Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!
Thomas Brooks, born in 1608, was a Puritan preacher who wrote a number of essays during his time with possibly the foremost entitled, “Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices.” In writing the book’s dedication, he wrote, “Christ, the scripture, your own hearts, and Satan’s devices, are the four prime things that should be first and most studied and searched. If any cast off the study of these they cannot be safe here, nor happy hereafter.” Brooks believed that all Christians have particular weaknesses in their faith and those weaknesses would be exploited in some way by Satan.
I agree with Brooks’ concern and have experienced a myriad of devilish attacks on my faith throughout my Christian years. The evil one is craftier than we are and has a strategy to destroy or disable us in ways that we cannot initially see. Brooks writes, “With one person he will restrain from tempting, that we may think ourselves secure, and neglect our watch. Another while he will seem to run from, so he will make us proud of the victory. In another case, we may be tempted to fix our eyes on the sins of others than our own and become puffed up and proud. And finally, with another while he may fix their eyes more on others’ graces than their own, that he may overwhelm them.”
Brooks believed that in his own time, most Christians were failing to get into the practice of guarding their hearts against Satanic attacks. However, I think that if Brooks could see us now, well, let’s just say that his concerns would be greatly magnified.
A final bit of counsel from Thomas Brooks. First, remember that even though my notes to you will be brief, it is not an encouragement to fast reading, but rather serious thinking upon holy and heavenly truths, that make them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not he that reads most, but he that thinks deeply the most, that will shape the wisest and strongest Christian. Second, understand that it is not the knowing, or the talking, or the reading person, but the person who is the doing person, that will be found to be the one with the most joy.
I hope that is a sufficient introduction to this fine work by Thomas Brooks. I am excited to bring you a condensed and modernized version of his writings about a critical component for walking worthy with the Lord.
Today, we will look at the first strategy of Satan to draw you into sin and the first solution to defeat this strategy. In the weeks that follow, we will consider several other solutions as well.
Satan’s Strategy 1: To present the bait and hide the hook; to present the golden cup and hide the poison; to present the sweet, the pleasure, and the profit that may flow in upon the soul by giving into sin, and by hiding from the soul the wrath and misery that will certainly follow the committing of sin. This is what he did in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4-5). He promised great things, but always intended shame. He tried the same thing with our Lord (Matthew 4:8-9). He showed him the beauty of owning the world, something that any of us would have succumbed to. There are five solutions to this wicked attempt on our hearts.
The first solution: keep the greatest distance from sin and from playing with the golden bait that Satan holds in front of you to catch you. For this, we look to Romans 12:9 which says, “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The Greek word that is used for abhor is very significant; It signifies to hate it as hell itself, to hate it with horror. It is our wisest and our safest course to stand at the farthest distance from sin; not to go near the house of the harlot, but to flee from all appearance of evil (Proverbs 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:22). The best course to prevent falling into the pit is to keep at the greatest distance; he that will be so bold as to attempt to dance upon the brink of the pit, may find by woeful experience that it is a righteous thing with God that he should fall into the pit.
Remember Joseph, who was tempted by Potiphar’s wife? Day after day, she invited Joseph to lie with her, yet Joseph kept a distance from sin and from playing with Satan’s golden baits, and he stood (Genesis 39:7-10). Remember David and how his eyes opened his heart to the temptation of lying with Bathsheba? He does not turn away, but draws near, plays with the bait, and falls (2 Samuel 11:2-5).
Sin is a plague, yes, the greatest and most infectious plague in the world and yet, how few are there that tremble at it and keep a distance from it! Be on guard.
Remember, next week we will hear the second solution to Satan’s strategy to draw you into sin.
Material is taken from Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices written by Thomas Brooks, first published in 1652, condensed, revised, and updated by Michael Lee.
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Last modified: October 6, 2022
