No advantage be taken
“in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11
No advantage be taken – Did you notice the important opening words “in order that”? Something was said before we got here that is critical to understanding this verse. Paul tells us that whatever was said before is the secret of not being taken advantage of by Satan. So, let’s back up two verses. 2 Corinthians 2:9 and 10 give us two simple, powerful keys that will stop Satan’s schemes in their tracks. They are two deliberate actions that expose all Satan’s plans. Can you guess what they are?
Obedience and forgiveness. In verse 9 Paul says that he is writing to determine the proof of obedience. This is not verbal confession. This is behavior. It’s what I do that determines if I am being obedient. The first step in revealing the hidden disease of Satan is outward obedience. Get God’s law in your mind and live it! Do what God says. Don’t make excuses. Don’t justify alternatives. If you want to be familiar with the schemes of Satan so that you won’t get trapped, start with obedience.
No one said it would be easy. But it is simple. God’s law is not impossibly difficult. It is just impossibly straight. It doesn’t allow any caveats or exceptions. We all want a little leeway once in awhile but holiness will not tolerate such thinking (in fact, thinking that my case is an exception to the rule is a below the radar tactic of Satan). There are no exceptions to holiness.
And that’s why we need the second step: forgiveness. If I am devoted to a life of holiness and at the same time liberally granting forgiveness to others, I will discover an amazing fact: God forgives me and accepts me too. And suddenly all those below-the-radar issues in my life start coming on the screen. I start to see the places where my obedience is not complete. I recognize that I need plenty of forgiveness. Satan can’t get a foothold because there is no room for excuse and no space for intolerance.
Don’t let the enemy get the advantage. Break his back over obedience and forgiveness. And by the way, did you notice that those two things are something Satan will never do.
