MEMORY VERSE: ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it, John 8:44.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 23, 1 Cor 4, Ezek 2, John 3
John 10:10 says the devil steals, kills and destroys. He employs deception when he wants to carry out his evil works. Take for instance what he did to Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:1-6. He approached her and said ‘so God told you not to eat of every tree in the garden?’ That one replied and said we may eat of every tree in the garden except the one in the middle of the garden. God has warned us not to touch it, lest we die. The devil said it is a lie, once you eat it you will be like God. Eve ate the fruit and gave some to her husband. When Adam noticed that Eve had eaten the fruit and was still alive, he too ate the fruit hoping that nothing will happen but something terrible happened. Meanwhile the devil lied to Eve. Firstly God never warned them not to eat of every tree in the garden. Secondly after eating of the fruit they died spiritually on the spot and died physically later. Thirdly after eating of the fruit they never became like God i.e. become Omnipresent, Omnipotent or Omniscience. Before Adam and Eve knew what was happening, the enemy had robbed them of their dominion, destroyed their relationship with God and brought death upon them.
The devil has a way of setting a man up for failure. At times through deception he would turn a man against his helpers or destroy his destiny. Take for instance the case of Judas who betrayed Jesus. The devil must have encouraged him to steal from the purse that no one would notice. Judas fell for it; unfortunately John caught him but kept quiet. John 12:6 says this he (Judas) said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. The devil even encouraged him to sell Jesus to the Pharisee for some cool money. He did and regretted it. As the Pharisees were leading Jesus away to kill him, his eyes opened. When he could not bear the shame he committed suicide. Judas lost his destiny and his seat in heaven. Brethren the devil comes mostly through our thoughts. He brings evil suggestions, if care is not taken the fellow may fall victim. This is why the bible encourages us to meditate on things that are true, worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, just, pure, lovely and lovable, kind, winsome and gracious, things of virtue and excellence, things worthy of praise,Philippians 4:8. This is why we must check every thought that comes to our mind.
TO PONDER: The enemy employs deception (lies) to steal, kill and destroy.
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