The “snares” of our only real enemy are fabricated with facts; facts based upon actual evidence that form the basis for sound judgment. Satan presents the facts like a noble district attorney to the grand jury of our mind, will, and emotions. Agreeing with this prosecutor based upon the “evidence” he presents is the very means by which we step into the snare of pronouncing sentence in our hearts. If we listen to his arguments, we will end up agreeing with his accusation against our brethren. If we hold his opinion within our hearts (giving place to the accuser), it will not be long before we lay a snare for others as the accusing thoughts well up from our hearts and pass through our lips. We do this by simply communicating the evidence we have seen to others, explaining why we have reached our verdict. We will always be tempted to explain why we have reached a conclusion against a brother or sister in Christ. This is part of the grand scheme of the accuser.

There is always one element missing from these fabricated factual snares of the enemy – the fact of mercy! The enemy has no interest in reminding us that we have all received mercy. A good DA rarely pleads for mercy, for his role is to uphold the law, prove the case, and “categorize” the offender guilty as charged. Pleading for mercy is the role of the Advocate, who does not necessarily attempt to deny the charges, only to mitigate the consequences through seeking mercy for the accused.

How do we know whether we have been lured into the snare of fabricated facts. It’s rather simple, if we search our hearts and find a “guilty” verdict towards any brother or sister, we have been ensnared. The only way to get out of the snare facts is to wash the ropes away in the blood of the Lamb. Even the most proven facts must give way to the blood of the Lamb. As we apply the blood of the Lamb to the facts of our verdict, mercy triumphs over judgment and we are set free from the snare.

The real aim of the snare is our own condemnation, for the accuser of the brethren knows that – “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.”  He really is the thief, come to kill, steal, and destroy, but he likes to appear as a messenger of light, a minister of righteousness – out to save the public from the accused.  When we are lured by this strategy into agreeing with his conclusions, we are in grave danger of receiving his condemnation.  We have become ensnared by the devil – “taken captive to do his will” – to accuse our brethren of their sins rather than covering them by the blood of the Lamb.