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 4: The Second Seal
63-0319 §79
Have you heard these old devils come and say, "If you believe in divine healing, here's somebody's eyes. Why don't you open their eyes? Smite me blind! Smite me blind!" That same old devil. "Come down off the cross, we'll believe you." "If you be the Son of God, turn these stones into bread." Same devil. Just walk away. That's the way Jesus did it. He didn't clown for any of them. They put a rag over his head, over his precious eyes like that, and they took a stick and hit Him on top of the head, and said, "Tell us...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 7:E-19
What stirred his heart by the Holy Ghost, and which was the little green shoot that signified that truth was coming back to the church as it was known at Pentecost, was the doctrine of justification: salvation by grace, apart from works. I recognize that Dr. Luther did not believe only, and preach only, justification, but that was his major theme as indeed it had to be for that is the basic doctrine of the truth of the Word. He will be forever known as the instrument in the hand of God who revived this truth. He wa...
The Harvest Time
64-1212 §79
Notice, if Satan fails here, then he'll try his second scheme on you---getting you to disbelieve the Word, he'll ... and go to the seminary. He'll try the next scheme. Now here's where you want to be real careful, just sit just for another five minute on this part, if you will. Then he makes you a supernatural offer. I'm going to come back to all this, just before closing. He makes... See, if he can't tempt you away from the Word, "No, I'm going to stay with the Word.", then he'll give you a supernatural offer. He...
The Indictment
63-0707M §109
When you say, "Shake hands," or "Take communion," or something like that, or some on that creed, or something on that idea: that any man, any drunkard, any unbeliever can do it, any impersonator, any prostitute can do that: take communion, have forms, and things like that; you could do it. But Jesus said this will be the identification: "These signs shall (not they maybe, they will) ... in all generations to them that believe: In my name they'll cast out devils; they'll speak with other tongues, speak with new tong...
The Forgotten Beatitude
61-0425E §30
But when trouble set in... Jesus come and showed the Messiah ... that He was Messiah; but then something went wrong. John had introduced the Messiah with a fan in his hand, going to burn up the chaff. But he found out the works of Jesus---He was meek and lowly. So it worried him. He didn't know what to say. He thought, "Now there's something wrong here somewhere." Seemed he had believed the wrong thing. It seemed like it wasn't working right. And there's many times that we think, too, that it isn't working right. B...