(Access Points for Satan)
When I first began reading the Spirit of Prophecy, I came across an interesting phrase that really piqued my interest. It appears in many places, and one where it is given fullest treatment is in The Acts of the Apostles, pages 518, 519:
“Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts. The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully sentineled, or evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in darkness. ‘Gird up the loins of your mind,’ Peter wrote, ‘be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; … not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.’ ”
The more I have contemplated this passage, the more value I have seen in it. The first thing that interested me was the admonition to “guard well the avenues of the soul.” My initial thought was “What are these avenues that I need to guard?”
Thankfully, a search of the Spirit of Prophecy gave an answer: “All should guard the senses, lest Satan gain victory over them; for these are the avenues to the soul.” Testimonies, Vol. 3, 507
If I had studied that initial paragraph from The Acts of the Apostles a bit more thoroughly, perhaps I would have understood what the avenues of the soul are, at least partially, for it says, “… avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts.” We read and see with our eyes. We hear with our ears. And sight and hearing are two senses that Satan has used successfully for thousands of years to lead folks astray.
We are given a similar warning in Counsels for the Church, 166:
“So far as in us lies, we should close every avenue by which the tempter may find access to us.
“Every Christian must stand on guard continually, watching every avenue of the soul where Satan might find access.”
Another warning is found in Selected Messages, Book 2, 324:
“Satan is watching every avenue whereby he can take advantage to enter with his specious temptations to spoil the soul.”
For over six thousand years, Satan has been studying the human race as a whole to determine how to most successfully use those avenues to cause its ruin. And since birth, he has been watching us individually to find ways to appeal to our senses so that we will think, speak, and act contrary to God’s will.
Think of how Satan appealed to our first mother to cause not only her downfall, but the downfall of the entire human race. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6. Sight, taste, and touch—three of the avenues skillfully used by Satan.
In commenting on this tragedy, Inspiration notes, “It seemed a small matter to our first parents, when tempted, to transgress the command of God in one small act and eat of a tree that was beautiful to the eye and pleasant to the taste. To the transgressors this was but a small act, but it destroyed their allegiance to God and opened a flood of woe and guilt which has deluged the world. Who can know, in the moment of temptation, the terrible consequences which will result from one wrong, hasty step! Our only safety is to be shielded by the grace of God every moment, and not put out our own spiritual eyesight so that we will call evil, good, and good, evil. Without hesitation or argument, we must close and guard the avenues of the soul against evil.” Testimonies, Vol. 3, 324
Had Adam and Eve closed and guarded the avenues of the soul, mankind might still be living in the splendor of Eden.
Now let’s look at the second sentence in our opening paragraph:
“The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest.”
There are two things worth noting here. First, it is imperative that we exercise control over our thought process. 2 Corinthians 10:5 gives us this warning:
“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ … .”
What we think has such a profound effect on our character that there are many, many warnings in the Spirit of Prophecy about controlling our thinking.
The second caution this sentence provides is that Satan can indeed place thoughts in our minds. He cannot read our minds, but he can influence what we think about.
“The adversary of souls is not permitted to read the thoughts of men; but he is a keen observer, and he marks the words; he takes account of actions, and skillfully adapts his temptations to meet the cases of those who place themselves in his power. If we would labor to repress sinful thoughts and feelings, giving them no expression in words or actions, Satan would be defeated; for he could not prepare his specious temptations to meet the case.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 122, 123
An obvious question would be, “Who are those who place themselves in Satan’s power?” It is those who fail to repress sinful thoughts and feelings by giving them expression in words or actions. Satan could not tailor his efforts specifically to our character weaknesses and besetting sins if he does not know what those are as revealed by our words and actions.
Let’s now consider a few Bible characters who fell through a failure to guard these avenues that Satan uses so successfully. We have already considered Adam and Eve. Think now of David. How did Satan get to David? “Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.” 2 Samuel 11:2
We don’t know how long David gazed at Bathsheba, but we do have some idea of what he was thinking, based on the record in 2 Samuel 11. The consequences of David’s failure, or even refusal, to guard the avenue of sight and reign in his thoughts made David guilty of not only breaking the seventh commandment, but ultimately the sixth as well. This story should be a powerful lesson to those who gaze unadvisedly at inappropriate scenes depicting immoral behavior.
Another familiar example we have of Satan’s use of our senses to bring about mankind’s destruction lies in the story of Sodom. In Testimonies, Vol. 3, 476, we read, “The senses of many are benumbed by the indulgence of appetite and familiarity with sin.” A few pages later, we read, “To indulge the taste at the expense of health is a wicked abuse of the senses. Those who engage in any species of intemperance, either in eating or drinking, waste their physical energies and weaken moral power. They will feel the retribution which follows the transgression of physical law.” Ibid., 486
That is exactly what happened in Sodom. Here is how Ezekiel makes note of it:
“Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.” Ezekiel 16:49, 50
Indeed, their moral power was weakened and they felt “the retribution which follows the transgression of physical law.”
There is a very enlightening passage regarding the care we need to exercise in guarding the avenues of the soul:
“We have been bought with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish. What a price is this, unparalleled, infinite! But though Christ has bought us, and invites us to come to Him, still the world holds out its attractions to us, and strives for the mastery. Shall love for God, or love for the world, triumph in the conflict? Satan and his evil angels are watching at every avenue leading to the human heart, seeking to force souls to accept evil suggestions. The enemy presents bribes to win us to the world, as he presented bribes to Christ in the wilderness of temptation. Unless we depend upon a power out of and above ourselves, the enemy will succeed in accomplishing our ruin. But in looking to Jesus, by studying His life and character, by earnestly desiring to be like Him, our minds will be balanced in the right direction, that we may overcome selfishness, and choose a course of righteousness.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 27, 1892
Notice that this counsel ends with the sobering conclusion that Satan’s success is made possible because of our inherent selfishness. Truly, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately, incurably wicked!
“Now is the time to have every piece of the armor on. ‘We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ Ephesians 6:12. Here is our work, and Satan will come in through every avenue that is left unguarded, to blind minds as to the true and vital interests that are at stake for this time.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 930
“Let every soul be wide awake to close every avenue of the soul to the sophistry of Satan, as revealed in heaven and in Eden. Let us be armed with that vigilance that shall resist his enchantments.” Loma Linda Messages, 88
“Our only safety is in being shielded by the grace of God every moment, and not putting out our own spiritual eyesight so that we call evil good, and good, evil. Without hesitation or argument, we must close and guard the avenues of the soul against evil.” Gospel Workers (1892), 205
“Guard well the avenues of the soul. Place sentinels at the eyes, the ears, the lips. When prevarications and conjectures are brought before you, and your minds are disturbed, go to Jesus, and pray for help that you may not be ensnared by the wiles of Satan.” The Review and Herald, August 28, 1883
“Thoughts and meditations upon the goodness of God to us would close the avenues of the soul to Satan’s suggestions.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 222
If we are following the instructions that Paul gave to both the Colossians and the Corinthians to do all in the name of the Lord and to the glory of God, the avenues of the soul would remain beyond the reach of Satan and his emissaries.
John R. Pearson is the office manager and a board member of Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at johnpearson@stepstolife.org