The Real Deal

“…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

1 John 3:8


Jesus Christ was born into this world to destroy the works of the devil. Thats why we celebrate Christmas. For unto us a child was born, a Savior, Christ the Lord was born. To God be the glory! Unfortunately, the devil gets a lot more credit than he deserves and thats because most people believe the lies regarding the devils power and authority. Many believe the devil is the opposite of God only evil. They believe he is omnipotent but the truth is his power is limited and can be overcome by the simple faith of a child. Some believe he is omnipresent, they think he is everywhere at the same time. The truth is the devil is a created being and can only be in one place at one time. He has his demons, his minions that do his bidding in his absence. The majority of people think that the devil is somehow omniscient, that he knows their thoughts as the number one place he attacks us all is in our mind. The truth is, the devil doesn’t know what you are thinking, he only knows what you have thought or done. Like a computer algorithm the enemy simply studies our thought patterns and actions and predicts our future responses based on past experiences.
 
1 Peter 5:8 tells us the the devil goes about “like” a roaring lion. He isn’t actually a roaring lion. He just acts like one. Are you aware that a lions roar can be heard from over 25 miles away in Africa. The enemy of our soul, the devil, his number one tactic that he uses against us is intimidation. He threatens us with harm and seeks to immobilize us with fear. The Bible tells us that the devil disguises himself as an angel of light. The bottom line is he is a fake, an imposter.  

Speaking of an imposter, that reminds me of the guy who lost his job and was searching anywhere and everywhere for work but couldn’t find anything and so out of desperation he stopped by the local zoo and applied. The zoo keeper told the guy, "We don't have any full-time positions right now but I might have something temporary. Our gorilla died yesterday and I was wondering if… well, since you are a pretty big guy, if you could wear this gorilla suit, and play the part of a gorilla until we can get a new one? I’ll pay you $100 a day cash. The guy said, "Its not exactly what I was looking for but for $100.00 cash I’ll do it.” So they gave him the gorilla suit and he went in the cage and he started doing what he thought a gorilla would do, jumping up and down and when people came around he stood there beating his chest, and banging on the bars, and swinging around.

Every once in a while he would interact with someone in the crowd and the crowds loved it. Many guests told the zoo keeper that he was the most intelligent gorilla they've ever seen. The zoo keeper was very pleased. The next day the guy got a little carried away as he was swinging in a tree and he swung a little too far and he ended up in the next enclosure, which just happened to be the lion exhibit. The guy lands on the ground face to face with the lion. Scared to death he doesn’t know what to do. The lion looks like he is going to pounce any second so the guy panics as he is running towards the fence. The lion is right behind him so the gorilla starts screaming, Help, help, help as he tries to climb the fence. The lion grabs the gorilla and says, “shut up stupid, you are going to get us both fired.”

The devil is real, but he is an imposter. He doesn’t have authority over your life if your life belongs to God. Yes, the devil will roar, he will threaten you and try to intimidate you, but the way you resist the devil so that he will flee from you is to believe what God’s Word says. Hide yourself in God’s Word, stand on the Bible’s promises and use God’s Word as a compass and a map for direction in your day to day decision making. Mediate on it day and night. Follow the King of the world and you will never have to worry about the king of the jungle.



“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.”

Isaiah 54:17

I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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