How many of us have a no soliciting sign on our front porch? Or maybe a no trespassing sign. Why do you have that there? Well it is probably because you do not want people coming door to door asking for money or trying to sell products that you are not interested in. And rightfully so we can do that as homeowners. We do not have to allow people to solicit on our property. These people can get annoying and sometimes make it hard to say no. Yet sometimes we do have a hard time saying no. We know that we do not need the product or services they are offering but they are just so nice, we find ourselves giving in.
Someone else in our life likes to use the same tactics. They use cunning language and make things seem better than they actually are. They sell us what seems to be ripe juicy perfect apples but the inside is full of worms. Who could this be that I am talking about?
It is the devil the father of lies John 8:44.
Many people find it hard to say no the devil and his tactics. Some of us probably have an easier time telling the solicitor no than the devil himself.
If we can make ourselves aware of the devil and his tactics we can make it easier for us to say no in the heat of the battle.
The Devil is........
A liar: John 8:44 he speaks lies and does not speak the truth
Deceiving: Look what the serpent tells Eve in Genesis 3:4-5 "Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Vigilant: 1 Peter 5:8 tells us "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." A lion is a resilient hunter that is always on the prowl.w
Ready for battle: The devil wants nothing more than to pluck away Christians. He will try and do whatever he can to disrupt our lives.
Beatable: James 4:7 tells us "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." The devil is beatable he can be overcome. It is up to us to say NO.
We are not forced into saying yes to the devil, just like the solicitors that come to our house. In fact many put up signs to try and avoid the solicitors. What "signs" have you put up in your life that will guard you and your family from the devil. Sometimes the devil makes things seem better than they are, but we know the devil is a liar and deceiving. Based on that information.. what will your answer be when the devil comes knocking?