Yes, Virginia, there is a devil

Good Morning.

My Bible is open to Acts 9, and I have also been reading everything I can get my hands on about Saul--so keenly interested in this man whose own course was changed in such a way that it changed the course of history for all of us since--but my heart is heavy and conscience pricked about another factor that impacts each of our lives. . . evil, and its origin. Oh, tis not such a popular topic, but one I feel compelled to write about today, as I see its ravages all around me. Some folks deny the existence of Satan, but come on, that is like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand, and leaving nine-tenths of its body exposed. Friends, we must not deny that there is evil in this world, emanating from the evil one himself, Satan. We saw the temptation of Jesus in the desert in Luke's gospel, and how Satan knew just where to tempt Jesus--in the area of His greatest 'weakness'-hunger, since He fasted for 40 days. Lest we be uninformed or naive, a refresher course on him and his ways might be in order. Because, whether or not you choose to acknowledge him, Satan exists. He was a created being, an angel named 'Lucifer', who effectively tried to stage a coup in Heaven, and gain control. . . then, this 'angel of light' was cast out of Heaven. . . forever, taking with him a number of fallen angels. . . demons, (2 Peter 2.4, Jude 6), who continue to reap destruction in our world.

Whereas at one time people attributed many things to the direct intervention of the devil, today people attribute nothing to the devil. Both views are dangerous. It is the way of Satan to 'rip people off' from living the abundant life. He does that through lying. . . let's consider Eve in Genesis 3--he told her that if she ate from the forbidden tree, she would be like God, and have all knowledge; so he appealed to her ego, (the temptation) and she fell for it, disobeying God (the sin)--partaking of the only thing God had forbidden in the Garden of Eden, and then took Adam down with her. (The transgressor often does that--not wanting to be alone in his/her sin.) From that time on, the effects of sin have been present in the world, and they are many. "The basic problem is that this is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, and that man himself is the battlefield. The battle is visible not only in the wars, revolutions, and crime waves which oppress us, and fill our newspapers, but it is also seen in the inner tensions and fears of individual lives, in the neurotic problems and mental illnesses which afflict us today, in family fights and church struggles. It is even visible in nature, where all of life competes in a ruthless, deadly struggle to survive." Ray Stedman

So, if indeed we are in a battle, we ought consider the strategy and weapons our enemy uses against us. Besides lying to people (like he did Eve), about the advantages of succumbing to their own areas of temptation, Satan also works on believers by trying to pull them down. He doesn't spend much time on the unproductive, mediocre compromising Christian--why would he? They aren't impacting the world with much good from their mediocrity--no, it is the one who is changing the world around him, the one who is striving for holiness. . . The devil may do a couple things--turn up the heat through temptation, or wreak havoc in and around a person's life (we often call this 'spiritual warfare', as it is intended to distract the Christian from her purpose of serving God--the evil kingdom endeavoring to knock out the godly kingdom.) His goal is to destroy he does it through chaos and ruin.

Through my communication with believers around the world, I see Satan ripping people off in their most important relationships--causing division in marriages, and family relationships--so many of our young people buying into Satan's lies of what the world offers, thinking they are superior, enlightened thinkers compared with their parents, when really they have just bitten the apple which only leads to their destruction. I see the clever work of the devil enticing Christians with compromise, and Christians succumbing, leaving the Church weakened by hypocrisy, compromise, judgmentalism, and mistrust. So, yes, Virginia, there is a devil, and he seeks to wipe you out.

However, we are not without recourse; consider with me these truths:
Christians have no cause to fear--greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. 1 John 4.4
Okay, so what do we do? Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4.7
Be aware. Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5.8
There is power, when we use the name of Jesus, John 16.23, 26 When you sense the presence or activity of evil, say, "In the name of Jesus, be gone!"
Our strength comes from the Lord--let us embrace the power referenced in Paul's writing to the Ephesians, (chapter 6), 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. . . therefore, we must 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.
How do you get strong? Simple. Get in God's Word, be a person of prayer, and get with other Christians.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4.9-10
Take heart in what the Lord said to his man Joshua, for he says it to you too: Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1.9

And one more thing--if you know someone who is making a difference for the kingdom, pray for him/her. That brown-eyed blonde you know may just be facing an attack from the enemy of monstrous proportions. . . well 'cause, yeah, she is.

Be strong and courageous,
Christine