Flip Wilson, a popular comedian in the 70's, made famous the line "the devil made me do it." There are many Christians who blame the devil for all their problems, moral failures, and desires to sin. This is a convenient excuse. It is not my fault. The devil made me do it. It is not my purpose to deny or minimize the work of the devil or Satan but to seek to understand his work in the life of the Christian. Most certainly, he is active, but how does he work and what is his purpose in tempting believers?
There is a difference between the devil and demons. The King James version can be confusing when it refers to Jesus casting out devils. The devil or Satan or Lucifer is, according to Isaiah 14:12, a fallen angel. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!" There is one devil or Satan, but there are a host of fallen angels or demons. The intellectually elite will denigrate those who believe in the existence of the devil, claiming it to be a medieval myth, even at that, fifty-seven percent of Americans believe in the reality of the devil and demons.
I found it interesting when I discovered some years ago the absence of the devil in the Old Testament. Certainly he is in the Garden of Eden, defined in Isaiah and takes center stage in the story of Job, yet amidst the manifold sins of the Patriarchs, Moses and wilderness-bound Israelites, the Judges and Kings, the devil is not mentioned as tempting them to sin. There is only one reference. In 1 Chronicles 21:1 we read: "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." The parallel verse in 2 Samuel 24 ascribes David's act of pride to the anger of the Lord. It reads: "Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, 'Go and number Israel and Judah.'" Zechariah 3 does have a reference to Satan: "And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, 'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.'"
The reason for the absence of the devil in the Old Testament is really quite simple. After Adam and Eve were tempted to sin, their nature changed. They became sinners by nature and did not require the temptations of the devil to fall into sin. They could do it very well on their own. The devil could take a vacation. For example, the devil did not tempt David to commit adultery with Bathsheba. David's own lust of the sinful nature caused his fall. He could not say, "The devil made me do it." He had to say, "It is my own fault." James writes, "But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed." (1:15)
But as soon a Jesus entered into the world and heard the beautiful affirmation at His Baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased,” (Matt. 3:17) The devil shows up. Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The first temptation was prefaced with the words, "If you are the Son of God...? (Matt. 4:3) The devil questioned the Word of God.
The same is true in the Garden of Eden. God had told Adam and Eve not to eat from the true of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil tempted Eve with the words, " Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'”
The primary purpose of the devil in the life of the believer is to raise doubts and questions about the truth of God's Word. The devil is out to destroy your faith. Christians are called upon to take a stand upon God's Word and promises. 1 Peter 5:8-9 encourages the Christian to stand firm:"Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith." In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul speaks of the armor of the Christian engaged in spiritual warfare. He says: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes... so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand....Stand firm then." (Eph. 6:11, 13-14) The purpose of spiritual warfare is not to "take ground" so to speak but to stand on the "ground" that has already been taken through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. We take our stand upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ which declares to us the full forgiveness of sins, the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and the confident assurance of our eternal life in heaven. The purpose of the devil is to destroy our faith and push us off the position or the "ground" that Jesus has taken for us.
There are multitude of so-called baptized "good Christians" who attend church Sunday after Sunday, gather around the Lord's table, yet never take a stand. You ask them the question, "If you died tonight would you go to heaven?" they respond with "I sure hope so," or piously affirm, "That is really up to God." Such individuals are harmless as far as the devil is concerned. They will not experience temptation, because they do not believe anything. They have not taken a stand or occupied a position from which the devil will seek to push them. So, if you don't want to experience the deceptive temptations of the devil, don't believe anything or firmly assert the words and promises of God.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he responded to each of the devil's schemes by quoting the Word of God. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 refers to the Word of God as the "sword of the Spirit." In the same way, when confronted by temptation, we use the Word of God.
While there are many truths and promises of God that are a part of His Word, I believe, based on my own experience, that there are five basic truths specifically targeted by Satan. Consider the truth, the purpose of the devil, and the Bible verses you can use to sharpen your sword and combat the temptation.
Temptation: "You are basically a good person who has lived a good life." The purpose of this temptation is to take away your need for the redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross:
Sharpening Your Sword:
Romans 3:23: " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
Ephesians 2:1:"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,"
Psalm 51:5: "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."
James 2:10: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it..
Romans 7:18: "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."
2. Because of the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross, your sins are totally forgiven by God.
Temptation: "This does not apply to you. It is too simple of a solution. God is a just God and you will have to pay the penalty for your sins." The purpose of the temptation is to cause you to doubt the efficacy of the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross leading you to think that the shed blood of the Divine Son of God is not sufficient to forgive you. Martin Luther said that denying that your sins are forgiven is a great blasphemy since it denies the promises of God.
Sharpening Your Sword:
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Ephesians 1:7: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace."
Acts 10:43:"To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 9:13-14: "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh:How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
1 John 2:2: "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
Galatians 2:16: Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified."
Romans 3:20: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Romans 8:37-39: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2 Timothy 1:12: "For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."
During these difficult days of the pandemic most Christians have been unable to gather together with their fellow believers, hear the promises of God's Word, and gather around the Lord Table to be strengthened in their faith. It is a perfect time for the devil to work and raise doubts in our minds concerning the truths of God's Word. So, sharpen the sword of the Word of God and stand firm upon His Word and promises!
I found it interesting when I discovered some years ago the absence of the devil in the Old Testament. Certainly he is in the Garden of Eden, defined in Isaiah and takes center stage in the story of Job, yet amidst the manifold sins of the Patriarchs, Moses and wilderness-bound Israelites, the Judges and Kings, the devil is not mentioned as tempting them to sin. There is only one reference. In 1 Chronicles 21:1 we read: "Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." The parallel verse in 2 Samuel 24 ascribes David's act of pride to the anger of the Lord. It reads: "Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, 'Go and number Israel and Judah.'" Zechariah 3 does have a reference to Satan: "And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, 'The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee.'"
The reason for the absence of the devil in the Old Testament is really quite simple. After Adam and Eve were tempted to sin, their nature changed. They became sinners by nature and did not require the temptations of the devil to fall into sin. They could do it very well on their own. The devil could take a vacation. For example, the devil did not tempt David to commit adultery with Bathsheba. David's own lust of the sinful nature caused his fall. He could not say, "The devil made me do it." He had to say, "It is my own fault." James writes, "But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed." (1:15)
But as soon a Jesus entered into the world and heard the beautiful affirmation at His Baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased,” (Matt. 3:17) The devil shows up. Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The first temptation was prefaced with the words, "If you are the Son of God...? (Matt. 4:3) The devil questioned the Word of God.
The same is true in the Garden of Eden. God had told Adam and Eve not to eat from the true of the knowledge of good and evil. The devil tempted Eve with the words, " Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'”
The primary purpose of the devil in the life of the believer is to raise doubts and questions about the truth of God's Word. The devil is out to destroy your faith. Christians are called upon to take a stand upon God's Word and promises. 1 Peter 5:8-9 encourages the Christian to stand firm:"Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith." In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul speaks of the armor of the Christian engaged in spiritual warfare. He says: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes... so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand....Stand firm then." (Eph. 6:11, 13-14) The purpose of spiritual warfare is not to "take ground" so to speak but to stand on the "ground" that has already been taken through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus. We take our stand upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ which declares to us the full forgiveness of sins, the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and the confident assurance of our eternal life in heaven. The purpose of the devil is to destroy our faith and push us off the position or the "ground" that Jesus has taken for us.
There are multitude of so-called baptized "good Christians" who attend church Sunday after Sunday, gather around the Lord's table, yet never take a stand. You ask them the question, "If you died tonight would you go to heaven?" they respond with "I sure hope so," or piously affirm, "That is really up to God." Such individuals are harmless as far as the devil is concerned. They will not experience temptation, because they do not believe anything. They have not taken a stand or occupied a position from which the devil will seek to push them. So, if you don't want to experience the deceptive temptations of the devil, don't believe anything or firmly assert the words and promises of God.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he responded to each of the devil's schemes by quoting the Word of God. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 refers to the Word of God as the "sword of the Spirit." In the same way, when confronted by temptation, we use the Word of God.
While there are many truths and promises of God that are a part of His Word, I believe, based on my own experience, that there are five basic truths specifically targeted by Satan. Consider the truth, the purpose of the devil, and the Bible verses you can use to sharpen your sword and combat the temptation.
1. You are a sinner, and your human nature has been totally corrupted by sin.
Temptation: "You are basically a good person who has lived a good life." The purpose of this temptation is to take away your need for the redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross:
Sharpening Your Sword:
Romans 3:23: " For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
Ephesians 2:1:"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,"
Psalm 51:5: "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."
James 2:10: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it..
Romans 7:18: "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."
2. Because of the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross, your sins are totally forgiven by God.
Temptation: "This does not apply to you. It is too simple of a solution. God is a just God and you will have to pay the penalty for your sins." The purpose of the temptation is to cause you to doubt the efficacy of the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross leading you to think that the shed blood of the Divine Son of God is not sufficient to forgive you. Martin Luther said that denying that your sins are forgiven is a great blasphemy since it denies the promises of God.
Sharpening Your Sword:
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Ephesians 1:7: "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace."
Acts 10:43:"To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 9:13-14: "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh:How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
1 John 2:2: "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
3. God has given to you the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. You have been justified and made right with God.
Temptation: "How can you possibly say that you are perfectly righteous before God. Who do you think you are? No one is perfect. You are as big a sinner as everyone else. You have not perfectly obeyed God law." The purpose of the temptation is to deny the most important truth of justification by grace through faith. Yes, we remain sinners but at the same time we are totally righteous. In and of ourselves, we are sinners, but in Christ Jesus we are totally righteous.
Sharpening Your Sword:
Romans 3:24-26: "And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Romans 5:1: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Philippians 3:9: "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:"Galatians 2:16: Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified."
Romans 3:20: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
4. God has promised to work all things in your life for good. If God is for you, who can be against you. If he spared not his own Son, will he not keep and preserve you.
Temptation: "How can you say God loves you when you are going through such difficulties. God has turned his back on you and really doesn't care about your sufferings." The purpose of the temptation is to raise doubts about God's love for you when you are passing through trials.
Sharpening Your Sword:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4::"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Romans 8:18: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:31-32: " What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"Romans 8:37-39: "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2 Timothy 1:12: "For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."
5. Because God has forgiven your sins and made you right with Him, you are going to heaven when you die. This is a certainty.
Temptation: "How can you be so arrogant to say you know for sure you are are going to heaven. No one knows that for sure. It is up to God.." The purpose of the temptation is to raise doubts about God's promise of eternal life in heaven. To say "I am going to heaven" is not pride or arrogance but faith. Those who claim that you cannot know for sure are not being humble. They are unbelievers.
Sharpening Your Sword:
John 3:16:"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'"
John 5:24: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
1 John 5:13: "You who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life."During these difficult days of the pandemic most Christians have been unable to gather together with their fellow believers, hear the promises of God's Word, and gather around the Lord Table to be strengthened in their faith. It is a perfect time for the devil to work and raise doubts in our minds concerning the truths of God's Word. So, sharpen the sword of the Word of God and stand firm upon His Word and promises!
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