Show Me Examples of "a Bluff and Fear Tactic" or "lie of Fear" or Satanic Harm Appearing to Work?
Direct Answer
Yes. The Bible shows many cases where Satan’s work is only a bluff, a lie of fear, or a limited harm that only appears to work but cannot conquer a believer standing in the Word.
Scriptural Examples
A) Bluffs and fear tactics (noise without power when resisted)
- Goliath’s threats: He terrified Israel by words until a man stood in the Name of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:8–11, 45–47).
- Rabshakeh’s intimidation: Assyria tried to break Hezekiah’s faith by boasting; God sent one angel, and the threat collapsed (2 Kings 18:19–35; 19:6–7, 35).
- Sanballat and Tobiah: “They all made us afraid,” but the work continued because they refused the fear (Nehemiah 6:9).
- Sennacherib’s letter: Terrifying words; Hezekiah spread it before the Lord, and God answered (2 Kings 19:10–19).
- The roaring lion: He roars to intimidate, seeking whom he may devour—resist steadfast (1 Peter 5:8–9).
B) Lies of fear (deception that breeds unbelief)
- The ten spies’ evil report: “We be not able… we were as grasshoppers.” It was fear talking, not God’s truth (Numbers 13:31–33; 14:9).
- Jezebel’s threat to Elijah: One letter drove a prophet into fear, yet God still held the reins (1 Kings 19:2–4, 9).
- A lying spirit in the mouths of prophets: Deception permitted as a test; God’s Word remains the safety (1 Kings 22:22–23).
- False signs and lying wonders: Miracles used to scare or sway, but God warns us to hold to the Word (Deuteronomy 13:1–3; Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–10).
- The accuser’s voice: Satan accuses to produce fear and condemnation; God rebukes him and clothes His own (Revelation 12:10; Zechariah 3:1–4).
C) Harm that only appears to work (either limited permission or a door opened by sin)
- Pharaoh’s magicians: They mimicked some signs, but were soon exposed and overruled—“This is the finger of God” (Exodus 7:11–12; 8:18–19).
- Simon the sorcerer: He “bewitched” people until the Gospel broke the spell (Acts 8:9–13).
- Spirit of divination: It spoke true-sounding words, but had to leave at the Name of Jesus (Acts 16:16–18).
- Elymas the sorcerer: Withstood the Gospel; the Lord struck him blind, and the proconsul believed (Acts 13:8–12).
- Job’s trial: Satan could touch only within God’s set limits; the end was restoration and vindication (Job 1–2; 42:10–12).
- Paul’s “messenger of Satan”: A buffeting allowed, but grace made it serve Christ’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).
- The bound woman: “Whom Satan hath bound” for eighteen years—Jesus loosed her; Satan’s hold was not final (Luke 13:16).
- Viper on Paul’s hand: Onlookers said he was cursed; he shook it off—no harm (Acts 28:3–6).
- Israel and Balaam: Enchantment failed, so seduction was used; judgment came because of Israel’s sin, not sorcery’s power (Numbers 23:23; 25:1–3; Revelation 2:14).
- Defeat at Ai: Looked like enemy power, but it was a hidden sin door; when judged, victory returned (Joshua 7:1–13).
Simple Clarifying Logic
- If hell truly had power over the covenant, threats would not collapse the moment someone stands on the Word. They do—because it’s a bluff or a bounded permission.
- When sin opens a door, the pain that follows is God’s chastening, not witchcraft conquering the Blood (Proverbs 26:2; Hebrews 12:6).
- Christ stripped principalities and powers; any “working” that frightens or hurts is either noise, deceit, or a test—and it breaks when met by faith in the Word (Colossians 2:15; Luke 10:19).
Short Reinforcement
Shut every door by repentance, refuse fear, and stand speaking the Word. “No weapon formed against thee shall prosper” and “the curse causeless shall not come” (Isaiah 54:17; Proverbs 26:2).
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Inner Man
53-1212 §24
And when he throwed some wood down, a great deadly beast, serpent, bit him right through the hand. And that beast was so deadly till if it bit a person, they usually drop dead within a minute or two. And so the natives said, "That man..." Said, "Looky, he has chains on him. He's a prisoner. He must be a murderer because he's certainly... He might escape the storm, but he's just not going to escape that ... this serpent and he's going to die." Now, look. A moment, Paul looked and seen it. This, this, and that all ag...
God keeps His Word, part 2
57-0307 §33
What's the use of accepting a counterfeit that the devil would hand you, when the skies and heavens are full of blessings, trying to give to you. Why would I eat out of a garbage can, when I could eat at a nice table? Certainly. And I lay that a whole lot on the preachers. That's right. They'll roll the old garbage can out somewhere, and everyone would gather like a bunch of cockroaches in the summertime. That's right. I don't say that for jokes. This is not a joking place; this is where the Word of God's going for...
God testifying of His gifts
52-0713E §49
So don't fear; fear is of the devil. Every thing Jesus would say, "Fear not, fear not," constantly, "fear not, fear not." Is that right? Always, "Fear not." Now, God don't want you to fear, He wants you to believe. So every one of you, believe with one accord--one accord, every one of you. Have you got some cards out, Paul? Four or five cards out. L ... look around to the deaf and dumb. You got ... number 4's missing. And number ... what other number's are they? Somebody look around and see if they got the number w...
Satan's Eden
65-0829 §47
You see? See Satan out here in disguisement? He's trying to say, "It's not so." Do you understand it? See, Satan say, "Oh, that ain't for this day. That was some other time. That don't even mean that." Every seed must come forth of its kind. That's how God established His Eden. Is that right? And here it is. That's how God establishes His church: Every word after its kind. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God," see. Satan, he'll take something else, but God said,...
The greatest battle ever fought
62-0311 §112
...what did Satan do? Satan had the others anointed. Now, Satan anoints his servants. Oh, sure, uh-huh, sure! He anoints his servants. What does he anoint them with? With unbelief. Satan and his demons anoints humanity to disbelieve God's Word. Now, if you want to confirm that, you turn to Genesis 3:4. Let's just turn back there and listen just a minute, see if that ain't his first tactic. That's the first thing he did; he never leaves his same tactics; he does it all the time. Now, just see if that's what it is. Now...