Satan and his evil spirits, who are upon the earth, have power to perform miracles.
Revelations 16:14 "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
We see examples of this power in the rods turning to serpents (Ex 7:10-12) and the water to blood (Ex 7:19-22). As Moses and Aaron, under the direction of God, performed these miracles, Pharaoh's magicians, with their enchantments, duplicate the miracles.
It is important to note in verse 12 God's show of power over Pharaoh's magicians, as Aaron's serpent swallowed up their serpents.
Imitator
He tries to imitate the work of God by transforming himself into an angel of light."And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Cor 11:14)
Since the devil and his premortal angels have no physical body of flesh and bones, they often seek to possess the bodies of mortal beings.
"The Savior declared that Satan had the power to bind bodies of men and women and sorely afflict them (Matt 7:22-23; Luke 13:16). If Satan has power to bind the bodies, he surely has the power to loose them. It should be remembered that Satan has great knowledge and thereby can exercise authority and to some extent control the elements, when some greater power does not intervene." (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:176, 178)
Deceiver
One of the major techniques of the devil is to cause human beings to think they are following God’s ways, when in reality they are deceived by the devil to follow other paths.
His voice is enticing. Here is President James E. Faust's description of Satan's voice: "His voice often sounds so reasonable and his message so easy to justify. It is an appealing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones. It is neither hard not discordant." (The Forces That Will Save Us, Liahona Jan 2007)
He can cite scripture to make his point seem plausible. He even tries this with Jesus: "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." (Matt 4:6)
The First Presidency described Satan like this: “He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods. There is no crime he would not commit, no debauchery he would not set up, no plague he would not send, no heart he would not break, no life he would not take, no soul he would not destroy. He comes as a thief in the night; he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”Satan is the world’s master in the use of flattery, and he knows the great power of speech, a power his servants often employ. He has always been one of the great forces of the world." (The Forces That Will Save Us, Liahona Jan 2007)
In the book The Art of War there is a quote that I have used many times when talking about Satan:
"Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” ~Sun Tzu
Today I learned more about my enemy. I am familiar with his characteristics, his tactics and strategies. Tomorrow I will focus on knowing myself and how that will help me discern evil so that I can fight a hundred battles without disaster.
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