The devil's modus operandi

Do you know of three beasts that lie in wait or their prey? They are the lion, the leopard and the hyena. The hyena does not devour, but attacks only the vital organs and rapidly leaves after consuming a few mouthfuls. The leopard does not eat the prey but desires only the blood. The lion, however, completely devours its helpless victim, leaving not a single portion.

Satan (The Devil) is much the same, roaming and stalking around to devour ‘souls’ completely. The Scriptures warn: “Be alert. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a hungry lion, seeking to devour someone (I Peter 5:8).  He targets those striving toward holiness, for such has been the story of many a sage and saint.

The Satan, like a skilled general leading a war, looks for the weak points of a fortress or frontlines of the enemy, stalks and attacks the hearts of those who worship God, by sowing the seeds of evil questionings and cunningly assaults us at points where we have previously suffered and fallen.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria (444 AD) commenting on Judas’ intention of betraying Jesus, says, “Satan uses our own weakness as an ally to his wicked devices and employs again the passion that previously injured our soul.”

The miseries and pitfalls in life that estrange us from God, is the devil’s doing. For this reason, the Scriptures exhort us to be wary of the Devil’s presence as ‘real’. Jesus himself was hounded by temptation while he fasted in the wilderness.  He was tempted to change stones into bread (material temptation), to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple and be unharmed (temptation to self-glory) and worship Satan in exchange for high power and position (Mathew 4:1-10).

In a world of growing scientific temper and a subtle wave of godlessness, we may be tempted to even deny the existence of ‘the evil one’. Like two kids trying to ‘de-mystify’ Satan, one said “There is no Satan.” The other replied, “Of course, he exists and is mentioned all through the Bible.” The boy replied, “Oh! that’s nonsense. He is like Santa Claus. At every Christmas, he turns out to be your dad in Santa’s outfit.”

If you want to be shielded from evil, understand Satan; his viles, his multiple masks and garbs, his strategies and deceitful traps. Introspect on your weak points and vulnerable areas of your life where he aims his arrow the most. 

The bait he often sways before you are pleasures which you like the most but also harm you the most.

Given that human hungers are many, desires ever growing, temptations never ceasing and attractions to self-indulgence so alluring, the devil has enough weapons in his arsenal to accelerate them in our lives. Our proximity and dependence on God will serve as a towering fortress and strong shield.

Seek the Creator, not the creature and you will find solace that the world cannot give and the world cannot take away from you.