Whether you know him as Lucifer, Satan, the devil or just the enemy, he is everything God isn’t. God is love and truth. For this blog post I will call him the devil and there is no love or truth in him. He is a liar and the father of lies. He takes scripture out of context to make his lies seem plausible (like he did when he tempted Jesus). As Lucifer he was an archangel, but he was thrown out of heaven like a lightning bolt along with the angels who followed him in rebellion against God. He found out the hard way that he is not as powerful as his creator. Sadly, a lot of men and women have found that out the hard way too. It reminds me of a Broadway musical in the mid 1970’s titled “Your arms too short to box with God.”
Ever since then, the devil has been prowling the Earth like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He will never know us as God knows us. However, one thing is certain; the devil knows our sins and our weakest spots to attack. It has been said that the devil knows our name but calls us by our sins; God knows our sins but calls us by our name. When you want to know your weaknesses, all you have to do is pay attention to what the devil is tempting you to do, say or think. That is your weakest link; pray for strength in that area. Don’t give the devil more power than he actually has. He can’t separate you from God, but he will try to trip you up as you pursue your calling. The Holy Spirit within you is much more powerful and He gives you authority and power to rebuke the devil and overcome anything he throws at you.
Personally, I find the devil brings back my painful memories of the past, either in a dream or random thoughts. Feeling the weight of those sad memories I cry out, “Lord help me!” Then I realize He has already forgiven me of that mistake or brought me through that bad experience and I praise Him for it and then get back to serving Him. The devil also brings back memories of temptations I overcame in an attempt to get me to dwell on what would have happened if I had given in to them. I immediately say, “That didn’t happen and never will!” and those thoughts vanish. The next time the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future. Revelation 20:10; “Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”