“..He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” ( John 8:44)
Once when Jesus happened to prophecy of the future, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you” ( Mathew 16:22). Almost immediately, “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” ( vv 23).
Peter was certainly floored; or, actually the devil, who had attempted to distract a very serious matter.
What had just happened was true to character of the devil and persists to this day. As “he is a liar and father of lies” almost naturally deceit is his best weapon, and there is never a dull moment. Rev 12:10 says, “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down,” meaning all along the devil is going around causing mischief against the brethren with a ton of lies. In fact, the quickest way to discern the devil is once you notice deceit. There he is in true form.
For that reason, Believers are warned, “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” ( 1 Peter 5:8). The devil business of lying is 24/7, for once, the “LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it” ( Job 1:7). All meaning he works round the clock carrying his “pack of lies” to cause confusion and commotion, and all things that go with that nature.
As we saw earlier, when Peter dared cast doubt on his prophecy, Jesus did not hesitate to rebuke the devil. There was no skirting about it. Likewise, once you too see the devil hurling about his devious colors through his favorite weapon of deceit, just go ahead and expose him by quickly rebutting with the truth of the Gospel.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, just as the devil moves around with deceit may you empower me to discern and rebuke his lies, ashaming him, for the truth of the Gospel, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
