Have you ever been deceived by Satan? Did you take his bait, only to discover you had been duped? Perhaps it was a lustful act, an angry tirade, a substance abuse, or a foolish risk that left you feeling dissatisfied.

Satan is a deceiver: “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). This means that he will make the temptation, or bait, look good. However, it is all part of Satan’s masquerade which hides the danger inside the temptation. Within the bait, he disguises a hook — sin’s hook of dissatisfied desires. Whereas Satan’s bait falsely promises to satisfy our desires, the hook holds us captive when we fall prey to the temptation and sin. The deceitful hook of dissatisfied desires sets us up to be even more vulnerable to the original temptation.

Only Christ can truly satisfy our desires.

If you have been deceived by Satan, confess your sin of pursuing the temptation, remembering: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Turn to Christ, the truth of God, who will set you free from Satan’s hook and make you new again. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Find a confidant to whom you can confess your sin and restoration. Ask them to become a mutual walk partner, someone with whom you can share any temptation before falling prey to the enemy’s hidden hook of sin and dissatisfied desires. Do the same for your friend. Christ will use both of you to bring His restoration to others.

Episode 68: Guard Your Heart Against Satan's Schemes from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.