The Devil’s Playbook
2 Nephi 28
Thanks to the Book of Mormon we have a better understanding of the Adversary’s tactics to bind us with his chains. Knowing how the enemy will attack greatly increases our chances of detecting and then avoiding his traps and snares. It enables us to effectively counter and fight back with the sword of the Spirit. 2 Nephi 28: 19-24 provides the clearest and simplest description of the Adversary’s main attempts to trap God’s children.
Nephi, speaking prophetically about the last days – our days, informs us that the devil’s kingdom and church will eventually fall. The Lord will try in His might to awaken those within the devil’s kingdom to repent and be saved. The Lord will try in His might to save us because the devil will try in his might to damn us. The adversary uses three main lies to entrap us. Each of his tactics are a variation of one of these three lies. If we are vigilant and wise, we can easily evade these traps.
First, the scriptures tell us in verse 20 that the devil will ‘rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.’ The devil will provoke us to fight against God, His church, His servants, His priesthood leaders, His scriptures, His plan, and every other good thing which comes from God (Moroni 7:12-13, 22). As followers of God we are pursuing the course to gain all of the thoughts, actions, virtues and knowledge of our God. We are trying to emulate His goodness. Therefore the adversary in all his subtlety does not need us to fight against every good thing at the beginning. Just as we lay ahold of every good thing one at a time so we fight against good things one at a time (Moroni 7:19). If the adversary can just get us to believe in scriptures but not prophets, prophets but not our priesthood leaders, God’s gospel, but not God’s church, then we have fallen for his trap.
The term, ‘rage in the hearts,’ implies that the adversary will use emotions to blind us to his trap. Anger, rage, jealousy, offense, and similar emotions will be played on to blind our rational and make poor decisions. Emotions are powerful, which is why we are cautioned to control and contain them (Alma 38:12). Alma teaches us that by controlling we will be filled with the most important emotion, love. God seeks to fill us with love while the adversary seeks to fill us with rage. If he can manipulate our emotions to become angry, hurt, offended, vengeful, and the like, against any goodly thing that comes from God, then in that battle we are fighting for the wrong team and are counted in the ranks of the adversary’s army.
Second, verse 21 says that ‘others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion.’ Zion is the establishment of God. Those in Zion are in God’s army. If there is a war between good and evil, God and Satan, Zion and Babylon, what would be the outcome if the warriors on one side did not fight? If the adversary cannot recruit you to his side, then he will try to get you to not fight against him. If he can get those in Zion to believe that there is no need to fight, no need to defend goodness, truth, Zion, or its God, then he counts it for a victory.
Those in Zion have covenanted before God that they will stand fast against devilish opposition, and stand fast with those who need defending. The adversary does not want us to fight back; he does not want the righteous to take up arms against him as he tries to conquer. He will try to get us to believe that all is well, Zion is not under attack, and there is no need to worry. He tries to lull us to false security so that we won’t defend the family, the prophets, the church, the Christ, the priesthood, or any other good thing that is under attack; which will eventually be all good things. He does not want us to keep our wits keen, our judgement sound, our habits pure, or our testimony sharp. As citizens of Zion, we, and only we, can defend the truth.
Third, verse 22 says that ‘others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none.’ In this case the adversary tries to blur the line between good and evil. In fact, his end goal is to get others to believe that there is no such thing as evil, or hell, or a devil. If he can remove evil altogether, then there is no good. If there is no good or evil, then there cannot be a war between good and evil. If there is no devil, there is no God. If the devil and God are not, then there is no battle between them. In short, he wants us to believe that there is no war going on.
To this group he tries to get them to sit out on the sidelines. He wants them to believe that there are no sides, no battles being fought, no problems looming. The adversary can cripple the growth of Zion’s reinforcements by keeping potential reserves out of the war. He will attempt to muddy the waters of morality, allowing us to believe that morals are relative, times are changing, and old traditions are no longer needed. If the adversary can’t get you to join his team, he will attempt to keep you from the fight altogether.
Here we can easily see Satan’s cunning plan. He will rage, he will pacify, and he will lie. If you won’t fight for him, then at least don’t fight against him; or believe that there is no fight. We must do our part to recognize which tactic is most appealing to us. Simply ask yourself these questions to find an answer. Do I find myself raging against good things? Are my emotions, especially bad emotions, controlling my decision making? Am I mad at the church, its history, its leaders, its doctrines, its policies? Or, do I recognize the war but believe it won’t affect me? Won’t others handle the issues facing this world and this ward? It’s not my problem. Or, what war? Why does there have to be sides? If you answered yes to these questions, or find that these are similar to your responses, then you have been listening to the devil’s playbook.
Zion needs warriors. There is a war being fought and the lines are distinct. Evil is seeking to destroy good; the devil seeks to thwart God’s plan and purposes. This war will be won but you must decide what side you are on. Make no mistake, there are sides. No amount of lies and deceit and moral relativism will change that. Fight for the right side. Do not allow yourself to be blinded by rage and other emotions. Retain a sober mind and do not fight that which is good.
Lastly, once you have chosen the right side, do not believe that there is not work to be done. There are several fronts in this war and each front needs help. Do not sit idly by and wait for another to take up the cause. Learn your role, do your role, there is no shame in any role needed to build and defend Zion. If we prove faithful, and resist the devil’s playbook we will find ourselves wrapped in eternal joy hearing the words, ‘well done thou good and faithful servant.’
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