6 Ways the Devil Attacks New Believers — And How to Fight Back | George Whitefield

"The sermon ""Satan's Devices,"" by George Whitefield, is based on 2 Corinthians 2:11, warning believers not to be ignorant of the adversary's methods. The text’s occasion arose when the Corinthian church was advised to forgive an excommunicated person to prevent Satan from driving him to despair and causing him to be ""swallowed up with over much sorrow"".
Satan, meaning ""an adversary,"" is the chief of devils, characterized as a ""hater of all truth"" and full of malice, envy, and revenge. While he wields ""great power,"" his most dangerous attribute is his subtlety and guile, as he ""lie[s] in wait to deceive"". Because this life is a ""continual Warfare,"" temptation is unavoidable, particularly when a person is ""first entering upon the spiritual life"".
Whitefield identifies six primary devices Satan uses:
1. Driving to Despair: Aggravating conviction of sin to make the convert doubt mercy. The remedy is recognizing that Christ’s merits are infinitely greater than any sin, and faith makes sins ""white as snow"".
2. Spiritual Pride: Inflating converts with a ""high conceit of his own attainments"". The remedy is humility, as ""God resisteth the proud"".
3. Uneasiness in Prayer: Causing ""hard thoughts of God"" during spiritual deadness or barrenness. This is a necessary ""inward trial"" to teach pure love and obedience.
4. Blasphemous Thoughts: Shooting ""fiery darts"" and horrid suggestions, often during prayer or communion. This is the ""common lot of All God's Children,"" and believers must persevere in using ordinances.
5. Carnal Friends: Using ""dearest intimates"" to dissuade converts. Converts must ""forsake all to follow Christ"".
6. Spiritual Slumber: Withdrawing ""for a season"" to return with ""double Fury"" later. The remedy is to ""watch and pray always"" and awake from any spiritual slumber.
Christians are encouraged to be strong, recognizing that God is ""by far more powerful than all that are against us"". They must ""put on the whole armor of God,"" including the shield of Faith and the sword of the spirit, always looking to Jesus, ""the author and finisher of our faith"".
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