The Devil Plan, God’s Plan!

The Devil plan, God’s plan!

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.

John 10:10 (AMP) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

John 10:10 is a well-known verse to millions of believers around the world,

Today I want to give you fresh insight into this powerful scripture. Rather than simply read it as you've read it a thousand times before, let's dig a little deeper into the Greek words behind this verse to see what we can mine from the treasures of the Greek New Testament!

Jesus said, "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" (John 10:10).

According to these words of Jesus, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy everything good in your life. He wants to destroy your job, your joy, your happiness, your health, your finances, your marriage, and your kids. The thief just wants to ruin anything he can get his hands on!

The word "thief" comes from the Greek word klepto, # 2812 which means to steal. It gives a picture of a bandit, pickpocket, or thief who is so artful in the way he steals that his exploits of thievery are nearly undetectable.

This reminds us of the pickpockets who work the streets in certain areas. They can slip their hands into a person's pockets, take what they want, and be long gone before that person discovers they were even there!

Jesus uses this word to let us know the devil is very cunning in the way he steals from people. He knows that if he does it outright, his actions will be recognized; therefore, he steals from people in such a deceptive way that he often accomplishes his evil goal before they even know he has stolen from them!

Often the devil injects thoughts into a person's mind to steal his peace, his joy, and even his beliefs. The word klepto describes a thief's uncontrollable urge to get his hands into someone's pockets so he can take that which doesn't rightfully belong to him.

It’s interesting that this is where we get the word kleptomaniac, which describes a person with a persistent, neurotic impulse to steal. Just as a kleptomaniac can't help but steal, the devil can't stop stealing because it is his impulse and his very nature to steal. This is precisely the nature and behavior of the thief Jesus told us about!

Word steal is just about the same word it is # 2813 in strong’s

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Not only does the thief come to steal, but Jesus said that he also comes

"to kill."

At first, it appears that this means to kill, as to take someone's life. But the Greek word is thuo, #G2380 which means to sacrifice. It originally referred to the sacrificial giving of animals on the altar. It could mean to sacrifice; to surrender; or to give up something that is precious and dear. It was particularly used in a religious connotation to denote the sacrifice of animals, and it had nothing to do with killing in terms of murder.

Because Jesus uses this word to describe the work of the thief in John 10:10, He is telling us that if the thief hasn't already walked away with everything we hold precious and dear, he will then try to convince us that we need to sacrifice or give up everything he hasn't already taken from us.

The thief cannot bear the fact that you possess any kind of blessing. Therefore, if he is unsuccessful at stealing the good things from your life, he will try to cunningly convince you to give up everything you possess and love—simply because he doesn't want you to have it. He may even try to create stressful situations that cause you to conclude that your only solution is to sacrifice the things you dearly love.

Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Then Jesus went on to say that the thief also comes "to destroy." The word "destroy" is from the Greek word apollumi, #g622. meaning to destroy. It carries the idea of something that is ruined, wasted, trashed, devastated, and destroyed.

By using this word, we discover that if the thief is unsuccessful in his attempts to steal from you or convince you to sacrifice what you hold dear, he will then try to ruin it!