08 IF I WERE THE DEVIL
CBC 2 COR 4 VS. 3,4 (adapted from a story by Paul Harvey)
INTRODUCTION: PAUL TELLS US PLAINLY THAT SATAN HAS BLINDED THE EYES OF THE UNBELIEVER.
I HAVE OFTEN NOTICED DURING THE HALLOWEEN SEASON, A LOT OF SCENERY ABOUT DEMONS AND THE DEVIL. (INNOCENT CHARACTERS)**
PEOPLE SEEM TO ACCEPT THE HOLLYWOOD AND COMMERCIAL IMAGE OF THE DEVIL.
HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT POSE AS A RED COVERED CHARACTER WITH HORNS AND A TAIL, CARRYING A PITCHFORK; IN FACT, THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT HE IS OFTEN CONCEALED AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
HE COMES DISGUISED AS A FRIEND OR MESSENGER, BUT IN REALITY IS A DECEPTIVE DEMON WHO WANTS TO RUIN AND CONTROL YOUR LIFE, AND DISRUPT THE WORK OF GOD.
LET ME SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT, A FEW THINGS THAT I WOULD DO IF I WERE THE DEVI..
I. I WOULD GAIN CONTROL OF THE MOST POPULAR AND MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD.
(A) I WOULD GO AFTER THE NATION WITH THE MOST POWER AND THE MOST INFLUENCE, AND USE THE PEOPLE OF THAT NATION TO FURTHER MY CAUSE.
1. I WOULD TRY TO BREAK DOWN THE RELIGIOUS AND MORAL STANDARDS THAT HAD BEEN SET AND USED FOR MANY YEARS TO CARRY OUT THE GOOD WORK OF THAT NATION.
2. OUR GREAT NATION WAS FOUNDED UPON THE CHRISTIAN AND MORAL PRINCIPLES AND HAS ENJOYED THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY BECAUSE OF THIS.
3. AMERICA STRUGGLES TODAY TO HOLD ON TO THESE GREAT PRINCIPLES BUT IS IN GRAVE DANGER OF LOSING THEM AND GOING DOWN THE DRAIN WITH THE ATHEIST, AGNOSTICS AND INFIDELS.
Ps 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD: and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
Prov 14:34
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
IF GOD DOESN’T PUNISH THIS NATION FOR HER SINS, HE WILL HAVE TO DIG UP SODOM AND GAMMORAH AND APPOLOGIZE.
(B) I WOULD DELUDE THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE INTO THINKING THAT THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED BLESSINGS INSTEAD OF BLESSINGS COMING FROM THE HAND OF GOD.
THEY WOULD DISREGARD THE LEADERSHIP OF GOD AND PLACE THEIR TRUST IN HUMANISTIC EFFORTS.
1. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF THIS NATION DOES NOT LIE WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, NOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, NOR THE INDEPENDENT PARTY NOR EVEN THE PITY PARTY, BUT IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S WILL.
3. SPIRITUALLY UNLEARNED AND UNSAVED MAN WILL TELL YOU THAT WE EVOLVED FROM THE MONKEY FAMILY (SOME DO ACT LIKE IT SOMETIMES)
STORY OF THE CONFUSED APE AT THE ZOO (BOOK OF EVOLUTION IN ONE HAND AND THE HOLY BIBLE IN THE OTHER HAND) ????? AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER OR MY KEEPER’S BROTHER????????
2. UNSAVED AND SPIRITUALLY UNLEARNED MAN WILL TELL YOU THAT MAN’S EFFORTS AND MAN’S KNOWLEDGE WILL EVENTUALLY TAKE HIM TO A LEVEL OF PERFECTION WHERE EVERYONE WILL LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY, (UNIVERSAL UTOPIA)***
GOD’S WORD DECLARES OTHERWISE:
2 Tim 3:13-17
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
KJV
II. (IF I WERE THE DEVIL) I WOULD DECEIVE EVERYONE THAT I COULD INTO THINKING THAT MAN HAS THE SOLUTION TO LIFE’S PROBLEMS AND NOT GOD.
(SATAN HAS TRIED THIS ALREADY WITH THE FIRST FAMILY IN GENESIS CHAPTER 3 AND IT WORKED QUITE WELL IF YOU WILL REMEMBER)***
(A) SATAN WILL TRY TO CONVINCE YOU THAT ALL YOU NEED IS WISDOM OF MAN AND SELF-EFFORT TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS IN LIFE.
1. HE HAS CONVINCED COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS NOTION, YET HE HIMSELF IS DECEIVED THE MOST.
Isa 14:12-15
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
KJV
(B) SATAN IS STILL TRYING TODAY
1. HE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT LEGALIZING ALCAHOL IN EVERY COMMUNITY OF EVERY STATE, WOULD SOLVE ALL OUR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS** (REFERENCE 1962 CALHOUN COUNTY AL.)
(FOR THOSE WHO PROFIT FROM THE SALE OF ALCAHOL IT DOES SOLVE THEIR $$ PROBLEMS)
2. SATAN WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT LEGALIZED GAMBLING WOULD SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS. (AGAIN, FOR THOSE WHO PROFIT * IT DOES)
(C) SATAN WOULD CONVINCE ALL OF THE NATION’S LEADERS THAT CHARACTER IS NOT AN ISSUE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
1. HE WOULD TELL YOU: “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEIR HABITS, HANG-UPS AND HATREDS AS LONG AS ALL GOES WELL AND THE ECONOMY PROSPERS.
JESUS SAID: “WHAT DOES A MAN PROFIT IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL.”
2. GREED AND CROOKEDNESS HAVE TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER MORALITY AND DECENCY TODAY AND CHEATED THE COMMON AND POOR FOLKS OUT OF A DECENT LIFESTYLE.
3. THE DEVIL WOULD HAVE YOU DOWN AND DEPRESSED, DEFEATED AND DISCOURAGED, AND WORSE OF ALL HE WOULD BLAME IT ON GOD.
WHAT WE PASS ON TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN IN REGARDS TO MORAL AND RIGHTEOUS LIVING FAR OUTWIGHS AND MONOTARY INHERITANCE THEY COULD EVER RECEIVE.
(MOST OF THEM WILL RUN THROUGH IT THE FIRST YEAR ANYWAY)
(D) SATAN WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT JUST THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS LEGALIZED AND SANCTIONED THE KILLING OF COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF UNBORN CHILDREN, BY A VARIETY OF MEANS OF ABORTION
PROV. 6:16: GOD DESPISES THE HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD.***
IF I WERE THE DEVIL,
III. I WOULD REMOVE ANY SOURCE OF THE NAME OF GOD FROM SCHOOLS, GOVERNMENT OFFICES .
EVEN THE MENTION OF HIS NAME WOULD BE GROUNDS FOR A LAWSUIT.
(A) WE LIVE IN THE TIMES WHERE THE MINDS OF INNOCENT CHILDREN ARE PERVERTED BY SATANIC INFLUENCES.
1. MORALS HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT THE DOOR.
2. RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS BEEN ABANDONDED
3. MANS RIGHTS AND PRIVILIGES HAVE BEEN ELEVATED ABOVE GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S COMMANDMENTS.
4. GOD HELP US WHEN PERVERSION CAN BE DISPLAYED BUT NOT THE WORD OF GOD.
(B) IF I WERE THE DEVIL, I WOULD USE ALL MANNER OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO SEDATE AND DULL THE MINDS OF PEOPLE AND MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND REALITY (MENTAL SUICIDE)
(C ) I WOULD GET CONTROL OF THE MEDIA AND CORRUPT THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE WITH ENDLESS PROPAGANDA., THAT SUPPORTED MY AGENDA.
1. I WOULD ATTACT THE FAMILY STRUCTURE, CAUSING A DIVISION AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS, MORAL CONFLICTS, AND ATTITUDES.
2. I WOULD TEAR DOWN THE MORAL FABRIC THAT ONCE HELD AMERICAN FAMILIES TOGETHER.
3. I WOULD POINT OUT THE OUT-MODED AND OLD-FASHIONED ETHICS OF DAYS GONE BY AND ESTABLISH A NEW ORDER OF PROMISCOSNESS AND LIFESTYLE.
4. I WOULD CAUSE OUR LAWMAKERS TO ATTACK OUR HOMES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SOCIAL SYSTEM AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO TEACH GOD’S WORD AND FURTHER THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.
IV. I WOULD COMPESS PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR MOST DEPRAVED FANTASIES ON CANVASS AND IN LITERATURE AND MOVIES AND VIDEOS, AND I WOULD CALL IT CULTURAL ART.
(A) I WOULD REMOVE CENSORSHIP AND ALLOW ANYTHING TO BE PRINTED, READ, PUBLISHED OR PRODUCED NO MATTER HOW LOUD THE MORAL PEOPLE CRIED OUT AGAINST IT.
1. WHEN SATAN GETS CONTROL OF THE MIND IT IS LIKE A RUN-AWAY TRAIN WITH NO POWER TO STOP.
2. THE HEART OF UNSAVED MAN, IS WICKED AND CAPABLE OF ANYTHING SATAN CAN PLAN AND INFLUENCE.
(B) I WOULD TAKE WHAT IS NORMAL, AND PORTRAY IT AS UN-NORMAL,
1. THAT WHICH IS UN-NORMAL AND UN-NATURAL I WOULD PORTRAY AS NORMAL THEREFORE CAUSING CONFUSION AND MENTAL IGNORANCE TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS RIGHT OR WHAT IS WRONG.
(C I WOULD PERSUEDE PEOPLE THAT THAT RIGHT AND WRONG ISSUES ARE DETERMINED BY A SMALL MINORITY OF PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES AUTHORITIES AND REFER TO THEIR AGENDA AS “POLITICALLY CORRECT“
1. I WOULD CONVINCE SOCIETY THAT CHURCH, RELIGION, MORALITY, THE BIBLE AND PRAYER ARE OUT DATED AND NO LONGER NEEDED, HAVING NO VALUE TO PEOPLES LIVES. CAUSING THEM TO BE SPIRITUALLY COLD AND INDIFFERENT.
2. I WOULD CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IS ALL THAT IS NECESSARY AND A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A “STATE OF MIND” BROUGHT ABOUT BY RELIGIOUS FANATICS.
CONCLUSION
IF I WERE THE DEVIL, I THINK I WOULD JUST LEAVE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE TODAY, AND ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO REGRESS DOWNWARDLY AND ALLOW THAT NATION TO “SELF-DESTRUCT.
JESUS SAID: JOHN 10: THE THIEF COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY.
BUT I AM COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE ETERNAL AND LIFE ABUNDANTLY.
WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?
