The Devil Made Me Do It

When my uncle was a kid, he took wet toilet paper and flung it in wads onto the bathroom ceiling. Later questioned, he blamed the obvious culprit … Satan. Repeating a phrase made popular by a comedian of the day, my uncle said, “The devil made me do it.”

According to the Bible, Satan is a created spiritual being, thus only in one place at one time. He is neither all-knowing nor all-powerful. The truth of the matter is that the devil didn’t make my uncle misbehave with the toilet paper and then a lie; my uncle sinned because he was a sinner.

Too often we blame others for our sinful behavior. We accuse Satan as the culprit and then foolishly think we can “bind” him. Blaming only denies the truth, compounding one sin upon another. The devil doesn’t “make” us do anything, we are fully capable of disobeying God of our own fallen nature. We sin because we are sinners. We desperately need a Saviour.

I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me…. Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed…. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:5; James 1:14; Psalm 51:10).

Guilty as Sin

The name “Satan” means accuser. The Bible describes this spiritual master of rebellion as one of God’s creation who stands before the Almighty’s throne and works as the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). He does not accuse the unregenerate before God, but only God’s redeemed.

The unsaved are already condemned (John 3:18; 16:11) whereas those who have been born again by the will of God (John 1:13) are free from condemnation (Romans 8:1). But these facts do not deter the Devil. He stands in Heaven and rails against the redeemed, pointing out each sin and demanding God’s justice. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), then Paul continues, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

While preaching recently, I asked the congregation if they were indeed guilty of sin; were the accusations of the Accuser true? The group was divided. As a child of God, when you lie and Satan accuses you, are not the accusations true? When you take something which doesn’t belong to you, have you not sinned?

Yes, Satan’s accusations against you are very true. You are a sinner, but you have a Saviour who is greater than your sins and the accusations and the Accuser. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus took your sins upon Himself (Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Upon the cross, Jesus suffered the wrath of the righteous and holy God to the point of death – the death which belonged to you as a sinner. He became your substitute so that you might receive His right standing before the Father.

If your sins are forgiven and you are feeling accused, it is not the voice of God you are listening to, but the Accuser of the brethren (Romans 8:31-39).

Satan’s accusations against you are true. You are “guilty as sin”, but there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), because Jesus paid the price of His own life to ransom your life and bring full forgiveness. Stop listening to the Accuser and begin listening to your Advocate (1 John 2:1-2).

• Click here to read and follow us on Facebook.

Victory in Jesus

The enemy was right.  All of his accusations were accurate and true.  I had sinned. I was a disgrace to my God. I was everything he said. So who was I to stand against him?  I was as evil as he.

The sword dropped to the ground from my hand.  My body crumpled to the ground in utter shame, weak and defeated.

With a burst of light came a mighty shout from the door of Glory. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be whiter than snow. Blessed is he whose robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, whose sins are forgiven and I remember no more. Blessed is he whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, whose life has been redeemed from the pit and is crowned with love and compassion. I am the Living One by whose stripes you have been healed. Beloved of the Lord, stand and rejoice and forget not all of My benefits.”

Renewed in my strength, I arose as with the wings of an eagle. I knew that I could run and not grow weary, walk and not faint. The joy of the Lord was my strength.

I grasped the sword of the Spirit from the ground and swung at the beast. “Beast!” I yelled, “you are defeated by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony in Him.”  The sword caught the beast alongside the left of its head. It’s body quaked but it steadied itself. Rising up on it’s hind legs, it hesitated just a moment, ready to fall and stomp me to death.

My feet gripped the ground in peace and I held the Word of the Lord high. The beast dropped to the ground to crush me, but the sword found its mark deep in the belly of the beast.  It groaned in agony as its blood oozed out and smoked on the ground with a foul stench.  It’s breathing labored and then with a final screech that shattered the house windows, the beast died.

The rider screamed, “I’ll return for you,” and then was gone.  In his place a brilliant light appeared: flaming swords of an angelic warrior host.  Justice and truth lay dead in the street, many people had been eaten alive by the beast, but I was alive and standing firm. I was kept by the strong arm of Jesus and none could snatch me from His hand.

“Victory in Jesus!” I sang.  “My Saviour forever.  He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood.  He loved me e’re I knew Him and all my love is due Him; He plunged me to victory beneath His cleansing blood!”

I awoke, not knowing if I’d experienced reality or merely a dream, but I was assured in my faith in Jesus.  The war had been won at the Cross, but the every-day battle had only begun.

“Satan, you shall not have victory over me, for Christ Jesus is my Champion and His grace is sufficient for me!”

** return tomorrow for part 5 of this story.