For years I believed his lies. The devil is on earth to lie, cheat, steal, & kill (John 10:10) and to keep people from achieving the destiny that God has for them. Until recently in our men’s Bible study group, I never really understood how the devil operated & who & what he uses to divide & conquer us.
Who/What is the Devil
Most people think of the devil and they think of demon possession. But the devil more often comes as that person who tries to come between you and your marriage. That friend who tells you “yeah you deserve better, or take everything you can. You deserve it”. This is the worldly thinking and not from God and you should run from these types of advice. I’ve seen the Devil come in that career position or mega client that you just can’t turn down and find your identity in & you choose it at the expense of your family (I used to call that Wichita Vern because I did this very thing at the expense of my family). Or that one last drink that you take so that you can actually sleep through the nightmares of your past that never seem to let you rest. Sometimes the devil comes in the form of that friend that encourages you to get a divorce instead of reconcile even though they are Christians & god hates divorce. That is not what God wants for us ever. He wants redemption and reconciliation because He can fix ANY problem in your marriage. The devil wants to sift us like wheat. The devil also comes in the form of thoughts “no way that god can fix this mess”. Everything is possible with God (Matthew 19:26). Sometimes he comes in the form of the nasty horrible insults that come out of our mouths that destroy trust and love in your life and makes people feel worthless. God says the tongue is like fire or a sword that kills (James 3:6). How about when the liar steals your desire to work on your faults or desires of your spouse in a marriage because your feelings are more important or that it would mean you have to give up something that you love to meet their needs . I’ve seen Satan come in the form of an attorney who is very willing to tell you what you are “worth” and what you “deserve” instead of God as he gets rich helping to destroy a family that could’ve been saved by the church. The devil comes in acts of manipulation to gain wealth or control over people. Satan comes in the form of those who refuses to help you & tells you that what you’re trying to do is impossible. God tells you “all things are possible with me” (Mathew 19:26). And I’ve seen the devil come in the form of loved ones who hurt us deeply and on purpose to get back for past hurts.
The Reality
I’ve seen and been party to when people fight and go after each other with a scorched earth mentality. “I will show him who is boss”, or “who the hell does she think she is.” The reality is that conflict comes from the devil or sinful desires and thoughts. If you are in conflict, you are not in conflict with a person or an action, you are in conflict with sin. People are not your enemy. God says love your neighbor as you love yourself (Mark12:31). The devil is the enemy so when you are fighting something big, Remember to pray for them and about them without ceasing and to remind the devil of his fate; he is to be thrown and cast the great fiery abyss. God wins! Remember that with Jesus you can overcome Anything that the devil has the offer. Satan is the great deceiver and God is lord of all. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9
