The Screwtape Letters

Over the past few days, I have been reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. If you have not read it, I highly recommend doing so. I am often amazed, as I read, at the brilliance and insight of Lewis in the writing of this book. It seems like a very real collection of letters between two devils. It helps me to be on my guard against the temptations that Satan uses to deceive believers. Actually, I have found that reading "The Screwtape Letters" is somewhat overwhelming when you see how many ways Satan uses to trick and trap Christians. He, that is, Satan, is no fool and is very clever in his temptations. As we read in Genesis 3:1, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made." However, I have to remind myself that the fight against him is not hopeless; that he has, in fact, already been defeated by the death on the cross and resurrection on the third day of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

One thing that has been impressed upon me through reading "The Screwtape Letters", is that I should be reading and studying the Scripture as well as engaging in prayer and worship as much as possible. These are the main helps against Satan and his temptations. Just as Jesus resisted Satan in the desert (Luke 4) by quoting Scripture, so also can we refute his temptations through Scripture. However, to do so means we must have a deep and ready knowledge of the Bible and an abiding faith in God. Hence, one of the virtues of the practice and habit of Bible study and prayer.

There is much to be learnt from "The Screwtape Letters" and much I could still say about it, but I will end here for now. Soon I am sure I will be posting sections from the book to share with you. I also again recommend that you read it for yourself if you have not already done so. It is excellent and a wonderful resource!