HE CHALLENGES GOD’S WORDS

MEMORY VERSE: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. Genesis 3:4

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Revelation 7-10

BIBLE STUDIES: Genesis 3:2-4

Do not be fooled by bible quotations. The devil knows the bible by heart and he quotes it. The fact that a counsel is backed up with a bible verse does not mean it is from God. Asides the fact that the devil twists God’s words to confuse people; he gives it his own interpretation to cause people to err. One bible verse he has given his own personal interpretation is, “for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  (Romans 11:29).” Here is his interpretation of this verse – “once God gives you a gift, He will not take it back even if you disobey Him. You can live in sin and still be used by the Holy Spirit because His gifts are irrevocable.”  Friend, this interpretation is from the pit of hell! Recently, a brother told me of a prophet who after committing adultery would climb on the altar and signs and wonders will begin to happen. His excuse was the gifts of God are irrevocable; God had given, the prophet, the gift of working miracles and will not take it back even though the ‘prophet’ was living in sin. Friend, I want you to know this, the fact that a man is performing miracle does not mean he is a man of God. Simon the Sorcerer also performed miracles (Acts 8:9-14). Actually, some people who lacked the gift of discernment called him a man of God. Acts 8:10 says: “To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God.”

The gifts Paul referred to ,in Romans 11:29, are not the gifts of nature and providence, as life, health, strength, riches, and honour, which God sometimes gives, and repents of, and takes away. A good example is Saul King of Israel. God gave him riches, honour and the throne of Israel. When he disobeyed God’s instruction, God replaced him with David. The gifts referred to are not the external gifts of grace or gifts of the Spirit e.g. gift of prophecy, working of miracles, healings, etc,  which qualify men for ministerial work, for public service in the church; for these may be taken away as the “parable” of the “talents” shows ( Matthew 25:29).  According to 1 Corinthians 13:8, the gifts of the Spirit may pass away. His calling into ministry can also be revoked. He told Eli in 1 Samuel 2:30, “…I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever; but now I (the Lord) say, Be it far from me…. ”. The gifts Paul was referring to are the special and spiritual gifts of God’s grace, which relate to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the souls of men, even that, grace which was given to God’s elect in Christ before the world was, and all those spiritual blessings wherewith they were then blessed in Him: these are without repentance i.e. they are unalterable. God never revokes them in again. Asides these, gifts of the Holy Spirit can be revoked especially when the fellow who is in possession of them fornicates or commits adultery.

The devil also challenges God’s word.  When Eve told him (the devil) what God had said -“ ye shall not eat of it, of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die (Genesis 3:3)”- he challenged it. He said, “It is a lie, don’t mind God.” Genesis 3:4 say: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.”  In 2 Kings 6:25 – 2 Kings 7:2, the king of Syria besieged Samaria and a terrible famine broke out. The famine was so severe that the rich began to eat bird droppings and the poor who could not afford it ate their children. In the midst of this, God spoke by His servant Elisha, “tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.” As Elisha was speaking, the devil challenged it. One of the experts at that time said, it is impossible. The expert did not live to tell the story. Every time God speaks, the enemy will try to challenge it. If you are in doubt of God’s prophecy, do not challenge it. Just keep quiet. Today, the devil is still challenging God’s words. God has said, “no sex before marriage (1 Corinthians 6:9-11),” and I hear people say, you cannot really know a woman until you sleep with her. This is the devil challenging God’s word. I even hear some unserious people say, you need to test the brother/sister to see if you are sexually compatible. This is the devil challenging God’s word.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: God’s commandments are for your own good. When God says do not fornicate, He is trying to protect you from STDs.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please rid your church of demonic doctrines.

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