One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is Paul’s explanation of the Armor of God. I guess it’s not a story, exactly, but it is excellent advice in warding off the destroyer.
Who is the destroyer? Who wants our destruction so badly he will stop at nothing to attack our self-esteem, our weaknesses, and even our strengths? This person is Satan and we need to understand enough about him to protect ourselves from him.
N. Eldon Tanner titled his remarks, “Put on the Whole Armor of God.” Just a few years ago, I occasionally put my seatbelt on when I got in the car. Now, I put it on every time. It has become a habit for me and it feels strange the few times I’ve forgotten to fasten it. This is my armor against all the crazies on the road. But righteousness is our armor to protect us from Satan’s awful chains.
Recently, a friend said something that gave me something to think about. She said, “We need to know our enemy.” I think she’s right. Right after Moses has this amazing experience with the Lord on Mt. Sinai, Satan comes to entice him. Satan does his best to convince Moses to worship him. Moses weakens and begins to fear. In doing so, he sees “the bitterness of hell.” But then he remembers the Lord and gathers strength enough to call upon God. Only then is he able to cast Satan out in the name of the “one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory” (see Moses 1:12-20).
Satan is real. He is desperate to have you and it is important to recognize how he tricks you. James E. Faust spoke on Satan once in conference. He said,
“My principal reason for choosing this subject is to help young people by warning them, as Paul said, ‘lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices’ (2 Cor. 2:11). We hope that young people, unfamiliar with the sophistries of the world, can keep themselves free of Satan’s enticements and deceitful ways” (“The Great Imitator,” Oct. 1987).
The subject of Satan is nothing worth dwelling on or seriously studying. We certainly don’t need to study him in depth. The scriptures have more than enough information to help us put on sufficient armor. Nephi states so vividly this warning:
“And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance” (2 Ne. 28:21–22).
Not only is the world around us falling into the mire, we’ve seen those in high places of our own church fall. Persecution is all around us. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated so eloquently, “you may even see a few leave the Church who cannot then leave the Church alone” (Oct. 1980 CR).
Don’t let the subtleties of the devil lure you away. He is tricky, he is sly, he often tries to use righteousness to work against us. In his talk, Pres. Faust quoted a friend who used to say, “The devil is not smart because he is the devil; he is smart because he is old.” My spirit is old also. But I have a body, which gives me greater power. Joseph Smith said,
“All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 181).
We have more power than we realize; much more than Satan if we remember our righteousness.
During the millennium, “Satan shall be bound” (D&C 88:110). “Because of the righteousness of His people, Satan has no power (1 Ne. 22:26).
Just think of that. No wonder our prophets continue to remind us to read our scriptures and pray always. This is the very armor of protection we need in order to stand against the adversary.
And because we are living in the twilight of the 11th hour Satan is desperate. He wants to steal as many children away from Heavenly Father as he possibly can.
Don’t let it be you!
Another Odyssey post:
Frequently, a second effort Marilyn Nielson