Insidious is an interesting word. It has been defined as creating a gradual and cumulative negative effect. This gradual change prepares us for attack by building upon a series of deceptions that will lead us to a harmful end.

Insidious is formed by two words. The “In” part of the word defines something that is “near, in, or within.” The second part of the word, is from the Latin word “insidiosus.” It is defines something that is crafty and lying in wait for us to pass by. It means our attacker is sitting in a place of our future vulnerability preparing for his ambush.  

What is insidious about hell’s plan to defeat our faith is that we cannot see what’s coming. The planned surprise attack is the result of a gradual deception uniquely created for us that will bring us to a vulnerable place where we will begin to live apart from the protective nature of the God’s truth and the history of our faith.

Peter issued a warning about this, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith” (I Peter 5:8-9).

There is one thing that will keep us safe from these surprise attacks. Peter preceded the warning he issued in verses 8-9 with the prescription on how to prevent hell’s insidious plan from launching a surprise attack on us. 

“And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  So, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (vs. 5-7). 

Humility is what dismantles and thwarts the plans of hell’s attack. These attacks exist somewhere in our future where if we live in a state of continued pride, we will walk into the devil’s plan of attack without seeing what awaits us.

The operative part of the definition of hell’s insidious plan is the gradual effect the plan had on us. People never thought they would steal from an employer when they first started a job. A spouse would never have considered cheating on their mate when they exchanged their vows. A new believer, filled with the joy of their salvation, never thought they would someday deny the Lord and walk away from their faith.

Only by remaining humble before the Lord can we dismantle these attacks. Humility is one of God’s greatest threats to the ambushes of the prowling lion of darkness. We need to remain alert, and watch out for the condition of our heart. A humble heart will be the greatest threat against the plans of the enemy when a surprise attack is launched.