Cunning Devices
📖 2 Corinthians 2:11 (KJV) Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
✅ Introduction
Although this passage speaks about forgiveness, we must also recognize that Satan has many devices. Notice the “s” on the word “devices”—it shows that the devil has a variety of tricks and strategies up his sleeve.
As we look at these examples, we will see that Satan’s greatest weapon is speech.
📖 John 8:44 (KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Satan is very subtle in his approach to attack.
🔥 Satan the Subtil one
📖 Genesis 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
In this passage, Satan deceived Eve by twisting the words of God, and this ultimately led her into sin.
📖 Genesis 3:2-5 (KJV) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satans tactics here is to entice you to sin, for an example: Satan may entice someone by making sin look pleasurable or harmless. He might whisper, “Just this once won’t hurt,” when it comes to things like dishonesty, lust, or anger. But just as he enticed Eve with the fruit, his goal is always to lead us away from God and into sin.
🔥 Words are more powerful than we think
The problem is that words are more powerful than we realize. God created the heavens and the earth by His word (Genesis 1). Jesus Himself is called “the Word” (John 1:1). That’s why there is such an attack today on freedom of speech because truth spoken with logic and reason exposes sin and points people back to the authority of the Bible. Just look at Charlie Kirk, who has been attacked and even threatened because of his logical and rational debates over issues like LGBTQ, pro-marriage, anti-abortion, and human rights. People become offended because logic unmasks sin, just like when Jesus spoke against sin and men hated the light (John 3:19–21).
As we go through these points we will notice that most of the tactics Satan use are in the form of words
✅ Enemies talk can stop Gods work
📖 Ezra 4:1-5 (KJV) Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. 4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
In this passage, we see two types of tactics. The first is pretending to help. This is a subtle and cunning strategy, because the enemy offers help not to build up, but to gain access so they can disrupt and destroy from within.
📖 Proverbs 26:24-25 (KJV) He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
The second tactic used here is hiring people.
📖 Ezra 4:5 (KJV) And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
This tactic was used against Jesus as the Jews hired Judas to betray him, another example is Stephen:
🔥 The Death of Stephen
📖 Acts 6:8-15 (KJV) And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Notice the suborned men which lied about Stephen, Suborn means people that are persuaded to act in one’s favor by a gift of money, so these guys were hired to conspire against Stephen, but why? (Acts 6:10) They couldn’t resist the wisdom by which he spake!
One thing we see & learn is that Satan is weakened by words and it irritates him, to the point Satan will try to kill you through his workers.
📖 Revelation 6:9 (KJV) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Words are more powerful than we think & so I encourage you to stand up against spiritual wickedness in high places the Bible tells us to stand up for truth.
📖 Jude 1:3 (KJV) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
📖 Mark 8:38 (KJV) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Lets us not be ashamed of Gods words as they are the most powerful thing to stop Satans agendas and slow him down.
✅ The enemies talk can destroy
🔥 Doeg an enemy with killer words
📖 1 Samuel 21:7 (KJV) Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
In this story, a man named Doeg a Gentile who had no regard for the things of God became David’s enemy by reporting his location to King Saul, who was seeking to kill him.
🔥 Doeg reports to Saul
📖 1 Samuel 22:9-10 (KJV) Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
In these verses we see Doeg open his mouth against David. Instead of staying silent or speaking truth, he chose to twist the situation in a way that would please Saul. Doeg reported David’s visit to the priest, not as an act of mercy from Ahimelech, but as if it were a conspiracy. His words carried weight before the king, and those words would soon lead to the slaughter of the innocent priests of Nob. This shows us the destructive power of a deceitful tongue one conversation, one report, one accusation can cost lives when it is used for evil.
🔥 Doeg Executes the priests
📖 1 Samuel 22:18-19 (KJV) And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
Doeg’s betrayal did not stop with words; it moved into bloody action. When Saul’s own guards refused to lift their hand against the priests of the Lord, Doeg carried out the slaughter without hesitation. He killed eighty-five priests who wore the holy ephod, then turned his sword against the entire city of Nob men, women, children, even animals. This was not just an attack on David but a direct assault on God’s servants and His worship. It reminds us how far hatred and a lying tongue can lead when left unchecked: from gossip, to slander, to murder.
🔥 Davids curses Doeg
📖 Psalms 52:1-9 (KJV) To the chief Musician, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. 2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. 6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.
What we need to understand is sometimes the wicked seem to get away with murder, yet David tells us that God will repay him in the next life. God always repays either in this life or the next.
📖 Proverbs 19:5 (KJV) A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
✅ Enemies talk backfires
🔥 Haman’s words of lies
📖 Esther 3:8-9 (KJV) And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. 9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
Here we see Haman using both flattering words and financial bribes to push forward his wicked agenda. He painted the Jews as lawless troublemakers, twisting the truth to make them appear as enemies of the state. To strengthen his case, he offered an enormous sum of money ten thousand talents of silver to fund their destruction. This is a clear example of how Satan works through lies, slander, and greed to target God’s people.
📖 Proverbs 26:28 (KJV) A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
This reminds me of a time in the workplace when someone who disliked me tried to make my life harder. They stirred up the managers to place heavier burdens and extra work on me. Yet instead of breaking me, it only strengthened my resolve. The more they pressed against me, the more determined they became to bring me down but by God’s grace, it did not shake me.
🔥 Haman got authority
📖 Esther 3:10-11 (KJV) And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. 11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
At this moment, Haman was given complete authority to carry out his evil plan. With the king’s ring and approval, he had the power to execute his decree against the Jews in every province. This shows how deception and flattery can open doors for the enemy to gain influence and authority over others. But even when the enemy seems to have all the power, God remains sovereign. The one who appears victorious in the moment may ultimately face divine justice, as we will see with Haman’s downfall.
🔥 Haman mistaken
📖 Esther 6:6-10 (KJV) So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.
Here, Haman’s pride and assumptions lead him into a trap of his own making. He believed that the king’s question was about honoring him, so he suggested the most extravagant display of respect. Yet the king had someone else in mind Mordecai, the very man Haman sought to destroy. Haman’s own words and plans, meant to glorify himself, became the instrument of his humiliation. This shows that the enemy’s cunning often backfires: the very schemes devised to harm God’s people can be turned against the schemer.
⏰ The over all moral of the story is words are powerful whether it is used to fight against Satan or whether Satan uses it against us to slow the work of God.
📖 James 3:5-6 (KJV) Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
📌 Do not underestimate the power of words use it for good to fight the good fight of faith, use prayer as well as a tool for protection and provision, and use the word of God to fight evil forces. Amen
