THE DEVIL IS A LIAR PT3

MEMORY VERSE: and God saw everything that he made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day, Genesis 1:31.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 25, 1 Cor 6, Ezek 4, John 5

The devil uses everything as a leverage to perpetrate his evil work. If a fellow is from a poor background, he uses poverty mentality to destroy the fellow. If the fellow is from a rich and affluent family, he uses complacency to destroy the fellow. As we have been discussing, he uses lies and deceptions to carry out his evil agenda. To make matters worse he even provides evidences to back up his lies. One of the tactics he employs to steal, kill or destroy a fellow is that he sells them a self limiting belief and backs it up with proofs. Take for instance Gideon; the enemy knew that the Lord created this man to do great things in life part of which was to deliver Israel from the hands of the Midianites. From the way the angel of the Lord greeted him, you know Gideon was born to be a mighty general, Judges 6:11-16. 

The question is how come a man who was born to be a mighty general was found by the angel of the Lord hiding from his enemies? How come Gideon was running from the enemies that should be running from him? How come the sister who God created to write books on how to break free from addiction is suffering from addiction? How come the brother who God created to be a CEO is working as a messenger? How come the fellow who God created to be an employer can’t even get employment?

The enemy had told Gideon that he was born to be ordinary and backed it up with evidences. The enemy told him that he was the last person the Lord would use to deliver Israel and gave him proofs. He reminded him of his background - how he came from the weakest tribe in Israel (Manasseh); how his clan was the poorest in Manasseh. He went on further to remind him that he was the least in his father’s house. Gideon bought into this lie and stopped making efforts. This is one tactics the enemy is using to rob many of us , he sells us a lie and provide evidences. It is a lie from the pit of hell that you are not good enough or you are made to be ordinary. According to Genesis 1:31, everything the Lord created was good including you. 
Brethren don’t let him sell that lie to you that you are worthless and provide you proofs. The fact that you tried and failed does not make you a failure. He knows God created you to be an entrepreneur but he will come with a lie that it is not so and give you proofs of how many businesses you have done in the past that failed. He knows God created you to be married with children but he will come with a lie that maybe you are not destined to be married and give you proofs of how many failed relationships you have had. He knows God created you to be an evangelist, he will tell you it is not so and give you evidences of how many people you have preached to and they did not accept Jesus. 

PONDER: You are not a failure as far as you don’t stop trying.

Bro Samuel - Reaching the world for Jesus.

THE DEVIL IS A LIAR PT2

MEMORY VERSE: thy word I have hid mine heart, that I might sin against thee , Psalm 119:11.

 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Sam 24, 1 Cor 5, Ezek 3, John 4 

 What is a lie? A lie is the opposite of the truth. There are no half lies or half truth, you are either telling a lie or saying the truth. Who is a liar? A liar is simply a fellow who tells lies or a fellow who has the habit of telling lies. We know the devil uses a lot of tactics to steal, kill and destroy. For those who like to feed their eyes with naked pictures and watch blue films (pornographic videos) or listen to secular music he employs lust of the flesh to get them. For those who love flashy things – latest bags, latest accessories, latest clothes, latest phones e.t.c, he uses lust of the eyes to get them. For those who love power, fame, prestige e.t.c he uses the pride of life to destroy them. For believers he uses a completely different tactics. 

  He knows that all things have passed away and all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17). He knows that we no longer keep pornographic videos in our phones again; he knows that the latest Gucci bag or belt is not our prerogative or what a celebrity is wearing is not our concern. He is aware that we are no longer interested in getting into power at all cost so he employs lies and deception .Take for instance the case of Adam and Eve, he knew that they were not into pornography; he knew that the latest blackberry handset was not their goal; he knew that they owned the whole world so the question of power does not even cross their mind. What did he do? He employed lies and deception. He told Eve, if you eat the fruit you shall not die but be like God. That one ate the fruit and gave her husband some and they both died. 

 The devil knows that we have now accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and savior. He knows that we are now baptized. He knows that we have joined the workers in our church. He even knows that we now speak in tongues but how does he perpetrate evil in our lives? He employs deception and lies. He tells us that we can’t be perfect even when Jesus himself tasked us to be as perfect as God, Matthew 5:48. It is better to try at something than not to try at all. We only stand the chance of been perfect when we try. An adage says practice makes perfection. If you try to be as perfect as God is and you make mistake, you just simply ask for forgiveness and start again. When kids are learning to walk, immediately they fall they stand up almost immediately. They never quit trying. Don’t accept the lies of the enemy that you can’t be perfect. You can be perfect, you can do without lying, you can do without cheating, you can do without fornication and adultery e.t.c. The question is how? David said thy word I have hid mine heart that I might sin against thee, Psalm 119:11. Read your bible at least two chapters a day. Pray daily for the grace to be perfect and before you know it you see yourself attaining perfection.

 ACTION POINT: Create a bible reading plan and stick to it.

THE DEVIL IS A LIAR PT 1

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.