THE DEVIL'S TRICKS

The devil is a mean one. He is a real person, a spirit trying to influence our lives and he has a bag of tricks. I don’t like to call him Satan, because that word is too smooth, silky and slimy. He is an evil, cruel personality. He tries to deceive us even after we have become followers of Jesus.

Do you have a strong point? Are you a little bit proud of your dedication to God? Watch out, because the devil will attack you right there.

When I was younger, I knew Jesus was my best friend. He would always be with me. The girls I knew at church, even in junior high, were always talking about getting a boyfriend. Well, I told them I would never chase a boy. If God wanted me to be married, He would bring the right young man into my life. God had called me to serve Him, and that was my main interest even at a young age.

So I set my face toward the mission field. I went to Prairie Bible Institute where the girls weren’t even allowed to talk to the boys, let alone date one. It didn’t bother me. Studying Gods Word was all I needed to satisfy my soul, I thought.

Then I went on to the home mission field and worked among the Navajo Indians in Colorado and Utah. Finally God opened the door to southeast Asia and gave me the courage to go to Laos. I was strong and committed to the Lord alone.

But I wasn’t as strong as I thought. Several times along the way I became fascinated by a young man who was serving God. I even tried to help God make him notice me.

I struggled against these infatuations for a long time. God told me to give them up, and finally I yielded completely. I put my “Isaac” on the altar. But I didn’t confess it as sin. I knew I hadn’t had any evil thoughts or done anything wrong. Surely it was just a weakness. But the obsessive affection didn’t go away for years until I confessed it as sin. It almost ruined my ministry and put me on the ash heap. I should have been focusing only on Jesus.

The devil had tricked me right at the point where I thought I was strong. It really humbled me when I realized what had happened.

Beware of the devil’s tricks. If you are a Christian he is still working on you today, trying to lead you astray. Maybe you are obsessive about studying and you think you don’t need friends. You won’t take time to be friendly or open with other believers because you think Jesus is the only one you need. I fell into that trap, too, for awhile.

It was a revelation when I heard my acquaintance Ellie talking to Flo, sharing a spiritual battle she was having. Was that a good thing? I was blessed as I got to know these young women, and I found out it was good to have close friends. So gradually I let down the barriers in my soul and became more open and honest with a few girls. This has enriched my life. But I almost became a cold, stern, lonely Christian just to satisfy a feeling of pride.

It is humbling to be honest with your friends, to even admit that you need friends. Yes, you need to be very careful that you pick the right friends to share private thoughts with. But the Lord will lead you and keep you from being tricked by the devil if you seek God with all your heart and humble yourself before Him.

We can never make it on our own. We need to be watchful and resist the evil one.
The devil has some special tricks planned for each of us, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will be safe.

Don’t let yourself be tricked by the devil and his evil designs. Jesus has overcome him!