BE WARNED: The HEART can be Deceived...

It's amazing how some of us can read the word of God that says... do not fornicate, commit adultery, lie, steal, cheat, bear false witness, be a drunkard, be a fraud, be a conman and know we do some of these things on a regular basis and yet are not in the least bit disturbed by our behavior.

We are commanded by God to preach the truth but never to compromise for any reason. We are to love everyone, but love does not mean that we stop hating sin.   As true believers, we must stand uncompromisingly against the works of flesh and darkness the works of Satan. Many Christians think that just because it says in one verse that 'if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord then you will be saved', all they need to do is just that and they will be saved.  That’s it, just say a few words and go on living as they want without any real change.

True believers listen to what God has commanded... "Be holy, because I am holy."  He is not commanding something impossible to achieve, He is simply telling us to live a life separated from the sinful influences of the world.  When we are “in Christ” we are to be different from the world around us. We align ourselves with God, as if set aside to His purposes... to live in manner that brings honor and glory to Him. 

Christianity is not a Sunday affair and then back to the same old way of things Monday through Saturday.  Nor is Christianity built on emotional experiences that make you feel good for a short time, like an hour on Sunday. Being a Christian is a daily love affair with Jesus Christ and a lifetime of total commitment.  

God commands us to SEPARATE from the sinful world.  There are many people who keep one foot in Gods Word and another foot in the devils world and enjoy “the works of the flesh” yet they say they are Christians.  It is almost impossible to reveal genuine truth to those who follow a lie, who in turn support and comfort one another in religion that espouses heretical doctrines, worldly practices and carnal lifestyles. Such people encourage each other to believe the lies they have been taught... "He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit etc . The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight" (PROVERBS 12:17,19,22).

We are reminded in1 Corinthians 10:21... that You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Devil: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of Devil at the same time.  You cannot serve two masters.  

Many “church goers” are as lost as those who reject God entirely and would never set foot in a church. Satan does not mind if you are religious... as long as you are lukewarm, as long as you don't obey Gods commandments and laws and as long as you don’t develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

There are some Christians who say "He goes to church and he is a nice Guy and a type of spiritual man" but these are people in this world who see no harm in committing fornication, lying, being dishonest, cheating, causing injustice etc. So many people today think they are doing something good for the Lord but they are actually doing it for the Devil. These people present an outward appearance of holiness daily and still serve as a poor Christian witness and stumbling block for others (Matthew 23:27-28). To live as a Christian, is not just professing by mouth but to live accordingly as much as possible.

Here is what the scriptures say:

1 Peter 5:8, "Be of sober spirit be on the alert. Your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, sneaking someone to devour."

James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one. You do well! The demons also believe, and shudder‟."

2 Tim. 3:5 says that these people are, "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these."

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Bible says in 2 Cor. 11:13-15: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it not surprising if his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds."

The devil and his demons are working relentlessly to corrupt & deceive others. But people often forget that the devil also goes to church

just like you do. He goes among us, to create confusion and division and discouragement, to take the people away from God, to manipulate us, hinder our work for God and stall the growth of our faith.  He seeks to distract us with unholy thoughts and evil imaginations, he plants doubt about God's Word and its true meaning and interpretation.  He presents an attractive, alluring false gospel of twisted truth, to ensnare us in worldly ways instead of godly ways.  The Devil knows how to teach us through our self-assured attitudes and pride to justify false doctrines, to break the commandments and laws of God.

There are many who pretend to be godly men and women projecting the appearance of being solid Christian believers. However, their "fruit" eventually reveals them to be the opposite of what they claimed to be as their “form of ungodliness” shines forth. They follow the example of Satan, "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Oh Really… The Devil Made You Do It?

When I hear someone say, “the devil made me do it...” images of comedian Flip Wilson dressed as his alter ego Geraldine immediately come to mind.  Anytime Flip’s alter ego Geraldine got into difficulty this was the excuse “she” offered… 
blame it on the devil... the perfect scapegoat.

.

Satan becomes the scapegoat so that the individual in trouble saves face.  It’s easier to be a victim of the tactics of Satan, than to accept responsibility for ones own choices and actions. Blaming the devil is an “excuse” that argues, often effectively in religious contexts, that one’s behavior is in response to devilish forces and influences that overwhelm you and rendering you powerless to resist.  Sort of a theology of blame... blame anyone or anything, but don’t blame yourself!

The first instance of  “the devil made me do it” used as an excuse was in the Garden of Eden. Eve says, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:13). Her excuse did not get her off the hook (verse 16), and it won’t help us much, either.  

Yes, the devil and his demons tempt us to sin (Genesis 3; Luke 4; 1 Peter 5:8). But “the devil made me do it” is far too often used to excuse our own bad choices and sinful behavior.  Much easier to believe we are controlled by invisible evil forces as if lulled into a trance like state and manipulated beyond our will to do sinful things.  The devil cannot make us do anything we are not willing to do ourselves. Satan the Devil is absolutely worthy of blame for much of the evil in the world, but using the devil as a scapegoat for our own sinful choices is counterproductive to achieving victory over sin. 

There is one exception, something as rare as hens teeth... an instance of demon possession Demon possession is a condition in which a demon or demons have complete control over a person. Demon possession involves demons actually inhabiting a person and controlling his or her actions (see Mark 9:22). I’ve not seen such a person.  I’ve heard stories about people in southeast Asia being possessed by demons... but never witnessed such.  I believe that real Christians cannot be demon possessed. Maybe the defining word would be “real” or genuine, the opposite of unreal or fake.  The indwelling Holy Spirit will not allow it (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18). Therefore, the devil and his demons cannot control a person’s believer. They cannot make us do anything involuntarily. So, rather than blame the devil, we need to look at ourselves.  What influences you to make the choices you make and do the things you do?

James 1:4 declares, “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire...”  Why do we sin? We sin because we are prone to sin.   Sin is a choice, something you decide to do conditioned by unholy influences found in this fallen world.  

We are plagued by and infected with sin (Romans 3:10-23). While demonic oppression and influence are real, the primary problem is our sinful natures. “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). Notice, it’s the “works of the flesh” in this list, not the works of the devil. 

As Christians, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin (1 John 4:4). We have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). If we sin, we have no excuse. We cannot blame the devil. We cannot blame our circumstances. We can only blame ourselves. And, until we recognize that the problem resides within us (Romans 7:20), we will never arrive at a lasting  solution to our problems with sin. 

It may sound harsh to tell someone that the problem is himself and his own choices. But it’s no harsher than a doctor telling a patient to quit smoking and that the tobacco company is not to blame for his poor health. To find a cure, you have to start with a correct diagnosis and then move to the correct treatment. The correct diagnosis is understanding sin. The treatment is to submit to God and obey His Word... ALL the time, not just when its convenient or comfortable. God can enable us to achieve victory over sin (Romans 7:24-25; 1 John 5:3-5).  

If you are a Christian and you commit a sin, the devil did not make you do it. He may have used the lures of a fallen world to influence you to do it, but even that is only because you allowed yourself to be exposed to and influenced by unholy things.  But he did not make you do it. You still had a choice.  Sin is born in the heart... and works its way outwardly... first as a decision, then a choice and finally an act.

God never allows you to be tempted beyond your ability to withstand, and He always provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). A Christian saying “the devil made me do it” is denying the truth of 1 John 4:4, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Think about this the next time you want to dodge responsibility for the not so good choices and decisions you make.  You can’t blame the Devil... whatever you did, you did it all on your own!

Beware the Deceptive HEART: What Light shines in you?

“Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness”  2 Corinthians 11:14–15

The above passage contains perhaps the most important bit of information all believers need to remember concerning the nature of Satan and his work. Paul tells us in today’s passage that the Devil “disguises himself as an angel of light” (v. 14).  Of course, Satan and his minions are often the direct source of much of the outright perversity and evil that we see on this planet. However, since he is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), the Evil One would much rather approach us in the guise of something good and not something wicked. If he came at us blatantly, Satan would be easy to resist. We are more likely to embrace his lies if he approaches us under the guise of the good.

With respect to his influence on believers, the Adversary comes at us to accuse us and tempt us, and he uses “religion” to accomplish his devious deception. 

The Devil can often appear to us as an angel of light when he works to accuse us. The story of Job gives a good example of the accusatory nature of Satan. Appearing before God on His throne, Satan once accused Job of being upright only because the Lord had blessed him (Job 1:6–11). In like manner, the Devil likes to remind us of our sin, to tell us the Father cannot possibly love us because we always serve Him with mixed motives.  Conversely, he likes to convince us that God is not too concerned about our sins and self-centeredness. He convinces us through false teachings and preaching of a distorted gospel that living “our way” is really okay with God.  

Satan promotes the idea through various “prosperity-feel good” teachings that God wants us to be happy and wants to satisfy our every wish... much like a genie in a bottle.  He influences the distorted interpretation of bible passages, such as “ask and it will be given to you” and “if you believe, you will receive...” (Matthew 7:7; 21:22) to cause people to think of God as nothing more than a granter of wishes regardless of how they live their lives.

Sometimes for the biblical illiterate this deception is very hard to distinguish from the genuine work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts us of our wickedness and makes us feel the pain of offending God as well as the terrible sense that we are absent from His presence.  Yet the Holy Spirit always wounds us so that He may bring healing and restoration with the Father (Ps. 147:1–3). 

Satan’s work of accusation only keeps us away from God and paralyzes us with the horror of sin, preventing us from serving the Lord and others. This is why we must remember God’s grace in the Gospel. True, every sin is deeply offensive to the Lord, but in light of our justification (Rom. 8:31–39) no charge can be laid against us. When we repent and submit to baptism, God really does forgive us. (Acts 2:38)

Our Creator is sovereign, not the Devil. As the story of Job also illustrates, anything that Satan does is done only because the Father has permitted it (Job 1:12). Sometimes God lets the Evil One tempt us and assault us, but even in these cases our Lord’s purpose is our ultimate good and His final glory (Rom. 8:28). 

Characteristics of Satan

 1. Created by God, but not equal to God. (Proverbs 16:4)

 2. Defies God and despises truth. (John 8:44)

 3. Was given limited power. (Job 1:8-12)

4. Commands a hierarchy of demons. (Eph. 6:10-12)

 5. Masquerades as "an angel of light." (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

 6. Plans to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)

 7. Rules the masses outside God’s protection. (Eph. 2:1-3)

8. Keeps seeking an "opportune time" to tempt us. (Luke 4:13)

9. Tries to hide the actual truth about our God. (2 Cor. 4:3-4)

10. Offers counterfeit promises he can't fulfill. (Gen. 3:4-5)

11. Twists Scriptures to fit his purposes. (Gen. 3:1-5)

12. Will suffer the fate he deserves. (Revelation 20:10)

"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." 1 John 5:19

"Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness..." 2 Cor.11:14-15

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world...." 1 John 4:1

“...be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day....

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with [God's] TRUTH, having put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of PEACE; above all, taking the shield of FAITH with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of GOD; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10-17

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

"Therefore submit to God.' Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands [REPENT], you sinners; and purify your hearts.... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:7:10

“...do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place [lest you give a foothold] to the devil." Ephesians 4:26-27

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." 1 Revelation 12:11

We can rejoice, because the accuser of Christians has been cast down and defeated (Rev. 12:7–12). Even though he rages on the earth because he knows his time is short, none of his charges can ever stick against those in Christ because we have been declared righteous in Him.

So ask yourself... Who has authority over you?  Think about it.  If you are living under your own authority, then you are a sitting duck for the lures and schemes of Satan.  You have no defense system on which to rely for help when confronted with potentially harmful choices.

To fully experience God’s genuine truth, His provisions and protection, we must fully and completely submit to Him and His authority and live in His zone of security, in His light... fully committed all the time.  Submission is much more than superficial obedience, or as many do, living by a set of rules, attending church doing good things to others, but not really being fully surrendered and committed.  Surrender can only come from a pure heart yearning for the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to lead and when needed intervene and protect along life’s journey.

If you feel as if God cannot forgive you for the things you have done, then your view of God is not based on biblical truth.  He can and does pardon all those who repent and trust Jesus alone.