NO PLACE TO THE DEVIL!
Scripture Reading--Ephesians 4:27
"Neither give place to the devil."
Noah built an ark for the protection of his family. As a result, when God sent the flood, Noah's family was spared when other families drowned. How can we provide and ark of safety for our families while so many around us are being destroyed? For the rest of the week, we will look at four ways God's Word instructs us to do so.
In today's verse, we find the first step--"Neither give place to the devil." Satan, our enemy, has one thing in mind for Christian families--to destroy them at any cost. He'll never do that to our family, you may think. But plenty of Christian families have thought that way only to discover they were wrong. They gave Satan an opportunity and suffered the consequences.
Second Corinthians 2:11 says, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." The Bible tells us how he works so we can prepare our defenses. Genesis 3 and 4 provide five cautions so we won't give him the advantage he wants.
1. Beware of his disguise ( v. 1 ).
2. Beware of his deception ( vv. 4-5 ).
3. He will seek to defile ( v. 7 ).
4. He divides ( v. 8 ).
5. But his greatest goal is to destroy ( 4:8 ).
He's never content with anything less than destruction.
Prayerfully consider these important steps. "Submit yourselves therfore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7, emphasis added ). Being totally submitted to God is where you begin. "Whom resist steadfast in the faith" ( 1 Peter 5:9a, emphasis added ). The next step is a steadfast, unwavering faith--totally dependent on god. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" ( Eph. 6:11, emphasis added ).
DISCUSSION: As a family, discuss ways you can better defend yourselves against Satan's attacks.
--Jack Palmer--
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