Satan's Policy of Evil
in the Dispensation of Grace

by Nancy Paulson

The revelation of the mystery was a death blow to Satan's plan of evil. The heavenly places had seemed to be secure. Up until the time the mystery was revealed to the Apostle Paul, God had been focusing on mere men who could not exist nor function in the heavenly realm.

Satan had formulated a plan to be like the Most High God (Isaiah 14:13-14) but this had turned out to be his "undoing".

God made a "public display of Satan and his cohorts in the cross of Christ" (Colossians 2:14-15). How Satan must hate this "new revelation" and the new creation that is now being formed. Satan has declared war! (Once again) He wants to obliterate if not obscure the knowledge of the mystery of Christ.

Just as Satan constructed a policy of evil against the nation of Israel so he has constructed a policy of evil against the body of Christ.

Paul uses these words and phrases to describe Satan's policy of evil:

• Wiles of the devil
• Wrestling against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places
• Fiery darts of the wicked

Paul warns of:

• Satan's devices
• Satan's subtlety
• Being beguiled by him
• Being falsely persuaded
• Being spoiled
• Being deceived

Paul alerts us to the operations of:

• Satan's ministers in disguise
• Counterfeit signs
• Seducing spirits
• Doctrines of devils
• Doctrines of false prophets
• Doctrines of another spirit
• Seducers
• Forms of godliness

Paul tells us to be on guard against:

• Winds of doctrine
• Slight men and cunning craftiness
• Giving place to the devil
• Turning aside after Satan
• Being taken in the snare of the devil
• Giving Satan opportunity to speak reproachfully

Paul also warns of:

• Extra Biblical revelation
• Profane and vain babblings
• Heeding old wives fables
• Deceitful workers coming in the name of Christ

The major ingredient of Satan's policy of evil today is DECEPTION.

Satan's contempt for us as the new creation goes beyond recognizing who and what we are in God's plan and purpose.

(Ephesians 3:8-12 KJV) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; {9} And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: {10} To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, {11} According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: {12} In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

The church, the body of Christ, is privileged with bearing a testimony to God's glory before the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

How do we make known the manifold wisdom of God?

The celebrating and displaying of the manifold wisdom of God happens when the body of Christ understands and appreciates the mystery just like Paul did. When we come to understand Paul's knowledge of the mystery we make an impact to the glory of God's genius in the face of the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. We do not see the impact made, nor do we hear of it but it is made.

Israel's impact is on the earth --"Law contract"
The Body of Christ's impact is in the heaven --"Mystery of Christ"

Satan's policy of evil is to minimize or eliminate this impact in the heavenlies by mocking God and speaking of us reproachfully in the heavenly places.

Satan desires the members of the body of Christ to be tossed to and fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14), not even knowing for themselves what is the fellowship of the mystery.

The result: Christians do not know the manifold wisdom of God and are kept ignorant of what is needed for them to make an impact in the heavenlies.

The new creation is slandered, ridiculed and defamed when the Body of Christ members are ignorant of God's manifold wisdom and act contrary to God's program that He is administering in this dispensation of grace.

Satan is at work to keep Christians ignorant of the "mystery of Christ" but not of the Bible as a whole. His goal is to keep members of the Body of Christ as "children", that is, doctrinally immature and not growing up into Christ "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

Satan desires Christians into believing things that they should not believe. Hence, he doctrinally blinds them so they do not see and know what God wants them to know.

Paul uses the term "devil" instead of the name "Satan" to emphasize the tactics and ploys against us. "Devil" means slanderer, accuser; one who lays charges or makes accusations against us. The terms speaks of one who, especially with malicious intent, seeks to malign your character, attack your reputation, foul or besmirch your name, or slander you and belittle you in the eyes of others, particularly by speaking against you with vilifying, abusive, or reviling accusations and remarks.

Satan's goal is to carry out spiritual wickedness against us in the heavenly places in contrast to God speaking well of us in Christ Jesus. Satan is most effective when Christians get caught up in the contrary doctrine of what God is doing today.

Satan has declared war on the message of the "mystery of Christ".

Source:Satan and His Plan of Evil by Keith Blades