According to Scripture, Satan does the following things to keep those who do not believe in Christ in spiritual darkness.
1. Deny His Existence
One of the favorite ways in which Satan operas to get people to deny that He exists. He seems to be most effective when people do not believe there is such a creature as Satan. If he can get people to doubt his existence, then he can do much of his work with them even knowing.
Disguise
In the Bible it talks about how often Satan approached people in disguise. In Genesis 3. It talks about how he came to Eve as a serpent. In 2 Corinthians 11:4 Paul warned the Satan appears as a angel of light
To His Advantage
This unbelief in his existence works to Satan’s advantage. When people are either uninformed if misinformed about the existence of Satan, they become like the Sadducees in Jesus’s day, who did not believe in angels of spirits. When someone rejects the idea of Satan’s existence they are a easy target for him to manipulate.
2. Blind’s People Of God’s Truth
The truth of the gospel is what sets people free. Satan attempts to blind people from the truth.
And even I’d our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
3. Energizes His Own Ministers
Satan gives power to his own ministers.
It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
2 Corinthians 11:15
4. Controls People’s Hearts And Minds
Satan has the ability to control and minds.
And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of twelve.
Luke 22:3
5. Hinders The Gospel
The message of the gospel in hindered by Satan
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away when as sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
Matthew 13:19
6. Prevents People From Hearing The Gospel
Satan’s main goal is to prevent people from hearing the good news about Jesus. The message of forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ sets people free. Jesus said.
7. Misrepresents The Truth
Satan lies, denies, and misrepresents the truth. To Eve he said.
And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die
Genesis 3:4
8. Takes Away The Gospel
He also takes away that which the unbeliever has heard.
And those by the way side are they that have heard; them comes the devil, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.
Luke 8:46
Satan attempts to get the unbeliever to think about subjects other than the gospel of Christ.
9. Encourages False Trust In Religion
Satan attempts to get people falsely place their trust in themselves, religion, or good works. He wants people to feel satisfied , but without having the saving knowledge of Christ. The Bible says.
There is a way which seems right unto a person, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 16:25
10. Satan’s Goal Is Destruction
His ultimate goal is the destruction of people.
And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28
11. The Hope For Escape
Fortunately, there is hope for unbelievers to escape the traps of Satan.
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 2: 24-26
Satan has his methods with unbelievers. He wants to keep them from hearing the good news about Christ – the forgiveness of sins. To accomplish this he prevents people from hearing, blinds them to the good news, takes away the good news once they have heard it, and had them falsely trusting something apart from Christ and His gospel. This is his strategy to keep people from hearing and believing the truth about Christ.
We live in a time where Satan doesn’t even hide anymore. And people still don’t see him.
From Pity to Praise 