Satan's last and losing attempt to foil the event of all events was in the desert, before Jesus started His ministry among the circumcised.
Satan had one goal,,to keep Jesus from going to the cross.
He failed.
How do I know this? When Peter told Jesus that He would never let Him be crucified, Jesus said; "you sound just like Satan". Proof positive that Satan's tactic is to keep you from the cross. Don't complicate simple truth.
Rejecting the work of the cross (I.e. believing that your sins are not forgiven, believing you can be called the "elect" and then by thrown away because of sin, believing that the sins of the world don't include yours, believing that you have to do something extra because your sin was missed by the cross and, continually asking God to forgive what has been forgiven, or: believing that one sin is better than another or that a simple lie is not the same as murder), is actually and exactly what Satan wants from us. Without sin Satan has nothing, which is why there was a cross.
Sin is sin. To believe that backsliding in adultery or worse is different than cheating on taxes or telling little lies, is self-righteous. We are all backsliders without the cross.
Satan did not hold Jesus from the cross, but he is keeping many of the church from it.
If I fall, I will be picked up, I am saved, I know it, and you can know it. Go to the cross, pick up your cross and leave every sin, past present and future, at the cross. It worked, Jesus did not fail.
To say to God "I am not sure I am saved" = I don't know if I am one of the elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect--if that were possible.
The "elect" will not fall away. Many will fall away. Does this mean that the "many" were not the elect to begin with.............Bingo.
Mark 13:23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Study! Don't be lead by church doctrine.
1JN 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin
What is purified, if not our sin. Can it be that we are all backsliders, but by choosing to walk by faith and not by deeds, that we are purified, even in sin? The only darkness is to ignore the cross.
If you choose to believe, and also to live in sin, you will live a miserable life but you are saved. The cross did that, it had too. If this wasn't true then by the grace of God alone I could live without sin. I will never believe that. I would also have to believe that sin has degrees in God's economy; lies = 1 point, murder = 10. How does that work? Did God save the one next to Him, or did I miss that?
I pray that you grow in faith. By faith, and by the blood of Jesus, we are saved, forever.
Last question on this issue: How can God use you if you spend your life trying to save yourself? Concern for your own salvation is a telling thing. Be sure!
Its finished. Let God use you to minister to others, you are the elect.
Blessings