“And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Gen. 3:13)
Tempted, deceived, coerced, persuaded, but not forced to.
There are still today people who have been taken over by devils, but not one of them has the Holy Spirit residing in them. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1st John 1:5)
Our adversary has no power in this regard towards those who have been born-again, but every available temptation he has to offer has a firm foundation on this planet, and he has little need to check if the traps laid are still functioning as expected.
I stand firm on what I believe is the truth that has been shown to me, and I believe that I can use Luke 22:31 as proof of it. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” Those who exhibit a mighty fervency to see the Lord glorified, to see the name of the Lord Jesus Christ lifted up, honored and never besmirched are those that Satan takes a personal interest in, those that are indeed saved, yet do little more than attend a church have no need of his attention.
Peter was adamant about serving his Lord, search out all the times he jumped ahead when perhaps patience would have been the better course of action. But, who did Satan desire to sift?
Many who profess Christ like to blame our adversary when they sin, but a more accurate statement would be not, “I fell into one of his traps,” but “I chose to.”
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2nd Cor. 2:11)
The simplest of these traps as I call them are usually quite adequate for what we could call the “average Christian,” lust, pride, the simple desires of the flesh are more than enough to beguile them and lead them away astray. It is not a lack of the knowledge of what sin against the Most High is, but a lack of willingness to move away from it when it is dangled in front of them. You are accountable for your actions, and you will be held accountable for them, whether in rewards or the removal or loss of them.
King David was noticed, and Bathsheba was used to beguile him, he was forgiven, but not without consequences to his sin, four of his sons dies. “And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” (2nd Sam. 12:6) And he did.
Who is noticed more, the one who loves the Lord, is indeed saved, but does little, is in fact unprofitable to the Kingdom of the Living God, who is saved but “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1st Cor. 3:15) or a Charles Spurgeon, an A.W. Tozer, or any other man of God who has submitted his life in totality to the glory of God?
The traps need to become much more subtle, and our adversary is well versed with many centuries of experience in these ways. You are responsible for you, if you sin it is your fault, you cannot blame our adversary, even if the Almighty allows it to come into your life, you have no one to blame but yourself if you succumb to his wiles, and there will be consequences for your actions if you do.
Ask Moses after he hit the rock he was told to speak to, ask David, ask Peter or Adam. Even after we confess and repent, the consequences remain, it has always been so.