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.
Seals 3: The First Seal
63-0318 §181
See, God just keeps repeating it. He shows it as a man going forth with a white horse and with his bow and no arrow. He is a bluff. He has no power. You say, "The power of the church..." Where is it at? What do they do? They say, "We're the original church." The original church cast out devils, healed the sick and raised the dead saw visions, and everything else. Where is it now? See, the bluff -bow with no arrow. That's right.
Faith cometh by hearing
54-0320 §39
Faith cometh by what then? [Congregation says, "Hearing."] Hearing the what? Word of the Lord! The Word of God settles it. Abraham believed God by faith because God's Word said so. He never reasoned, he never questioned, he just believed God's Word. Is that right? Well, that's the same way we get faith tonight, is believing God's Word. That's it. Oh! When you show me men and women who will base their faith right there! Now, not their hopes there, see. If you just got hope, you say, "Oh, I believe God will do it. Ye...
The junction of time
56-0115 §31
There was Noah in his time. Here's Israel in their time. Here's Abraham at the next junction between the world, the natural and the supernatural. Angels came down, that looked like men. Glory. And stood by Abraham, the prophet, and told him, "Abraham, God will perform the supernatural. About this time next year according to life, I'll visit you, your wife a hundred years old, and you'll bring forth a child. I'll show you My power of divine healing. I'll change you and turn you back to a young man again. I'll change...
Victory Day
63-0421 §19
Now, the reason that this Blood has been shed, is because, I believe, that man wants to... God invites man to look; but man wants to show himself. Man wants to look at what God is trying to show him on the basis of his own idea about it, see. God's trying to show man something, but the man wants to accept it upon what he ... the way he looks at it. But it's just like anyone wanting to show a scene. There's got to be a reason to show this scene. If you say, "Look yonder at the mountain," now there's something there...
Brass Serpent
53-1121 §31
Here not long ago, in Phoenix, Arizona, there was a man setting there, said, "It's nothing in the world but psychology," said, "that's all, the man's just reading their mind." And I said, "Will everyone bow their head?" He just set there with his head up, wouldn't bow his head. I could tell it was somewhere, I kept looking around, I found the man. I whispered, one of the ushers at the platform, to go tell him. He said, "I don't have to. This is a public place, and I don't have to do it." The usher come back and tol...