The Love Of God

The Love of God

At a time when Jesus was disputing with the Jews they said to Him, “We have only one Father and that is God Himself.” Let’s see how Jesus responded to them in the scripture.

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Here Jesus points out to the Jews and to us the devils personality. He clearly says that the devil was a murderer from way back in the beginning. He also says that the devil does not stand in or hold to the truth in any way because there is no truth in him.

Jesus continues to elaborate on the devils personality saying, “When the devil lies he speaks his native language, the language that is natural for him.” Continuing Jesus says right out that the devil is a liar and is in fact the father of lies [the one who created lies] (and of all that is false—AMP)

The devil also has another characteristic which Jesus points out to us, let’s look at it also. 1Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Satan is indeed our enemy and he prowls around the world seeking for someone to devour. He even seeks to get us outside of the power and keeping of God if he can. Notice what Jesus says to Simon Peter in Luke’s Gospel.

Luke 22:31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. (32) But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Apparently Satan wanted to do with Simon Peter as he did with Job—let’s look briefly at the beginning of the Book of Job.

JOB 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. (7) The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." (8) Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (9) "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. (10) "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. (11) But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." (12) The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Most of us know what Job went through and I believe that Satan sought to sift Simon Peter in the same way. He will strive to sift us as well.

Now what is the point to all of this study about Satan and his personality you may ask? Mainly it is a way to show you Satan’s modus operandi or method of operation.

Satan comes to us before we know Christ as Lord and Savior and he uses every trick in the book of lies to prevent us from coming to know Christ as Lord in our lives. He uses all the temptations that the world has to suck us into grabbing onto the merry go round that is the world’s ways. He will draw us in to one of the many worldly lusts that are out there. It may be a lust for fame and fortune, or one of many lusts of the flesh or of drug abuse, anything that he can use to get us addicted.

He will sell us the lie that being popular means living in the basest of flesh, or that we have to succeed by climbing over the knives that we have placed in the backs of others. He will tell us that power is what we must have because in power there is worldly admiration respect and honor; therefore we must be ambitious and seek authority so we can laud it over others. Let’s look at what James said about this.

James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. (15) Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. (16) For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.