The Schemes of the Devil Part 3: Miranda Rights
Scripture: Eph. 6:11-12; Prov. 21:23; 18:21; Matt. 12:33-37; James 3:8-10
Introduction:
I have shared with you previously that our adversary the devil cannot read our minds or know what is in our hearts until we show him. Once we show him, then he can go to work on us. The primary way that we show Satan what we are thinking and what is in our hearts is through our mouths. When we open our mouths to speak, he is listening, gathering info to use against us. Keep this in mind as we go through this message.
Today you cannot turn on your TV set without some cop show being shown. One of the more popular shows is “Law and Order”. I am not sure how many of you have seen this show, however, if you have not, I am sure that you have seen some police show where someone was arrested. When that person on TV was arrested, they always read them their “rights”. Do you remember that? When this is done, it is done so that the person understands that they have certain rights afforded them by the Constitution. One of these rights is the right not to self-incriminate yourself should you be guilty of a crime. The rights that the officer reviews before a suspect is interrogated are called the Miranda Rights.
Let me share with you the history of what is known as the “Miranda Rights.” In 1963, Ernesto Miranda was arrested for kidnapping and rape. He made a confession without having been told of his constitutional right to remain silent and his right to have an attorney present during police questioning. At trial, prosecutors offered only his confession as evidence and he was convicted. The Supreme Court ruled (Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966)) that Miranda was intimidated by the interrogation and that he did not understand his right not to incriminate himself or his right to counsel. On this basis, they overturned his conviction. Miranda was later convicted in a new trial, with witnesses testifying against him and other evidence presented. He served eleven years. When Miranda was later killed in a knife fight, his killer received the Miranda warnings; he invoked his rights and declined to give a statement. In 2000, the issue of Miranda rights came up before the Supreme Court once again (Dickerson v. United States, 530 U.S. 428 (2000). The justices re-affirmed the role of the earlier precedent. The purpose of the Miranda right is to ensure that any individual arrested and questioned about a crime understand that they do not have to say anything that will incriminate them. The first section of the Miranda Right says: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you at interrogation time and at court.” This morning I want to use our Miranda Right as the basis for my message in this Part 3 of this series titled “The Schemes of the Devil.”
I. The Right To Remain Silent
The first right listed in the Miranda Rights is the right to remain silent. We do not have to speak or answer any question until we have been advised to do so by our counsel. In the case of the natural, it means that we have the right to keep our mouths shut until we have talked with our lawyer. In the spiritual, we are advised to keep your mouth shut (PERIOD) until lead and/or advised by the Spirit of God. Listen to what Solomon says in Proverbs 21:23: “He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from trouble.” In other words, the man who is able to control his mouth is able to keep himself from trouble. When we speak, things begin to happen because our words carry power. Solomon said in Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. In the natural, the reason we have the right to remain silent when we are arrested about a crime is because depending on what comes out of our mouths, it could bring death, not life. That is why we are not required to testify against ourselves. In the spiritual, the things that come forth from our mouths can either spring forth life or it will bring forth death. How many of you have ever heard a parent speak something negative over their child year after year after year only to see that child grow up into what the parents said they’d be? Our words can set in motions things that we cannot begin to understand. How many of you are familiar with the term “hypochondriac”? A hypochondriac is someone who obsesses about getting a serious illness, they could be referred to as a having a health phobia. Many people who suffer from this condition focuses on one symptom as the reason for their worrying. This individual worries constantly about getting sick and oftentimes actually get sick “because they talked themselves into it.” This is the power that our words carry. People suffering from this condition can be found speaking constantly about being sick. Their minds process the thought as the ears hear them and the body takes over. It has been proven medically that how you think and speak can have a direct impact on your body. Death and life are in the power of the tongue therefore since we have the right to remain silent, we really should consider taking up that right as a model for living.
Why is it important that when possible we remain silent? As I said earlier, Satan cannot read our minds or know what is in our thoughts. Because he is not God and not able to do this, his forces must watch and wait in order to get an idea as to what they could use to potentially trip us up. They watch what we do; wait for us to open our mouths; and then they are able to understand what is working against us and what is not. It is critical that we begin to understand the power that our words give to Satan. When we are speaking things not of God, he is listening. When we are speaking our frustrations, he is listening. When we are speaking our desires, he is listening. We must be careful because Satan uses our words against us!
II. Anything You Say Can And Will Be used Against You
The second part of the Miranda Rights states that “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” In the natural, when you are arrested and questioned, before you are asked a question, you are to be told that whatever comes out of your mouth can and will be used against you. In other words, whatever comes out of your mouth will be used against you if it helps the case of the prosecution. The prosecution gets to decide what they will or will not use. The key thing to remember is that anything you say can be used against you. Even when you are speaking in general terms, your words can be misconstrued and twisted based on the evidence against you. That is why the lawyer instructs the client as to which question they should or should not answer. Depending on the person asking the questions, a good interrogator can confuse the suspect so much that they can get the person to confess to something that they did not do (again, using their own words against them.) Years ago when I was a youth Pastor of another Church, I was asked to give a character reference on behalf of one of the youth that had gotten into trouble. When I was called to the stand, I was asked very pointed questions to which I gave very simple, clear responses. The prosecutor would rephrase my answers in an attempt to trip me up. He would say things like “So your testimony is….” And he would twist what I said. After three of four times of me correcting him, he finally ended his questioning. If I not corrected him on his version of what I said, his version would have become what was recorded as fact within the trial documents.
It is the same in the spiritual. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 12:33-37 that I think will give you a better understanding of why it is important to Satan to listen to what we are saying: “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known for its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil. And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified and by your words you shall be condemned.”
This is the reason Satan and his forces spend so much time listening to what we are saying, it lets him know what is in our hearts. Just like in the natural whatever a person says will be used against them, especially if they confess, it is the same spiritually. Whatever comes out of our mouths gives Satan a glimpse of what is actually in our hearts. This goes from the general conversations and off colored remarks to the jokes we tell or repeat. All of these things can give Satan ideas into what is in our hearts. That is why we must be so careful. Some of the most successful schemes that Satan uses against man actually originated from man – Satan just built on the ideas of the man. He is an expert at using our words against us. Jesus said that what is in our hearts will come out through our mouths. When we are first saved, although our hearts have received Christ, our minds have not totally been transformed. Until that takes place, it is easy for us to get out of the spirit and into our flesh, something Satan watches for. He listens closely to what we are saying to seek out any means possible to get into our lives. If you are constantly speaking about things you are afraid of, he is listening so he can use your fears against you. Jesus said that our words will justify and/or condemn us. Satan is doing his best to condemn us through the words we speak. Let me share a scripture with you from James 3:8-10:
“But no one can tame the tongue, it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” Again, James reconfirms that both good and evil should not be coming out of our mouth. If we only spoke good, Satan could do nothing with that. However, when we get off center and start speaking trash and everything else that comes into our hearts, he can use that.
Let me share with you a way in which we use our tongues that opens the door for Satan to not only come in and hinder us, but gives him idea, after idea, after idea of ways to come against us. How many of you have ever heard someone complaining? How many of you have been the someone complaining? Our act of complaining, coupled with what we are actually complaining about, gives Satan so many ideas of things he can use against us that it is not funny. Consider this example:
• You have a friend who constantly complains about everything. They do not like their job; their spouse; their home; how they look; how you look; how everyone else looks; and they do not like anything else around them. Everything makes them unhappy. In the summer, they’re too hot. In the winter, they’re too cold. In the spring it’s too much pollen in the air and in the fall they’re just too many leaves falling (even though they stay in an apartment.) Any of you know anyone like this? If someone is this bent on complaining, what happens when they come to Church? Are they able to really be thankful? I think Satan loves people like this because their griping can just kill everything around them. When I was younger, my dad brought a new car for the family, it was a station wagon. It was a nice car although he brought it used. Well this was during those same years when I had my attitude problem, you know the one with the chip on my shoulder. When he took us for a ride, I began to complain about the “little imperfections” of the car. A spot here, dirt there, etc. It got so bad that my father, who loves me dearly (at least he does now – maybe not so much then, just kidding, he did love me then I think) turned around from the driver’s seat and told me if I did not keep my mouth shut, I would get it when I got home. This is the “politically correct” version of what he said, I cannot repeat the actual words for some slipped out that I am sure he did not mean to say. Anyway, my attitude and complaining just poured cold water on his happiness.
David said in Psalm 39:1 “….I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence.” David was very aware of the impact the tongue could have and made the decision that he would guard his so that he would not sin against God. This was especially important when he was in the presence of sinful people – you know those who are looking for you to slip because you are such a good “Christian.” Lamentations 3:39 says “Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins?” In other words, as we are yet alive and remember the sin from whence we came, we have no reason to ever complain about anything. We should be so grateful for God forgiving us that we should be walking around in bliss enjoyment knowing that we have eternal life. Nothing compares to the destination where we were once headed.
If you are one who allows any and every thought to be formed into words and spoken, I plead with you to reconsider. Some people would say anything in the presence of anyone and they do not care. But I want you to consider the impact of what you are saying. Would you willingly say anything that came to your mind if you were sitting on the witness stand testifying? If you truly understood that everything that comes out of your mouth is subject to being used against you, would you change or guard some of the words that you use? Please consider this the next time you are ready to give someone a piece of your mind or you are ready to offer a complaint.
My God bless you.
