The Screwtape Letters—chapters 4-7:
I chose chapter 5 above the others because I have actually experienced being the patient in this scenario. The devil’s job is to torment and taunt the soul out of Christians because they are a trophy to him. He has no need to do so with someone that is already doing what he wants; those people are for his bidding. He will use anyone that will do what he wants, especially someone who is drunk and/or on drugs, etc…because their distorted perception of the “patient” or individual clouds their judgments. The devil thrives on anything that makes him feel that he is in “power and control,” using terror and intimidation tactics to get a person to fear because then he has control and your faith. He knows that faith is the only thing that moves God. One of his oldest, famous tricks is “casting the past” in a believer’s face in order to bring that person down so that he/she will never be anything for God nor have any other purpose except to remain in bondage to the past. C.S. Lewis illustrates all of the above in the first part of chapter 5 when he is speaking to Wormwood. Additionally, the plan is to slowly torment so the hunger for it can be fed as long as possible, keeping the patient in a constant state of despair and horror in order to “secure the soul eternally for Hell. My questions are: At what point do we make the devil, Wormwood, and the patient accountable and responsible for what is taking place as well as who is continuing the process? And for that matter, I apply the same question for my life and others. Is it the person, like the patient, who is me or is it the others who desire to continue the taunting and tormenting to achieve whatever it is that they are striving for? Personally, I do not perceive myself as being “a patient” to anyone or anything in the context that I present to God any and all situations that approach me--I am victorious in Jesus. Furthermore, I have walked with God all of my life and know when the devil has come to taunt, torment, mock, tempt, etc. I have loved people through it all, however, maybe the learning lesson was for them. Judgments come from God’s Spirit, not mine. Maybe God was using me and the circumstances to assess their motives and that the labels they judged me with were actually what was within them. Their judgments were not based on what they heard, not what they know. People may or may not choose me, but God did. God will turn it all around for my good!
When the devil discusses war issues concerning the patient, he acknowledges the desire to make him “an extreme patriot or an ardent pacifist.” This is another devilish tactic which pulls the person in the extreme and keeps him there with no other recourse except to suffer for the devil’s “bloodsport” as long as possible or to become eternally the devil’s possession, plunging his soul into Hell. God is in the middle and well balanced, not in the extremes. C.J. Lewis makes reference to “the Enemy” which I perceived to be God since the author is the devil. His comments concerning all humans dying in nursing homes, and doctors, nurses, and friends who lie to keep them there only reflects how our own society is and how we deal with people today. Another job of the devil is to undermine a Christian’s prayer life and lead them into their emotions so they are caught in an “emotional rollercoaster” ride. The tactic renders them powerless from a lack of prayer, ineffective and out-of-control, and distracting them through the emotions. Christians then make bad decisions and act out emotionally in a negative way--anger, lust, hatred, vindictive feelings, malice--giving him a tool to use against a person to keep them there. Then the devil can say, “See you had these emotions all along. You were just hiding them. You are no better than anybody else.” The devil also does not want the patient to continue doing good to others while Wormwood executes these tactics because he knows that good overcomes evil and will counter his nonsense. Unconditional love rids all of those negative feelings with the exception of hurts from what has been inflicted. There will be scars that need healing. Choose to continue loving people and letting God have the vengeance and vindicating! He will give you the opportunity to speak the Truth about what really happened in His time.