Satan is tricky, and he likes to prey on Christians especially during their moments of weakness and suffering. But Pastor F. Dean Hackett says there are several ways Christians can outsmart Satan, and God already provided these principles in the Bible.
"An important principle about Satan is found n the first two chapters of Job. Yes, it is the same fallen angel who led a rebellion in heaven against God, before mankind was created," Hackett writes in an article for Charisma News.
Because Satan spends a lot of time walking back and forth across the earth looking for people he can victimise, Christians can come to the conclusion that he is finite.
"He cannot be everywhere at one time. He is not all powerful and he doesn't know everything. He can only know those facts he has learned," Hackett says. "As great as your enemy may be and though he continually makes accusations against you, he does not have the power to conquer you. Jesus Christ has defeated him and you hold authority over him."
The second principle Christians must understand is that God knows who people are. In complete contrast to Satan, God is infinite and is even intimately acquainted with every human being.
Next, God has the power to protect His children from any of Satan's attacks. "Not only are the eyes of God fixed upon the righteous one, He has surrounded them with His divine protection," assures Hackett. "A child of God is never at the mercy of their enemy. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6) under the care and protection of Almighty God."
Lastly, those who go through sufferings do not mean they've sinned and have lost God's grace. When he was attacked by Satan, Job was a righteous man who did nothing but glorify God.
'When a child of God chooses to disobey God and sin, of course they will experience the consequences of their actions. But it should not be automatically assumed that is the case when a child of God is in crisis," explains Hackett. "It should not be assumed by the child of God that He is punishing them."
