It has forever been the Successful ploy of Satan to trick his prey into believing that he is stronger and wiser than the temptation that Satan sets before him. When Satan gets a person to believe this, they are as good as trapped. The bait has been set and the prey is all but caught. It may take some time but Satan is a patient predator. Satan starts this process through the thoughts of sin that we desire. “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:14&15

Think about this! A hunter will never be successful in trapping a bear by leaving it a million dollars. The hunter knows what the animal likes and he leaves it for him in a trap. A fisherman does not attach a x rated video to his line and hook a prize winning Barracuda. The fisherman puts the type of bait on the hook that he knows a Barracuda enjoys. Satan will not try to trap you with a dead rodent that a bear is tempted by or a barrel full of chubs that a Barracuda is hooked by. Satan would not be as successful in trapping and destroying lives as he is if he did not use the enticement that appeals to you. Even though all humans are the same in many aspects, we are also all diverse in what attracts us and how we are attracted.

For one person money might be the bait, to another it may be sex and to another it might be drugs. Then, as Satan studies the person to see how to tempt and trap him, he figures out what will be the best way to go about the capture and destruction of his victim. For instance, the one who lust after money, does he set the trap of long hours of hard work and neglect of church and family or is the enticement gambling?

If sex is what the person is longing for, Satan might seduce him with free access to the Playboy channel in a hotel room or he may bring an interested attractive, amoral co-worker into the picture. If the lust is drugs, Satan may snatch his victim through street dope or prescription stuff? One thing is for sure; the devil is a wise serpent that is hard at work! We should fear the subtlety of our adversary more than his roar.

Tempting Eve
Those that know God and know God’s word should not feel safe. Even knowing and loving God is not enough to avoid entrapment. WE MUST OBEY HIS WORD! We need to heed to Peter’s advice “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

As Satan was studying the first women, he noticed her allurement to the forbidden fruit. So he concocted a story he knew she would want to hear in order to justify her desired actions. Then he transformed himself into a concerned, friendly and comforting counselor. Satan was able to convince Eve that the fruit was not only good for her to eat but also after eating it she would be like God.

If Eve were to be like God then she would be able to enjoy her controlled consumption of forbidden fruit. What harm would be done if she ate of the off limit tree once in a while? The results were that Eve believed the lie of her new god and surrendered her freedom to him. She was now his prisoner. Sin had control over her. Her sin had effected herself, her husband, her children and all of her extended family. Eve swallowed Satan’s bait; hook, line and SINKER! Since then, people of every generation have not yet learned this horrifying lesson.

Warning from Paul
“do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13And do not present your body parts as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your body parts as instruments of righteousness to God.” “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:12,13,16 & 23.

There is an unlimited supply of Satan’s victims that can be interviewed concerning the loss of families, ministries, friends, careers, health, savings, property, and possibly their life or the lives of others because they did not listen heed to God’s truth. What will it take for you to know that God is forbidding you and warning you because He knows what Satan is planning against you? We can not trust our own hearts, our desires or our affections. We must trust God’s word!

The Fallen Righteous
There are many Saints, who are heroes of our faith that were ensnared by Satan. Jacob succumbed to self-ambition. David was captured by Bathsheba’s beauty. Many beauties over took Solomon. Demas loved this present world. Many others have been side tracked from the holy race because they failed to surrender some affection to the cross of Christ. Let us be wise and listen intently to the insightful advice that Jesus gave to Peter. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (no strength). Matthew 26:41

“He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the ALMIGHTY. He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler.” Psalm 91:1 and 3

Temptation
An attractive word for “seductively trapping with the intent of destroying!”

“SATAN HATH DESIRED TO HAVE YOU, THAT HE MAY SIFT YOU AS WHEAT!”