For thousands of years the devil and his angels have successfully carried out this trick and as a result, have deceived many and turned their backs as far away from God. What is this old trick you may wonder?
First used on our first parents Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden the devil has successfully continued with this vice deceiving generations upon generations till the present day.
Gen 3:4-6
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
What did the devil do to get Adam and Eve on his side that he is still doing to deceive God’s people today? The devil and his agents will always create an impression that you are missing a lot in life by heeding God’s commands that if you remain true to him you are anything but soft, spineless, asleep, a loser, stupid, imprisoned, dumb, unwise and so on. Because men desire to be accepted and because he does not want their self-image to be bruised they will give in to his luring.
‘He declared that they would become like God, possessing greater wisdom than before and being capable of a higher state of existence. Eve yielded to temptation; and through her influence, Adam was led into sin. They accepted the words of the serpent that God did not mean what He said; they distrusted their Creator and imagined that He was restricting their liberty and that they might obtain great wisdom and exaltation by transgressing His law’. {Great Controversy by E.G White p532.1}
Alas! That was not the case. Our parents lost a world that had everything a man could dream of. Now because of sin, he had to suffer pain, sickness, loss, and eventually death. Had they heeded God’s words and taken the matter to him before making their decision they would have escaped. How many of us like Adam and Eve have taken it upon ourselves to make decisions without consulting God? That’s a bad idea and should be avoided.
Ps 119:9-16
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
How many times can you recall being talked down on as your friends or associates plan on engaging in some mischievous activity? As liquor and narcotics are being served and you have declined? As your friends discover that you are a virgin and you desire to remain so until you are married? As you try and refrain from illegal trade and corrupt dealings? As you remain true to principle and your religious beliefs? Have you wondered if this couldn’t be anything but the same old trick being replayed over and over again to you? Beyond this, the devil has no power whatsoever. Hold on to the truth and you will come out victorious.
1 Peter 5:6-9
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.
Our Saviour Jesus Christ whilst on this earth also encountered the same luring from the tempter. He was made to feel stupid, soft, dumb, spineless, constricted, ill-advised and so on but he resisted the devil with words from the Holy scripture. We are to copy the example set out by Christ so that we too may be able to overcome as he did.
James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Why should a man flee from all evil in the first place?
“Let the youth be led to understand the object of their creation,–to honor God, and bless their fellowmen. Let them see the tender love which the Father in heaven has manifested toward them, and the high destiny for which the discipline of this life is to prepare them,–the dignity and honor to which they are called, even to become the sons of God,– and thousands would turn with contempt and loathing from the low and selfish aims and the frivolous pleasures that have hitherto engrossed them. They would learn to hate sin, and to shun it, not merely from hope of reward or fear of punishment, but from a sense of its inherent baseness,–because it would be a degrading of their God-given powers a stain upon their Godlike manhood.–“Patriarchs and Prophets by E.G White,” pages 601, 602.
Most people have easily led astray because they lack the knowledge. They have not chosen a side yet and so do not understand what is at stake. A man must acquire, understand, believe then commit themselves to the truth in order to let out strong resistance to the devil and his agents. If the truth has no impression on your heart no way are you going to resist temptation? Because Jesus sought the truth, loved, and committed himself to it he overcame and the devil fled. When we seek the truth and commit to it and in prayer seek the help of the almighty we shall battle whatever storm the tempter hurls upon us.
Matt 4:10-11
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
God bless you as you ponder upon these words. My prayer is that God helps you to not be a victim of this same old trick in the world.
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Amen, indeed the same old trick is still repeated even today. May the Lord help us to overcome.
surely we need his help to fight off the enemy
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