April 2, 2025
Our ignorance of satan and his tactics, as well as how to deal with them, can be costly. Second Corinthians 2:11 tells us, “In order that no advantage be taken of us by satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” The context of this verse is forgiveness – unforgiveness allows satan to take advantage of us – but Paul is obviously stating the content of this verse as a general principle: ignorance of satan’s schemes gives him an advantage, just as it does any foe. Let’s analyze this principle more thoroughly.
The word “ignorant” is the Greek word agnoeo. Not surprisingly, it means literally “without knowledge or understanding of.”(1) It may surprise you, however, that our English word “agnostic” is derived from it. Technically, an agnostic is not a person who is unsure if they believe in God, though we now use it this way. An agnostic is a person who does not know or understand, regardless of the subject. We also get our word “ignore” from the same root. In this verse, we’re urged not to ignore or be an agnostic – without understanding – where the actions of the devil are concerned.
“Schemes” is the word noema; it literally means “thought.”(2) Does that surprise you? The verse is essentially saying, “Don’t be without understanding of the way satan thinks.” Noema is also used for “plans, schemes, plots, devices” because these things are products of and originate in our thoughts.
For greater insight, let's insert all these definitions into the verse: “Don’t ignore or be without understanding of the way your enemy thinks and operates – of his plans, plots, schemes and devices.”
Is there not also a subtle promise in this warning? If God suggests we are not to be ignorant of satan’s schemes, He must be willing to reveal them to us.
What happens when we are unaware of these schemes? It gives satan an opportunity to take “advantage” of us. This word is pleonekteo, a compound Greek word meaning literally “to have or hold the greater portion” (pleon – “the greater part”; echo - “have or hold”)(3). The word can be used for both positive and negative actions. It is easy to see why this is a word for “covet,” which is a strong desire to possess a greater portion of something.(4)
The word also means “overreach.” In boxing, the person with the longer reach has an “advantage” and usually lands more blows. The word is also translated as “make a gain”; we use the concept when we speak of “gaining ground.” Bullinger’s outstanding Greek lexicon says that in a negative sense, it means “to make a prey of; to defraud.”(5)
Let’s add these definitions to the former, putting them together into an amplification of this verse: “To the degree we are ignorant of the way our adversary thinks and operates – his plans, plots, schemes and devices – to that degree he will take advantage, gain ground, land punches, prey on, defraud us of what is ours, and have or hold the greater portion.” Not good!
The greater portion of what? Whatever! Our homes, marriages, families, communities, money, government, nation, and more. Fifty years ago, Americans, including the church, were without understanding of what satan was planning, and he took the greatest portion of our schools. This, of course, allowed him to prey on the minds of a generation, gaining ground in his attempt to take over our nation.
The same could be said of our government. Distorting the Establishment Clause of the Constitution’s First Amendment, satan schemed to remove God’s influence from government and the public square. Through our ignorance, he took the larger portion. Sadly, we have discovered that it is much easier to maintain something than it is to take it back.
Paul actually said in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 that satan occasionally made some gains on him in the ongoing war over spreading the gospel: “For we wanted to come to you – I, Paul, more than once – and yet satan thwarted us.” We know Paul won more battles than he lost, but he wasn’t perfect, and at times, satan succeeded in thwarting his plans.
Please notice it doesn’t say God changed His mind about Paul going to Thessalonica. It clearly says that satan hindered him. Those people who would have us think satan can do nothing except what God allows, and that we should therefore ignore him, should reread these two verses in 2 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians. God doesn’t ignore the devil, and neither should we. And satan certainly does many things God doesn’t “allow” him to do.
The only sense in which it can be said God allows everything that occurs on earth is that He created the laws and principles – sowing and reaping, cause and effect, and the free will of humans – that govern the earth. Humans, however, implement these principles and determine with our free will and actions what is sown, reaped, and experienced. Satan, too, understands these laws and uses them to his advantage whenever possible.(6)
This doesn’t mean that every time something terrible happens to you, you caused it through your choices. The decisions of others on the earth obviously affect us. It simply means that God isn’t behind these terrible things.
God is for us, not against us, as is proven by the Cross. Thankfully, we can look to Him to heal us, restore us, and work for our good the evils satan, others, and even we ourselves have allowed. We are applying the redemption He provided in order to see our nation restored, and you can do the same for your personal life and family.
Pray with me:
Father, all of us have at times been taken advantage of by satan and his scheming. He is a thief who specializes in stealing, killing, and destroying. As a nation, we have also been taken advantage of by him. He has landed many blows, defrauded, and taken much ground in America.
You, on the other hand, sent Your Son to bring us abundant life. You are the Giver, not the taker; the Healer, not the destroyer. We appeal to You today to deliver us from the evil one, restoring what he has taken from us as individuals and as a nation. We join our hearts in agreement now, asking You in faith for great breakthroughs. By the power of the Almighty Holy Spirit, give us back our children, marriages, streets, cities, and nation. Reverse the gains satan has made. Help us take back the ground he has stolen. Move by Your Spirit in our schools, on our campuses, in our government, in our churches. Return to us our voice of trumpeting the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
And we ask for greater discernment, understanding, and awareness of satan’s schemes and plans. Give us the ability to discern when he is encroaching. Holy Spirit wants to give us intel of our enemy; teach us to tune into this. The thief is no match for Him.
We ask these things for our brothers and sisters around the world. Strengthen Your people, bring great revivals, and raise up powerful nations throughout the earth for Your purposes. All of this, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that we will not be ignorant of satan’s plans and schemes; therefore, he will not take advantage of us.
Today’s post was taken from my book Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books.
Watch the complete video by clicking the link below.
Ethelbert W. Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), p. 400.
Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible–New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990), p. 1797.
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary (Iowa Falls, IA: Word Bible Publishers, 1992), p. 1173).
James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 4122.
Bullinger, A Critical Lexicon and Concordance, p. 28.
Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group), pp. 155-156.