People are most interested in how to resist devil’s influence
Scripture reading: Ephesians 6:10-17. Text: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. This is the third sermon that deals with the devil. We are not so much interested in demonology, that is how many devils there are, what is their origin, how do they work, how effective they are. Rather, being practical, we wish to see how we can resist evil in our daily life and what is available for us to subdue viciousness?
GOOD AND BAD, LOVE AND HATE, KINDNESS AND VICIOUSNESS, RECONCILIATION AND RETALIATION.
Regardless of what your religious belief is, or how do you interpret events that affect us or how you explain people’s different personalities (he/she is nice or nasty), we have to accept the basic reality that there are positive and negative, constructive and destructive, attractive and repulsive, helpful and harmful.
We cannot expect the Bible to describe devil and evil using the scientific terms of the 21st century. It is our duty to know when the Bible speaks to us literally or figuratively. There are biblical verses we should interpret figuratively:
– “Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'” Matthew 16:23.
– “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I SAW SATAN FALL LIKE LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN.'” Luke 10:17-18.
“Then, dipping the piece of bread, he (Jesus) gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. AS SOON AS JUDAS TOOK THE BREAD, SATAN ENTERED INTO HIM.” John 13:26-27.
Today we would rather set up an escalating process to define evil, it would begin: one is selfish, inconsiderate, immoral, illegal, rude, vicious, vengeful, bloodthirsty and, finally, murderous. At which step did the Satan enter that villain?
WITH WHAT DID GOD BLESS US TO RESIST THE DEVIL SO HE WILL FLEE FROM US? See our text.
FREE WILL and LOGIC. Nobody can deny that we possess these human traits. Almost everybody claims that he or she is seeing the issues clearly, is thinking logically and is coming to an unbiased conclusion. Yet, we have different views, opposing ideas and mutual animosity toward each other. Just think of the Middle East. If we would be uninfluenced, unbiased and unprejudiced, we would enjoy a happier life.
CONSCIENCE and MORALITY. We have a “built-in” detector that could warn us if we have some immoral or illegal desire and thoughts. It starts with wishful thinking, then it becomes a temptation, then we justify our immoral desire (everybody does it!) and finally we are surprised when we are caught. Obviously, that built-in moral detector can be reset either to a lower or higher tolerating threshold.
FAITH and PRAYER. If we can reach this level the previous two will be more sensitive and applicable. The conflict of interest will be discerned sooner, we will perceive our fellow man’s happy or unhappy reaction faster, and we will realize what will be pleasing God. Without faith and prayer our spiritual awareness is weak.
LOVE and RELATIONSHIP. Could we live a full and satisfying human life being alone on a deserted island? What makes us really happy and satisfying? Our strong and fruitful relationship with each other; starting in the family, then at the working place, then in the neighborhood, and finally in the community. Could a family be happy without a nice spouse and in most cases but not necessarily, children? And could the children be joyful without caring parents or stepparents?
CHURCH and SPIRITUAL LIFE. Where are we called to turn to God and follow our Master? Where do we learn about the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes? Where do we practice fellowship and being told that we are brothers and sisters? We do not pay too much attention to our health while we are young, strong and without sickness. However, God forbid, how fast will we change our opinion in the case of a serious illness? Are not we the same way with our spiritual life? Are we always logical and consistent?
What are our greatest help, promise and hope as we resist evil? Our Lord came not only to save us but also: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
The Rev. Alexander Jalso is a retired United Presbyterian minister living in Brownsville.