The Whisperer, Part 2
In Scripture, Satan is called “The Serpent.” The Hebrew word is nahkash, and its verb form means to whisper like the hiss of a snake. From the moment he beguiled Eve in the garden, Satan has been whispering cunning lies with false accusations against God and His true people. In Revelation, John called him “the accuser of the brethren.” He could also be called “The Whisperer.”
Paul dealt with whisperers in the church, especially Corinth. Twice he had written to them about backbiting, slander, and whisperings that led to disorder and confusion. For the third time, he rebuked them, saying that he feared that they had been corrupted and deceived, just as Satan had deceived Eve. Whisperers can tear up a church, maligning leadership and wounding members.
When Satan whispers fallacious thoughts to a person’s mind, they must be taken captive immediately when they are just a thought, a notion or suggestion. If not, they can become strongholds of deception that must be pulled down. It is easier to take a thought captive, and bring it into the obedience of Christ, then to have to pull down a stronghold.