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February 3, 2009
Know Thy Enemy - Part 2
The Doubtful Devil |
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Greetings!
This week, we continue our series in "Know Thy Enemy ... understanding the wiles of the devil". One of the greatest ploys of the devil is casting doubt on the character and commands of God! In this devotion, we will learn how the enemy casts doubt and how to defeat doubt and walk in victory.
The doubtful devil was conceived through unbelief. The devil began as an angel of God called Lucifer. Lucifer became Satan when he rebelled against God. His rebellion was based in unbelief. He actually thought he was a match for our God! This is why he was cast from heaven. He challenged the authority and reign of Almighty God, His Creator and King! The first step in fighting doubt is recognizing doubt flows from the heart of the doubtful devil.
The devil always works from a character trait in his spirit. Lies come from the father of lies. Doubt comes from the doubtful devil. Doubt has it's root in unbelief. If we truly believe there is no doubt. True belief is translated as confidence in something as fact or reality. True belief moves from accepted opinion to hard core truth! As followers of God, we must be people of strong belief that combat the enemy's attack of doubt with God's truth!
Doubt is a tactic of the enemy's "settled plans and methods" we discussed last week. As an example, think of Eve in the Garden of Eden. What was the devil's "settled plan and method" to attack Eve? Was it not questioning God's command and character? Doubt will always start as a question the enemy poses against God's truth. Can God really heal? Is there only One Way to God? Does God really love me and accept me? Is there a God?
There are only two outcomes when the enemy poses a question against God's character or commands. We can believe God or question God. The purpose of the devil's questioning is to cause us to be uncertain, to hold God's truth as questionable or to cause us to hesitate to believe. If the enemy has us questioning God's character and command he has us doubting God ... he has us right where he wants us! |
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WARNING - DANGER OF UNBELIEF AHEAD!
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:
"Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
~ Hebrews 3:12-19 ~
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Train to Win by Strengthening your Faith
The writer of Hebrews provides a warning against the doubt and unbelief that the enemy has used for generations. His attack of doubt began in the Garden of Eden and has never stopped. The enemy of your soul knows full well that doubt is a method that has worked to keep generations out of God's rest, peace and provision. If he has you questioning God he has you in danger of unbelief.
We must counter the attack of the enemy with our faith! We must battle our unbelief and doubt just as Abraham did as recorded by Paul in Chapter Four of Romans,
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Abraham defeated the attack of doubt by daily walking in faith. God built Abraham's faith through Abraham's daily trust, belief and acceptance of God's promises. Even though situations looked dire at times, Abraham believed and cast out all doubt. He did not waver at the promises of God but through belief and conviction laughed in the face of the enemy and placed His confidence in a God that he knew was able to perform.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be people that have unwavering confidence in the promises of God. We must know that the enemy will attack with doubt. We must know he will come with questions and we must be ready to defend our faith with the simplicity and trust of a child. We must simply accept God for who He is and know whose we are. We must know that we are in the palm of His hand and the apple of His eye. Our faith is really all we have. We cannot earn salvation. It is an issue of faith. And, as such, our life is a walk of faith that chooses the truth of God over the questioning doubt of the enemy!
This week, trust God for all you need. Rest fully upon His promises for any issue you face and defeat the enemy of doubt with your unwavering commitment to God and His truth. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you. He is your Prince of Peace. Set your mind upon becoming a partaker of Christ by holding strong to what you know is true! Shut the lying mouth of the enemy by stating God's truth in opposition to the lie of the doubtful devil! |
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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