Think Again!

Appendices • 163

notoriety and applause (by jumping off temple in spectacular style). But he trusted God for his fame, which we know is coming when “every knee will bow and tongue confess Jesus as Lord” (Phil. 2.9-11). Jesus will receive his rightful accolades, but only because he refused Satan’s alternative solutions.

The apostles explained how the evil one uses division, harassment, confusion, and surprise .

• Division : Paul warns believers in Ephesians 4.27 to avoid giving the devil a foothold. In-fighting and disunity are a dead giveaway that the enemy is affecting a situation. • Harassment : In Acts 16, a fortune-telling evil spirit pesters Paul for many days. • Confusion : In 2 Corinthians 11.13-14, Satan is said to masquerade as angel of light. • Surprise : In Peter 4.12, Peter says we “do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” Deceit, doubt, intimidation, alternative solutions, division, harassment, confusion, and surprise are some of the devil’s schemes. But God doesn’t leave us defenseless. We have equipment and weapons to fight the adversary’s schemes of dispossession. We have armor to fight off his attacks. Actualize theWeapons We have power to defend our treasure, but we have to competently use the weapons he provides. We have to use our mind, will, and emotions to make the equipment effective: