On Satan's designs

The designs of the devil are always to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). This can occur in innumerable ways; from misleading people that they may believe falsehoods, to causing misfortune and harm, to bringing depression, to bringing thoughts and urges to harm oneself. These are only a few of his evil schemes. His desire is to thwart God (or rather, to come as close to that as he can) and to harm those made in His image, namely us, humanity. The enemy never does anything truly good; anything that he does that appears good is done so that a greater evil may be achieved.

We cannot stop the devil from doing these things. What then? The answer is always, God through Christ.

While the devil may have powers beyond human comprehension, and outwit us everywhere, he himself is infinitely outpowered and outthought by God. Satan cannot match the Creator. God is infinite; the devil is a created being and thus finite. God is all powerful; Satan, for all his appearances to us, is not. God is all-knowing; Satan isn't (he can't read our minds for example).

The devil can send us horrific thoughts, cause destruction and harm, and tempt us to do evil in order to grieve God, distance us from Him, and damage we who are made in God's image. However, our response should always be the same; pray to God, take our problems to He who is greater than all, and trust in our all-sovereign, all-powerful Lord. We should respond in faith to the One who is our Master and who is greater than anything we face. We may not be able to overcome our difficulties, but for God there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

Thanks for reading. May the Lord Jesus Christ save you all.