048 - The Devil #foolishnessofpreaching

The Devil

Welcome to another segment of the Foolishness of Preaching. I would like to start off with something kind of funny. One bright, beautiful Sunday morning, before the church service starts, the congregation sit in their pews and talk about their lives and their families.  Suddenly, at the altar, Satan appears! Everyone starts screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in their determined efforts to get away from the devil. Soon, everyone is evacuated from the church except for one man, who sits calmly in his pew. This confused Satan a bit. Satan walks up to the man and says, "Hey, don't you know who I am?" The man says, "Yep, sure do." Satan says, "Well, aren't you afraid of me?" The man says, "Nope, sure ain't." Satan, perturbed, says, "And why aren't you afraid of me?" The man says, "Well, I've been married to your sister for 25 years."

The devil is a serious topic that deserves respect and caution. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

The devil, also known as Satan, is a real and powerful spiritual being who seeks to deceive, destroy, and separate us from God. In today's sermon, I want to share with you three important truths about the devil and how we can overcome his schemes.

First, the devil is a liar and a deceiver. John 8:44 tells us that the devil is the father of lies. He seeks to deceive us into believing that sin is pleasurable and that God's ways are restrictive and burdensome. The devil also tries to convince us that we are alone and hopeless, that God doesn't care about us or that we are unworthy of His love. However, we can overcome the devil's lies by holding onto the truth of God's Word and by prayerfully seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Second, the devil seeks to tempt us into sin. James 1:14 says, "but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed." The devil uses our own desires and weaknesses against us, tempting us to give in to sin and disobedience. However, we can resist the devil's temptations by putting on the full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:10-18, and by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us overcome.

Lastly, the devil is a defeated foe. While he may still have some power and influence in this world, we know that his ultimate defeat has already been secured through Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:15 says, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Through faith in Jesus, we have victory over the devil and can resist his schemes.

Now, I want to extend an invitation to each of you. If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so today. Through faith in Jesus, we have the power to overcome the devil and his schemes.

Let us pray together: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the victory we have in Jesus Christ over the powers of darkness. We ask for Your protection and guidance as we face the devil's lies and temptations in this world. For those who have not yet received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, I pray that they would make that life-changing decision today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you have made the decision to follow Jesus today, please don't leave without speaking with one of our pastors or leaders. They would love to guide you through this important step in your spiritual journey and help you grow in your newfound relationship with Christ.

Remember, the devil is a real and powerful spiritual being, but through faith in Jesus, we have the power to overcome his schemes. As 1 Peter 5:8-9 reminds us, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." May God bless and protect you as you seek to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith.