LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE
John 10:10 KJV The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Eph 4:27-28 KJV “Neither give place to the devil. (NIV and do not give the devil a foothold.) 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”
Verse 27 Speaks of the Devil. What is the Subject of the Sentence? It is the “Understood You.” God’s Direction is to the Christian, “You - Don’t give the Devil Place in your life. Along with Verse 28, The Direct Application os to the Conduct of a Christian. God says, “Don’t Steal!!! Perform Honest Work to take care of Your Needs and to Have Some Extra to Give Unto Others.” For our message this morning, I want to take verse 27 and couple it with the first part of 28 and with John 10:10 and develop a different Line of thought. You see, THE DEVIL IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. HE IS THE GREATEST THIEF THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. Jesus was Talking about the Devil when He said, John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
So, To Paraphrase vs 27,28: “Don’t give the Devil any place in you, Let him that stole, the Devil, Steal No More From You! STOP HIM!!! Resist Him! Don’t give the Devil an Opportunity. Put a Stop to the Devil’s Acts of Thievery in the affairs of your life. God wants you to Start Defending Yourself and Stop being a Pushover for the Devil. 2 Cor 2:11 KJV Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Satan Gets Advantage Over Many Christians because they are Ignorant of what the Bible says about How He Steals From People.
“we are not ignorant of his devices.” What are Some of the Devil’s Devices? How Does he Steal from Christians?
I. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF WHO STEALS WORSHIP THAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO GOD.
He seeks to Divert worship Away from the True and Living God to Anything Else. When I was in the Mountains, I remember looking at a Totem Pole that had the faces of spirits painted all over it. Indians used these images for protection from the spirit world. Indians and other primitive people worshipped these images. Nearly all ancient cultures through-out history had Idols they worshipped. Today, most people in our culture the Twin Idols of Hedonism and Materialism, ie they Worship Pleasure and they Worship Possessions.
It is Sad that in many churches The Devil has Led People to Substitute Liturgy, Form, and Ritual for the True Worship of God. Baptists need to learn that True worship of God is an attitude of Heart. It is not just sitting in a pew and staring at the back of someone’s head, while you mumble through the words of a hymn. We must Draw Nigh unto God and Commune with Him Heart to Heart. In John 4:23, Jesus said the Father is Seeking True Worshippers who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Don’t let the Devil steal your worship. Be a True Worshipper of God through Christ.
II. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF THAT STEALS GOD’S BLESSINGS FROM PEOPLE.
Sin is his Greatest Tool. Ignorance, Laziness, and Rebellion Follow Close behind. Sin Kills. Rom 6:23 “he Wages of Sin is Death”
Sin, Rebellion, Disobedience Open the Door to the Devil and Gives him opportunity to Steal, Kill, and Destroy. There is a Spiritual Law of Sin and Death. There is the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Sow to the Flesh and of the Flesh you will Reap Corruption. Sin Cripples your Faith and Hinders God’s Blessings from coming on you. Bible says, Put off the old man and his deeds, and Put on the New man, and Walk in Holiness, without which no man will see the Lord. Col. 3:5-10 NLT 5So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.6God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.7You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.9Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds.10In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.
III. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF THAT WILL STEAL YOUR JOY THROUGH SIN.
Ps 16:11 KJV Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Sin will Corrupt your Sense of the Presence of God. Sin will Kill your Joy. There is No Joy when your fellowship with Christ is broken. A Christian Cannot be “Full of Joy” unless he is Walking with God. Some of the Most Miserable People in the World are Christians who have Backslidden and Fallen Away from the Lord. They Cannot Experience that Sweet Fellowship with Christ and the Joy of the Lord unless they Repent and Confess their Sin to the Lord. Then God Forgives them and Restores to them their Joy.
IV. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF THAT STEALS PEACE.
A person Obtains Peace with God by Being Saved and having his Sins Forgiven. Then the Peace of God comes to Reside within you as you Walk with Christ and Trust in the Lord for your Everyday Needs. The Devil has a Special Instrument to Steal Peace from people è Worry. Every Christian has encountered it. Some Christians Battle it and Struggle with it. Some Christians Give in to it. Some Christians Win over Worry and Overcome it. Satan will never Cease to Try and Subvert your Mind by Injecting Thoughts of Fear and Worry into your Mind. If you are Afraid, Anxious, or Troubled in your Thinking, You will not have Peace.
Phil 4:4-7 TLB 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do. Remember that the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 7 If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. The Cure for Worry is Praying and Trusting God!
V. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF THAT STEALS HEALTH FROM PEOPLE.
Acts 10:38 KJV How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and HEALING ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL; for God was with him.
THE DEVIL STEALS HEALTH FROM PEOPLE BY BRINGING SICKNESS AND DISEASE ON THEM. The People that Jesus Healed, The Bible Says Their Sickness was Not Placed on them by God. Sickness was the Oppression of the Devil Then and it is the Oppression of the Devil Now. It was Brought on them by the Devil, Not by God. AND JESUS DELIVERED THEM FROM THE OPPRESSION BY REMOVING THE SICKNESS AND HEALING THEM WITH GOD’S POWER. Jesus Did Not Pamper Sickness. HE TREATED SICKNESS AS AN ENEMY. SICKNESS IS AN ENEMY BECAUSE IT COMES FROM SATAN AND IT HURTS THAT WHICH GOD LOVES. SICKNESS HURTS PEOPLE. IT CAUSES PAIN, SUFFERING, AND DEATH. JESUS HEALED PEOPLE BECAUSE HE CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.
SICKNESS STEALS HEALTH FROM PEOPLE. It Steals Time, Money, and Resources that Ought to be used for other things.
THE DEVIL ALSO STEALS HEALTH FROM PEOPLE BY PROVOKING PEOPLE TO ABUSE THEIR BODIES.
Over-Eating, and Eating the Wrong Kinds of Food, Causes Severe Health Problems. Obesity puts Severe Stress on a person’s health. Being Overweight is one of the Biggest Health Issues facing people today.
TOBACCO PRODUCTS: By Smoking, Dipping Snuff, and Chewiing tobacco, people Inject all kinds of Poisons into their bodies. Failure to Give your Body Proper Rest will Weaken your body and Enable the Devil to Steal your Health Away.
So, Wise Up!!! Take Care of your Body. It is the Only One you have.
Don’t let the Devil Steal your Health away by Abusing your body!!!
Loose that Weight. Exercise and stay in shape. Throw those Cigarettes away. Get off the Drugs. Attend to Proper Nutrition and Rest.
VI. THE DEVIL IS A THIEF THAT STEALS FINANCIAL BLESSING.
His Agenda here is to STOP your Giving. What would happen if the Farmer ATE all of his Seed? He Could Never Produce A Harvest Without The Seed To Plant. Prov 3:9-10 KJV 9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (TLB by giving him the first part of all your income,) 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. The Firstfruits is that portion off the Top of your income. We call that the Tithe. “So Shall Thy barns be filled with plenty,”
THIS IS A PICTURE OF PROSPERITY. It Hinges on the Christian Paying his Tithes and Giving Offerings to the Lord’s Work. If the Devil Can Stop your Giving, he Stops the Blessing on your Finances. The Devil Robs People of Financial Blessing by Getting them to Stop Paying their Tithes and Spending that which Belongs to God on themselves. The Tithe is the Lord’s. Don’t Eat your Seed, Plant it in God’s Work!!! It Belongs to God. Mal 3:8-11 NIV 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
DON’T GIVE THE DEVIL ANY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE.
Let him that stole steal no more.
Put a Stop to the Thief. Say No to the Devil.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Are you Right with God? Have you Received Him as your Savior?
If you are Not Saved, According to the Bible, Satan is in Control of your life.
Don’t Let him Steal your Salvation by Lying to you.
If you have Never Received the Lord, You Come Today and Give your Heart to God.
