“Stop, Thief!”

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…

John 10:10

In the last few posts I have focused on the importance of strongly opposing the devil and his ways. Today I have an analogy for you that I pray would make my point even clearer. Jesus Himself called the devil a thief and a murderer. There are many names used in the Bible for describing Satan, but I believe that none could be more clearer in describing his sole purpose than “the thief.” Simply put, the devil is out to get you and all of those around you; therefore, you would be a fool not to protect yourself and those around you.

Suppose a dangerous criminal has broken out of prison and has said that his plan is to break into your home, murder your family, and then do the same to everyone else in your neighborhood. Would you just sit idly by and wait for it to happen? Of course not! You would inform the police and everyone in your neighborhood, and take actions to capture and destroy the thief instead.

How is it then that we can be so apathetic when it comes to the devil? Jesus has said that the devil is out to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Jesus also said that that is all the devil is here to do. Sure, he promises pleasure. The Bible even says that he appears as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Did you know that the devil is not some man in a red suit with horns and a pointy tail? Don’t you think, if you saw someone like that coming toward you, you would run? No, he knows just what it takes to entice you. He appears as a wolf in sheep’s clothing and then, when he is close enough, he will devour you.

We have two things on our side, however, to stop Satan in his tracks. Did you know that the devil cannot take over your life without your permission? It is you and you alone that can give the devil a place in your life. It is you and you alone that can allow the devil to steal from you and to destroy you. Without your consent, he can do nothing!

Do not let him into your life. Do not allow things into your heart and into your home that would make the devil feel comfortable. Be careful what you watch on television. Be careful what you listen to on the radio. Be careful what kind of literature you read. What you say is just harmless the devil will use to destroy you.

Secondly, we have no authority whatsoever on our own to tell the devil to leave, if we have already given him a place in our lives; however, in the name of Jesus he must flee. Have you given the devil a place in your life? First of all, you must repent. After repentance has taken place, you can tell the devil in Jesus’ name to get out of your life, and he will have to flee from you.

If the devil has not already made his way into your life, that only means that he is waiting for the right place and right time to swoop in and take over. Do not let him. I told you once before of the man that Adrian Rogers quoted who said something like, “The devil must surely say to his demons, ‘If we can keep them from praying, we will beat them every time; but if they pray, they will beat us every time.’” Don’t let a day go by that you do not wake up and pray for deliverance. And before you do, make sure you have the right definition of deliverance. Deliverance does not mean that the devil will not come. Deliverance simply means that, when he does, you will have the wisdom and the strength to withstand his temptation.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, the devil has already made your heart his home. Please, kick him out in Jesus’ name today and give your heart and your life over completely to Jesus Christ. If you will repent of your sin and confess Jesus Christ as Lord, I promise He will save you today and keep you saved forever.