CAN THE DEVIL REALLY MAKE ME DO IT? (REV. 18:23)


THE LATE COMEDIAN FLIP WILSON MAY HAVE POPULARIZED THE CATCHPHRASE, "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT," BUT THIS EXCUSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AROUND. WE BLAME SATAN SINCE WE KNOW HE HAS  SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TEMPTATION PROCESS.

BUT IN FACT, THE DEVIL CANNOT MAKE US DO ANYTHING. THE BIBLE CALLS SATAN A DECEIVER (GEN. 3:13; 2 COR. 11:2; REV. 18:23) AND THE  "FATHER OF LIES" (JOHN 8:44). SATAN'S ONLY POWER OVER US  IS THROUGH MANIPULATION OR DECEIT.

IF THE DEVIL COULD ACTUALLY MAKE US DO THINGS,THEN HE WOULDN'T  NEED TO GO TO ALL THE TROUBLE OF DECEIVING US. WHEN HE DANGLES THE RIGHT BAIT IN FRONT OF US AT THE RIGHT TIME, OUR FLESHLY DESIRES  MAKE IT SEEM AS THOUGH SOMETHING IS RELENTLESSLY DRAWING US TOWARD SIN; BUT THIS POWER DOES NOT CONTROL US. IN EACH CASE WE CHOOSE TO DISOBEY.

THINK OF IT THIS WAY. IMAGINE YOURSELF STANDING AT THE EDGE OF A CLIFF THAT DROPS OFF INTO A DEEP, ROCKY GORGE. NOW SUPPOSE I WALKED UP TO YOU AND SAID, "WE HAVE KIDNAPPED A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY. IF YOU REFUSE TO JUMP, YOUR RELATIVE WILL BE BRUTALLY BEATEN AND KILLED." HAVE I MADE YOU JUMP? IF YOU BELIEVED MY STORY AND YOU BELIEVED THAT BY JUMPING YOU COULD SAVE YOUR FAMILY MEMBER, I MAY HAVE HAD YOU WILLING TO JUMP OR EVEN ANXIOUS TO JUMP. BUT I HAVE NOT MADE YOU JUMP. EVEN IF YOU JUMPED AND YOU FOUND OUT WAY AT THE BOTTOM THAT I LIED ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, I  STILL DID NOT MAKE YOU JUMP. I SIMPLY TRICKED YOU INTO JUMPING. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I WALKED UP BEHIND YOU AND PUSHED YOU. THEN I MADE YOU DO SOMETHING CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO, FELT LIKE DOING, OR EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT DOING.

NOW THINK ABOUT THE LAST TIME YOU FELT TEMPTED TO SIN. DID YOU SUDDENLY DISCOVER THAT YOU WERE SINNING OR HAD SINNED? WERE YOU IN THE PROCESS BEFORE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT? OR DID IT BEGIN WITH A THOUGHT; THEN A FEELING; THEN MAYBE A LITTLE STRUGGLE; THEN AN ACTUAL SIN?

JUST AS NO ONE HELD EVE AND FORCED HER TO BITE THE FRUIT, SO NO ONE HOLDS YOU DOWN AND FORCES YOU TO SIN. SATAN CANNOT MAKE YOU DO ANYTHING, BUT HE WILL DO ALL HE  CAN TO DECEIVE YOU INTO DISHONORING GOD.