Wouldn’t it be great if a liar’s pants really would burst into flames with the first hint of a lie?

If you deny there is an evil spirit who lurks around seeking people whose minds are easily used by him for evil, then you are a prime candidate for Satan.  If you say Jesus is impressive and worth celebrating at Christmas but He is not your Savior and Lord; then you are putty in the hands of the evil one who is ready to do great harm in you and around you.

Oh, but that’s not all!  Even if, or especially if, we believe in God and love God with all our heart, mind, and soul and have given our life to Jesus and are living a redeemed life in Christ—The devil comes at us with full force!  But he cannot overcome us or separate us from what God has done for us and put into us—His love and His salvation of our souls.    

The devil does not “make us” do anything, we have the ability and power to choose to allow his lies, his empty promises, his thoughts of evil to strike back at anyone who offends us to enter our being and determine our eternity.  (Read that again—as many times as necessary.)

How does the Devil do this?  The following passage shows how powerful this fallen angel from God’s Presence thinks he is.  This being’s power is very limited and behaves in every way that is not of God.  That is our first clue to his lying ways.  The devil wants us to think he can do anything.  But he cannot.  He is a liar.  In fact, Jesus calls him “the father of lies.”  Every lie created by man and said out loud originated from The Liar.  He teaches us to lie.

The devil is also crafty and manipulating as he plays on our weaknesses to get what he wants most—our souls.

The devil knows Jesus well.  The devil is so proud of himself that he thinks he can bring God’s Son to his way of thinking …

Luke 4, The Message

Tested by the Devil

4 ^1-2 Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up he was hungry.

³ The Devil, playing on his hunger, gave the first test: “Since you’re God’s Son, command this stone to turn into a loaf of bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to really live.”

^5-7 For the second test he led him up and spread out all the kingdoms of the earth on display at once. Then the Devil said, “They’re yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I’m in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. Worship me and they’re yours, the whole works.”

⁸ Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”

^9-11 For the third test the Devil took him to Jerusalem and put him on top of the Temple. He said, “If you are God’s Son, jump. It’s written, isn’t it, that ‘he has placed you in the care of angels to protect you; they will catch you; you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone’?”

¹² “Yes,” said Jesus, “and it’s also written, ‘Don’t you dare tempt the Lord your God.’”

¹³ That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We learn that the Devil wants our souls for the sheer pleasure of seeing our faith in God ultimately destroyed and our bodies burned in a fiery forever death by torture.

We learn that Jesus, Son of God, was tempted by the Devil as we are tempted today.  The Devil lied to Jesus about his limited power to get him to jump off a building to his death.  The Devil also lied about what he could offer to Jesus.  How ridiculous!  The Devil is crafty but so full of pride he is ignorant—thinking that he owns what belongs to God and is able to give it to His Son!  Wow.

Jesus teaches us how to combat the enemy—with knowing and quoting God’s Word that is Truth.  God’s Word is always the opposite of the devil’s lies and propositions to us.  God’s Word sifts through all the lies and the “almost truth but not quite” thoughts that the devil plants in our minds to reveal what is right and good for us—Truth.  Truth always rises to the top when the lies of people whom the devil uses in his scheme to destroy us is put into motion.  That’s way we “wait” at times on God to reveal what is True.  God always reveals Truth and does not withhold it from us!

The devil confuses us.  Jesus bring clarity to any given situation.

Does the devil enter our thoughts?  YES!  Our minds, even in sleeping, is the entry point for his manipulation of our thoughts!  Just last night Randy and I both had separate dreams that troubled us so much we woke with wonderings.  We dreamed that our love for each other was attacked by each other!  What?!  We woke troubled for a nanosecond until we realized the lie told to us in our sleep!  Yes, the devil works on our minds first then he will suggest behaviors to follow those thoughts. Watch out for that crooked finger of beckoning that is consistently tempting us to forget God and all that is good from God!

Be like Jesus. Know God’s Word. 

Jesus immediately responds to the father of lies with God’s Word.  Jesus teaches us that responding with Truth combats and defuses the Lie.    

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 God’s bank of knowledge and wisdom is our best line of defense as we skirmish with the one who has already been defeated in the ultimate battle.  Jesus has already won but the devil still seeks to draw us from Him in tiresome skirmishes until Jesus comes back again. 

Jesus worships God the Father and no one else.  Ask daily: Who is the object of our worship?  We are easy prey if there is something or someone we worship that blocks us from our view of God and our relationship with God.  What we think about most is what we worship.

Jesus responds to, “you can do whatever you want” by the devil, with a resolute and final word— “Do not test the Lord, Your God.”  This put an end to the testing—for now.

When we look at the life of Jesus’ ministry closely, we learn that He often spent “time away by Himself” in prayerful communication with His Father.  In fact, before anything significant was done by Jesus, Jesus first spent time alone with God.  Before choosing his disciples, before miracles, before healing, before the sacrifice for our sins–before anything—Jesus went to His Father first.  What a great example for us!

And guess what?!  What the devil hates most and limits his power is seeing we who believe on our knees in communion with God in the Name of Jesus, His Son!  God’s word says, he will flee when we are in this state of mind.  “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) The devil knows he cannot win against God but what keeps him going in his game of manipulating our hearts, minds, and souls, because to him this is an open door in his attempt to crush our spirits, test our faith, with the goal to ultimately destroy our souls.

“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” James 4:7, MSG

So, we have a choice.  Who do we worship?  Who do we believe?  Who will we follow? 

Who do you trust?  Who do you love with ALL your heart, mind, and soul?  Who do you say yes to every day of your life?

I pray wisdom for all of us.  We have the resurrection power of Christ who lives in all who believe to resist the temptations of the evil one.  Rely on His power!

Lord,

Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from all evil and evil’s schemes to draw us from all who is good—You.  May your will be done in every detail of our lives today and always.

In Jesus Name, Amen