Scary Thought


I believe in God.  I believe in Jesus.  I believe in Heaven.  I believe in Hell.  I believe in Satan.

Those are simple truths about my beliefs, and this past weekend my pastor said something that shook me to the core.  He claimed, "Satan NEVER presents himself AS himself.  He ALWAYS takes on a form that is acceptable to the person he is trying to take down."

THAT is a scary thought.

My friends, if we live our lives as if the Devil doesn't exist, we have already lost.  

He is out there, and his primary goal is to separate us from God.  He will do that by lying to us.  "When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

He is crafty and will twist God's words.  "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?''" - Genesis 3:1

He may even quote the Bible. "Then the Devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 'If you are the Son of God,' he said, 'throw yourself down.  For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" - Matthew 4:5-6

He can masquerade as someone we trust. "'Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.'"- Matthew 16:33

Or even enter the bodies of people we know. "Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover was approaching, and the chief priests and teachers of the law were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.  Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.  And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus." - Luke 22:1-4

Two quotes you have seen here before come immediately to mind.

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Charles Baudelaire.  

"The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he is the good guy." - Ken Ammi

Today, as you go out into the world, do not be unaware of the spiritual battle raging all around you.  "Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)



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