There is a passage of scripture that I have always loved – not because it inspires me, but because it scares the life out of me. It’s found in 2 Nephi 28:19-22.
“For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish. For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well – and thus the devil cheateth their souls and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. And behold others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is not hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none – and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains from whence there is no deliverance.”
This passage is so strong to me. It shares Satan’s tactics, anger being the forerunner. It tells us that either our hearts will be in a repentant state or they will be in an angry state. Which will it be? Then it tells of how Satan uses every trick in the book to bind us. He will stir us up to anger. If that doesn’t work, he will pacify us and lull us into a “carnal security” making us believe life is good, all is well, we don’t need to really do more. If that doesn’t work, he will flatter us and calmly reason with us that there is no need for concern.
I have seen Satan hard at work in my life. He uses me against me the most. He uses delicate things in my life that are dear and tender to me, things that are deep and set in default, things that are difficult to change, things that I desire the most. He hits me where I am deeply scarred already. He confuses good with bad to make everything confusing and he binds me in secret. Secrets only serve Satan. I am learning to recognize it all. I am working hard to move beyond it.
There is another passage of scripture that I have read recently. It is 2Nephi 22-23. “And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.”
I have known plenty of darkness in my life. Some I have blatantly chosen. Some Satan has sneaked in there for me. All of it has been destructive in my life, suffering consequences for me and other people, but because I have known darkness, I also know light. I know the freedom that comes with severing the secrecy and darkness and moving into the light. I know the peace and rest it offers from Satan’s twisted games.
I am so grateful to have a Savior whose arm is stretched out still, who lets me make mistakes and patiently waits for me to learn from them so He and I can continue to work together in progression. I am not enough. I know this. I will never be enough on my own. But with Him, I can continue to learn and take baby steps into the light.
Forever grateful for His love.
