I.
Statement
of Principle: Satan uses subtle ways to tempt us:
·
The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic
means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the
enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2
Ne. 3:12.)
It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs,
strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. God, with his infinite
foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and
know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical
concepts of our time. Ezra Taft
Benson, “The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God,” Ensign, May 1975,
63
- 2
Nephi 28:2 And the things which shall be
written out of the abook
shall be of great bworth
unto the children of men FOR IN THAT DAY: (2 Nephi 28 lists many of
Satan’s methods)
Reference Subtlety of Satan
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call aevil bgood, and good
evil
Isaiah.
47: 10 Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None aseeth•
me.
1
Nephi 3:5 Sometimes we say
it is a hard thing the Lord requires of us
1
Nephi 13:9 He wants us to
desire the praise of the world
2
Nephi 2:18 Satan desires all
men to be miserable
2
Nephi 2:29 The will of the
flesh is sometimes evil
2
Nephi 26:22 Satan
starts with small things: he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord,
until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
2
Nephi 28:5 They say unto the
people: there is no God today
2
Nephi 28: 7-8 Eat, Drink and be
merry for tomorrow we die and it shall be well with us
2
Nephi 28:20 Satan stirs people up
to anger against good
2
Nephi 28:21 Satan will lull us
away into carnal security so we think all is well in Zion
2
Nephi 28:22 He wants us to think
there is no devil
2
Nephi 32:8 For the evil spirit
teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray
Jacob
2:13 Because of the
costliness of your apparel, ye persecute your brethren
Alma 10:25 Why hath Satan got such great hold
upon your hearts that he may have power over you, to...
Alma
30:15 Ye cannot know of
things which ye do not see.
Alma
46:8 Thus we see how quick
the children of men do forget the Lord, yea how quick to do iniquity
Helaman
2:8 It was the object of all
those who belonged to his band to gain power
Helaman
12:2 They do harden their hearts
and do forget the Lord, and this because of their ease and exceeding prosperity.
Moroni
7:17 For the devil persuadeth
no man to do good, no not one.
II.
Statement
of Principle: There are effects from sin:
·
2 Nephi 9:47 Ye
look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I bteach you the
consequences of sin.
·
Enos 1:23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding aharshness, bpreaching and
prophesying and continually
reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, would
keep them from going down speedily to destruction.
Reference Consequence
2 Peter 1:1-9 But
he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off
1 Nephi 16:2 The wicked take the truth to be hard
2 Nephi 4:27 He destroys my peace
Mosiah 2:36 If ye should transgress, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may
have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed,
prospered, and preserved
Alma 41:11 They have gone contrary to the nature
of God; therefore they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness
Helaman 4:13 Because of their great wickedness, and
their boastings in their own strength they were left in their own strength
Helaman 4:24 The Spirit of the Lord did no more
preserve them; yea it had withdrawn from them because the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples
Mormon 2:13 The Lord would not always allow them to
take happiness in sin.
Mormon 5:18 They are led about by Satan as a vessel
without sail or anchor or anything to steer
Moroni10:22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be
in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity
III.
Statement of Principle: We can overcome
the temptations of Satan:
Helaman
3:29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the aword•
of God, which is bquick•
and powerful, which shall cdivide•
asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the
man of Christ in a strait and dnarrow•
course across that everlasting egulf•
of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked
Reference Solution
Isa. 58:
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the abands•
of wickedness
1 Nephi 15:3 Things are hard to understand if we
don’t inquire of the Lord
2 Nephi 1:13 We need to “awake from a deep sleep”, or
take a look at where we are at
2 Nephi 4:31 Wilt thou make me that I may shake at
the appearance of sin?
2 Nephi 8:7 Fear ye not the reproach of men,
neither be ye afraid of their revilings
2 Nephi 9:49 Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my
heart adelighteth
in righteousness
Jacob 2:8 The pleasing word of God, yea,
the word which healeth the wounded soul
Mosiah 3:19 The natural man is an enemy to God, and will be
forever unless he yields
to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.
Mosiah 5:2 Because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has
wrought a mighty achange
in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good
continually.
Mosiah 18:10 Ye will serve him and keep his commandments,
that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
Alma 5:57 Come ye out from the wicked, and be
ye bseparate,
and touch not their unclean things
Alma 13:28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and awatch and pray
continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which
ye can bear
Alma 31:5 Preaching of the word had more
powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword or anything else.
Alma 38:12 See that ye bridle all your passions.
Alma 39:14 Seek not after riches nor the vain
things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you.
Alma 48:11,17 Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; and
he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ. If all men were like unto Moroni, the very
powers of hell would have been shaken, yea the devil would have no power
Alma 53:20 They were men who were true at all
times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted
Alma 62:41 And many were softened because of
their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God
Helaman
3:35 Nevertheless they did
afast and bpray oft, and
did wax firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, yea, even to the dpurifying and
the esanctification
of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their fyielding•
their hearts unto God.
Helaman 5:9 Remember that there is no other way nor
means whereby man can be saved, only through the batoning•
blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come;
yea, remember that he cometh to credeem
the dworld.
Helaman 5:12 Remember, remember that it is upon the arock•
of our Redeemer, that ye must build your bfoundation•;
that when the devil shall send all his hail and his mighty cstorm•
it shall have no power over you
3 Nephi 18:7 And if ye do always remember me ye shall
have my Spirit to be with you
3 Nephi 18:15 I say unto you, ye must watch and pray
always, lest ye be tempted by the devil.
Mormon 9:28 Ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye
will yield to no temptation.
Ether 6:7 When they were encompassed about
by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again
Ether 12:27 If men come unto me I will show unto
them their weakness. For if they humble
themselves before me and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become
strong.
Moroni 6:4 They might be nourished by the good
word of God
Moroni 7:13 That which is of God inviteth and
enticeth to do good continually. Do not
judge that which is evil to be of God.
Moroni 7:27 Wherefore my beloved brethren, have
miracles ceased?
3 Nephi 18:32 Come unto me with full purpose of heart,
and I shall heal you.
Other Insights into How
Satan Works:
By reclaiming
an erring brother, we save both him and ourselves. Our sins are hidden
(remitted) because we ministered for the salvation and blessing of another
member of the kingdom. In principle this special reward for Christ's ministers
applies also to those who preach the gospel and bring souls into the kingdom.
The minister is rewarded with salvation and, of necessity, in the process, is
freed from his own sins. (D&C 4:1–4.) (Bruce
R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1966–73], 3:279.)
James E. Faust – Ensign,
June 2006
Today
we are barraged by multitudes of voices telling us how to live, how to gratify
our passions, how to have it all. At our fingertips we have software,
databases, television channels, interactive computer modems, satellite
receivers, and communications networks that suffocate us with information.
There are fewer places of refuge and serenity. Our young people are bombarded
with evil and wickedness like no other generation. As I contemplate this
prospect, I am reminded of the poet T. S. Eliot’s words: “Where is the wisdom
we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in
information?”11
It
may be harder for our rising generation to be faithful, perhaps in some ways
even more challenging than pulling a handcart across the plains. When someone
died in the wilderness of frontier America, that person’s physical remains were
buried and the handcarts continued west, but the mourning survivors had hope
for their loved one’s eternal soul. However, when someone dies spiritually in
the wilderness of sin, hope may be replaced by dread and fear for the loved
one’s eternal welfare.
Many
in the younger generation have been conditioned by the world to want it all and
to want it now. They do not want to save or work. Such self-centered, impatient
desires make them susceptible to temptation. [In 1 Nephi 22:23] the Book of
Mormon identifies four categories of enticements that Satan appeals to:
• Getting gain.
• Gaining power over the
flesh.
• Gaining popularity in
the eyes of the world.
• Seeking the lusts of the
flesh and the things of the world.
Marion
G. Romney, “The Price of Peace,” Ensign, Oct 1983, 3
I know that there are some in the world who deny
the existence of a personal Satan. This denial is false, being sponsored by the
father of lies himself, but there is nothing new about it.”
Richard G. Scott, BYU Aug. 1997
Recognizing that you
are a person who wants to live worthily and be obedient to Father in Heaven,
how would Satan strive to lead you from the path to happiness? Surely he would
not be successful by tempting you to commit serious transgression—at least not
initially. He would more likely fill your mind and heart with visions of many,
many worthwhile things—none of which could be criticized as being wrong, but,
taken together, they would so occupy your time that you would not do those
things that are absolutely essential for eternal life with Father in Heaven and
his Beloved Son. Nephi warned of that approach.
Jeffrey
R. Holland, “‘Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence’,” Ensign, Mar
2000, 7
“The reminder is that we cannot sign on for a
battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing
it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight
nevertheless. I suppose every returned missionary and probably every convert reading these words knows exactly what I am
talking about.”
James E. Faust, “Ten Things to Know
Before You Go,” New Era, Jul 2002, 4
You must know that Satan will oppose you, and
be prepared for his opposition. Do not be surprised. He wants you to fail. Discouragement is one of the
devil’s tools. Have courage and go forward. Recognize that the gospel has been
preached with some pain and sorrow from the very beginning of time. Do not
expect that your experience will be otherwise.
Sin
is addictive; self-degenerating; conducive to other strains of corruption;
deadening to spirituality, conscience, and reason; blinding to reality;
contagious; destructive to mind, body, and spirit. Sin is spiritually
corrosive. Unrestrained it becomes all-consuming. It is overcome by repentance
and righteousness.
Richard
G. Scott, "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance", Ensign,
Nov. 2009
I
share a warning. Satan is extremely good at blocking spiritual communication by
inducing individuals, through temptation, to violate the laws upon which
spiritual communication is founded. With some, he is able to convince them that
they are not able to receive such guidance from the Lord.
