THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

1 Timothy 4:1   Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Paul is saying here the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last days some will turn away from what we believe.

They will follow lying spirits and teachings that came from the doctrines of devils. False teachers were and are still a threat to the church.

Even today it is not enough that a teacher, minister or evangelist appears to know what they are talking about or says she or he is speaking for God.

If their words contradict what the bible says they are teaching false. These hypocrites, false teachers are lying spirits that are teaching what come from demons.

The devil deceives people by offering a clever imitation of the real things of God. Don’t be impressed with a teachers style of credentials, his teaching must line up with the word of God.

Because we still live in the flesh we sometimes get weak in our thinking and that is very fertile ground. It leaves room for the devil to work on our minds.

Eph 4:23-27   ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.

Our old way of life before we got saved should be completely in the past. We must put on the new nature, go in a new direction and have a new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives us.

Don’t give place to the devil. Why, because it is his goal to deceive you. It is so important to avoid the worthless deeds of evil and darkness and stay away from evil influences.

When things don’t work out the way we think they should or the way we want them to, that is when wrong thoughts start coming into our minds. That is when we start thinking of things. Satan fights with lies and sometimes his lies sound like truth.

Satan often attacks our heart, the very center of our emotions… self worth… and trust. He wants us to think the good news of the gospel is worthless and hopeless.

Satan wants to make us doubt God. Never doubt in the enduring power of the heavenly realm.

Did you ever have a bad habit that you actually hated, and know in your heart that it is wrong? Sinfully wrong. In your heart you would say, I am never going to do that again.

But sure enough this nagging thought would drive you crazy, and without thinking you would do it again. The temptation was so strong that you could not stop yourself.

You are not alone, that probably describes half the population or more. Bad thoughts lustful thoughts and thoughts of wrong desires only come from one source, the devil.

We all have areas where temptation is strong and habits are hard to conquer. These weaknesses give the devil a foothold. We must deal with our areas of vulnerability.

We still live in the flesh, most people struggle with a particular sin. The sin is bad enough but the big problem is when we try to justify it.

1 Peter 5:8    ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Your adversary, the devil, is always on the prowl, seeking someone to devour. Just like a real lion who seeks out the young and feeble to attack and kill.

John 10:10   The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Who is the thief? The one who comes to kill, steal and destroy. How does he kill steal and destroy? He does it By deception, getting you to doubt yourself and God.

This deception does have a good ending, Jesus says I am come that you might have life and that they might have life more abundantly.

Yes you will be tempted, Jesus was tempted, yes there will be thoughts that come to your mind, some not so good, some worse.

You need to consider the source; you know these thoughts are not of God so they must be from the adversary the devil.

James 4:7   Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Tell his as Jesus did to get behind you.