Give No Place for the Devil
The Bible warns us in I Peter 5:8 “be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour”. The devil can
only devour those who open the door to him (Romans 6:16) “know you not that to
whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey,
whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” verses 12-13 says “let
not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield
yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness to God”. Romans 8:5-8 says “for they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”.
In Ephesians 4:25-31 the Bible says “wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbor for, we are members one of another. Be you angry, and sin
not, let not the sun go down upon our wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath,
and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice”.
Jesus said in John 14:30 “hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this
world comes and has nothing in Me”. Pilate agreed after examining Him, said “you
have brought this man to me, as one that perverts the people and behold I having
examined Him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things
whereof you accuse Him” (Luke 23:14, John 18:38).
Daniel is another good example for us (Daniel 6:3-4) “then this Daniel was preferred
above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to
find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none
occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault
found in him”. Now because they couldn’t find fault concerning the kingdom, they
knew that the only way they could anything against him was concerning the law of his
God. So they persuaded the king to make a decree that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days, save the king, he shall be cast into the den
of lions. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house,
and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he knelt upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime. God came to his aid and even though he was cast into the den of lions, he
was unharmed, but the men that accused him, perished after being cast in. The Bible
says “so the curse causeless shall not come” (Proverbs 26:2).
James said “to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). Maintain the
love walk, and stay out of un-forgiveness. We are told “submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw
near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double
minded” (James 4:7-8).
Ephesians shows us how (Ephesians 5:17-20) “wherefore be you not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is. and be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
Spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks
always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. As
we yield ourselves to God, He works through us. Our part is to close the door upon
the devil.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 21, 2007
The Bible warns us in I Peter 5:8 “be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour”. The devil can
only devour those who open the door to him (Romans 6:16) “know you not that to
whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey,
whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” verses 12-13 says “let
not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield
yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness to God”. Romans 8:5-8 says “for they that are after the
flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”.
In Ephesians 4:25-31 the Bible says “wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbor for, we are members one of another. Be you angry, and sin
not, let not the sun go down upon our wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of
God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath,
and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice”.
Jesus said in John 14:30 “hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this
world comes and has nothing in Me”. Pilate agreed after examining Him, said “you
have brought this man to me, as one that perverts the people and behold I having
examined Him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things
whereof you accuse Him” (Luke 23:14, John 18:38).
Daniel is another good example for us (Daniel 6:3-4) “then this Daniel was preferred
above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to
find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find none
occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault
found in him”. Now because they couldn’t find fault concerning the kingdom, they
knew that the only way they could anything against him was concerning the law of his
God. So they persuaded the king to make a decree that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days, save the king, he shall be cast into the den
of lions. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house,
and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he knelt upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime. God came to his aid and even though he was cast into the den of lions, he
was unharmed, but the men that accused him, perished after being cast in. The Bible
says “so the curse causeless shall not come” (Proverbs 26:2).
James said “to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). Maintain the
love walk, and stay out of un-forgiveness. We are told “submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw
near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double
minded” (James 4:7-8).
Ephesians shows us how (Ephesians 5:17-20) “wherefore be you not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is. and be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
Spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks
always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. As
we yield ourselves to God, He works through us. Our part is to close the door upon
the devil.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 21, 2007
