Satan prefers hypocrites to out and out sinners because they can do much more damage to the cause of Christ.
A couple of weeks ago a thought dropped into my mind concerning 2 major events in the Bible. Although the verses were very familiar it was an aspect I’d never seen so clearly before. I thought of it once in a while but I didn’t think it was going any further. But this morning at the hair salon, while sitting under the dryer, that initial thought began to grow. Are you ready to take another trip in our time machine? We have two destinations. One is thousands of years ago and the other eons ago – we have no way of estimating how long ago it was but we know it’s true. These two events were world-shattering and eternity-changing.
First stop – Heaven. We see an angel of such breath-taking beauty that we are stunned. You know about Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17), you know about him being on the mountain of God, walking on the stones of fire, leading the worship etc. but there is one thing he said that I want to come back to - - but first let’s shoot forward billions of years to the Garden of Eden. The fragrance, the fruit, the trees overwhelm us with their loveliness. Suddenly, we see a woman strolling in the garden and she is as lovely as the creation. Look! There’s a strong, huge, beautiful serpent approaching her. You also know (Genesis 3) about the temptation of Eve but there’s one thing Satan said that took me right back to Heaven. It was almost as if I got into Satan’s head after he was hurled out of Heaven.
What was the main thing that cost Lucifer his position and his place? I WILL BE (Isaiah 14:14) LIKE THE MOST HIGH.
Can you see his wheels turning? Cast down to earth in murderous rage and furious determination for revenge, he devised a plan.
What was the most effective thing he said to Eve?
YOU SHALL BE (Genesis 3:5) LIKE GOD
That’s what got him out of Heaven so he decided to use it as a strategy to get Adam and Eve out of Paradise/Eden.
We all know his strategy worked and is still working to-day. Satan will promise anything to satisfy the pride of our hearts and now perverted and with his fallen wisdom he is extremely subtle and crafty. We need to be on guard and never underestimate him.
That’s why pride is the worst of all sins. It can look so spiritual. Satan prefers hypocrites to out and out sinners because they can do much more damage to the cause of Christ. Satan is pleased when sin seems to go unpunished – e.g. Barabbas, a murderer is released. He can get more mileage out of a religious hypocrite like Judas. Hypocrisy in the slightest form carries the nauseating stench of anti-God Pride. I need to be aware constantly. It’s so easy it can become a very real and dangerous snare that we may not even recognize.
Back into the time machine headed for Caesarea just in time to overhear a conversation between (Matthew 16:23) Jesus and Peter. We are horrified to hear Jesus say to Peter – get behind Me Satan! Why would Jesus say such a thing to a man He had just blessed? Peter decided that his personal opinion was superior to the truth Jesus had declared.
Look back at the title of these notes. Do we realize that with every decision and choice we make it is one or the other?
Take a single day in our lives – how many decisions, choices, motives, attitudes etc. - if Jesus tells us to do something we don’t fully understand, do we obey promptly or argue that our way is better?
In every unkind word, fleshly indulgence, unforgiveness, selfishness, neglect of God’s Word and prayer - - I am saying – get behind me Jesus, I can do it better my way.
We are not ignorant (2 Corinthians 2:11) of Satan’s devices and yet how often we fall for them. Remember Eve and remember the satanic strategy which can be so pleasantly promising. You can do it – you can handle it – you can decide for yourself. Just another way of saying – Get behind me Jesus, - I’m god here!
Often I spend time meditating on all the details of Gethsemane and Calvary and it brings only one desire - - to have my will totally surrendered to the Lord and give up all rights to myself. Then I will never need to be concerned with my circumstances because the all-wise, all-powerful God is calling the shots and for everything He brings or allows in my circumstances He is abundantly sufficient.
Get behind me Satan – away way far behind.
JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD