Talking to the Devil

Today's blog is about talking to the devil. I know the picture above is the Tasmanian Devil from Bugs Bunny, but I just couldn't put any of the pictures of Satan on my blog. So I hope you don't mind the cartoon instead.

I had the opportunity to hear yet another humorous story this morning while studying the book of Revelation. (By the way, thanks, Becky, for your encouragement in studying this amazing book in the Bible!)

It seems a preacher found in an airport $20,000 stacked and bound as hundred dollar bills. Going to turn it in, he saw a shabbily dressed character coming his way. The man asked if the preacher had found his money. After asking for specifics, the preacher gave the money to the man. Without even a THANK YOU, the man turned and quickly walked away from the preacher.

When the preacher got into the cab, he said the devil got in with him. The devil started whispering to him what a fool he had been. It was obvious the money must have been for or from a questionable purpose. It would have been better to have kept the money for himself and lied to the man.After all, he didn't even get a thanks from the man. The man had more money than the preacher could ever have in his work.

The preacher started talking right back at Satan. "Look what I have though! I have the gift of life!"

The cab driver looked in the rear view mirror, and said, "What? Did you say something to me?"

The preacher said, "No, I was just talking to the devil." The cab driver kept an eye on his strange passenger the rest of the way to their destination thinking he surely had a crazy man in his car.

The point of the true story was to warn us as Christians not to be envious of the world, especially the world of Babylon in Revelation. Money, power, easy life, fame...all of these "things" will be amassed by the Anti-Christ and his followers in the end times.

We don't have to wait for the end times to be tempted though. I am reading Daniel at the same time. Daniel was taken from his homeland and brought to Babylon as well. He was told to eat from the king's table and drink the king's wine. He was given a new name after the gods of the new country. Daniel, a young man at the time, refused to give in to the new culture in order to prosper. His faith never failed. He knew sin would never succeed. His God, THE God, was greater than the powerful ruler who overthrew his homeland. He trusted this in spite of all that surrounded him.

I began to wonder upon hearing this and reading about Babylon as well as about Daniel, when the last time was I really argued against the Devil? When did I actually, physically say, "NO!" to him? Have I been listening to the subtle whispers he offers as he tempts me to anger, to envy, to depression, to sin?

If so, it is time to speak out to him now, and I do so with Scripture as Jesus demonstrated we should do when Satan tempted Him:

Isaiah 61: He has sent me to preach the message of salvation to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to release from darkness the prisoner and to set the captive free.

Jesus is freeing me from the temptations of my own "Babylons." Satan, you must flee! You have no power over me or mine! Jesus has given me victory in Him. Praise, God!

How about you? When is the last time you confronted Satan? You know he is real, cunning, and seeking ways to keep you from God's love and peace and from ministering to others, don't you?

Let's rejoice today that Jesus is the Victor today as I write and in the end times; so says Revelation!

For His Glory!
Gretchen