(1 Timothy 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:7-8; Matthew 24:12; Revelation 12:2)

Let us open this point with referring to the vision recorded in Revelation Chapter 12. From verse 7, this chapter records the spiritual (unseen) war in heaven (not the 3rd heaven) between Satan and his angels and Michael and his angels in the course of the Great Tribulation after the rapture.

Satan and his angels, on being defeated by Michael and his angels and cast down to the earth, instigated a fierce persecution of the Jews and all tribulation saints, knowing that shortly, when Christ returns to judge the ungodly, they will go into prison for 1000 years (consider Revelation 12:7-12 with Revelation 20; Matt. 8).

From this we see that the period in which we live is a time that must witness increased and intensive manoeuvers and activities of Satan. The reason is this: very soon, after the rapture, the seven years of the great tribulation will follow, at the end of which, Satan and his angels will go into prison for the 1000 years of Jesus’ reign on earth.

The following are a few of their activities, some aimed against the unsaved, others aimed against the saints:

On the part of the saints, the devils have intensified their efforts to cause them failures, losses, to hinder their prayers, make them sick, prayerless and faithless, all with a view to disturbing, destabilizing, distracting, hindering, demoralizing and polluting them, rendering them unrapturable (1 Peter 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:18).

With their diabolical wisdom they create the difficulties, bring about evil dreams and manipulations of their agents (Daniel 10:12,13; Luke 22:31). They also take advantage of the carelessness of the saints (consider 2 Corinthians 2:11).

Besides, they use the force of increasing iniquity, eg, sexual immorality and related sins to pollute their minds (Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Furthermore, as they cause the unsaved to pursue, acquire, display and enjoy the mundane things of this life and of their flesh, the believers’ hearts are part of their target – to affect and pollute them, to the intent that they should forget their souls and not prepare for the rapture. In short, it is a time of frontal attack on the saints by the devil.

On the part of the unsaved, Satan has increased his manoeuvres and activities against them with a view to keeping them oblivious of the need of their souls, thereby keeping them unsaved perpetually.

His strategies that have yielded him great results include:- insinuating rival, but non-life-giving religious beliefs or practices to divert those that are curious and gullible from the truth (Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 2:1-3); causing scandalous activities/lifestyles in the house of God to scandalize and scare the unsaved (Revelation 2:19,20); making them pursue the mundane things of this life and all sensual pleasures ( Luke 12:13-15).