What Gives Place to the Devil?
A list is given to us in Ephesians 4:22-32 which says “that you put off concerning
the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new
man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 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 your
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. And be you kind one to another; tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you”.
Let us look through this list, because we are warned to beware “less satan should
get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:
11). Remember that the devil roams about seeking whom he may devour. We
are not to be afraid of the devil, in fact fear draws us to the devil, where as faith
draws us to God.
Verses 22-24 starts off by saying that we are to put off our former matter of life,
Jesus spoke to many saying “repent” and “go and sin no more”. We are saved
by grace, yet we are instructed to “renew our mind” to the word of God; and to
put on the new man (II Corinthians 5:17-21) when we come to Jesus we are made
new, Jesus took our sins and made us the righteousness of God in Him. We
have to stop living in a sin conscience-ness; and see ourselves as God sees us
through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have to know who we are in Christ;
through out the letters of Paul, it tells us “in Him”, “in Christ” and “in whom”, and
as we study these, we will see who we are in Christ. Remember we are to put on
the whole armor of God.
Verse 25 we are instructed to put away lying (Revelation 21:8) says “all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the
second death”. God is the truth, Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life”,
and we are to be followers of God as dear children.
Verse 26 we are told to let not the sun go down upon your wrath. God demands
us to forgive others, like He forgave us (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25-26) which
says “for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses”; and (Mark 11:25-26) says “and when you stand
praying, forgive, if you have anything against any, that your Father also which is
in heaven may forgive you, your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will
your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses”. The devil will put people
in your path to get you to take offence, and fall into un-forgiveness. But Jesus
says to pray for those who use you. A forgiving spirit shows that we are a true
followers of Christ.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:23-35 about a certain king who took account of his
servants, and as he brought them in, one that owed him ten thousand talents,
and after he begged for mercy, because he could not repay it, his lord forgave
him. But he went out and saw a fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence,
who also asked him for mercy, but he had him thrown into jail until he could repay
him. When his fellow servants heard of it they told their lord who said to him
“should not you also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had
pity on you”? And he had him delivered to the tormentors.
Verse 27-28 we are told to give no place to the devil; indicating we have the
power to do it. We are told to put on the whole armor of God that you may be
able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood; but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world
and spiritual wickedness in high places. That you may be able to withstand in the
evil day (Ephesians 6:11-13). Again we are told to sin no more, those that stole
are told to steal no more, but rather work so they could give.
Verses 29-32 tells us to let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth. Negative words will come against you. Jesus said “A good man out of the
good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of the
evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you, that every idle word that
men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by
your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned”
(Matthew 12:35-37).
We are to say what God says, remember that Jesus defeated the devil by saying
“it is written” and it will put the devil in flight. You have to remember that there is
death and life in the power of the tongue. In Proverbs 4:20-24 it shows us that
we control the issues of life by what we say.
The effects of praising God brings pain to the devil. Remember that the devil was
the praise leader in heaven before he got haughty and fell, so when we praise
God, the devil remembers when. Besides when we praise God, like Paul and
Silas did in the dungeon, God will come into our situation (Acts 16:25-33).
We grieve the Holy Spirit when we let in bitterness and wrath, clamor and evil
speaking because it goes against the word of God. We are to walk in love,
because God is love.
Knowing what gives place to the devil, let us be careful, always asking God for His
wisdom in getting around what thoughts the devil is bringing your way (II
Corinthians 10:3-5) which says “for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”. In other words, any thought
that goes against the Scriptures, you can cast down.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 15, 2009
A list is given to us in Ephesians 4:22-32 which says “that you put off concerning
the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new
man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 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 your
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. And be you kind one to another; tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you”.
Let us look through this list, because we are warned to beware “less satan should
get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:
11). Remember that the devil roams about seeking whom he may devour. We
are not to be afraid of the devil, in fact fear draws us to the devil, where as faith
draws us to God.
Verses 22-24 starts off by saying that we are to put off our former matter of life,
Jesus spoke to many saying “repent” and “go and sin no more”. We are saved
by grace, yet we are instructed to “renew our mind” to the word of God; and to
put on the new man (II Corinthians 5:17-21) when we come to Jesus we are made
new, Jesus took our sins and made us the righteousness of God in Him. We
have to stop living in a sin conscience-ness; and see ourselves as God sees us
through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have to know who we are in Christ;
through out the letters of Paul, it tells us “in Him”, “in Christ” and “in whom”, and
as we study these, we will see who we are in Christ. Remember we are to put on
the whole armor of God.
Verse 25 we are instructed to put away lying (Revelation 21:8) says “all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the
second death”. God is the truth, Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life”,
and we are to be followers of God as dear children.
Verse 26 we are told to let not the sun go down upon your wrath. God demands
us to forgive others, like He forgave us (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25-26) which
says “for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses”; and (Mark 11:25-26) says “and when you stand
praying, forgive, if you have anything against any, that your Father also which is
in heaven may forgive you, your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will
your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses”. The devil will put people
in your path to get you to take offence, and fall into un-forgiveness. But Jesus
says to pray for those who use you. A forgiving spirit shows that we are a true
followers of Christ.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:23-35 about a certain king who took account of his
servants, and as he brought them in, one that owed him ten thousand talents,
and after he begged for mercy, because he could not repay it, his lord forgave
him. But he went out and saw a fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence,
who also asked him for mercy, but he had him thrown into jail until he could repay
him. When his fellow servants heard of it they told their lord who said to him
“should not you also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had
pity on you”? And he had him delivered to the tormentors.
Verse 27-28 we are told to give no place to the devil; indicating we have the
power to do it. We are told to put on the whole armor of God that you may be
able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood; but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world
and spiritual wickedness in high places. That you may be able to withstand in the
evil day (Ephesians 6:11-13). Again we are told to sin no more, those that stole
are told to steal no more, but rather work so they could give.
Verses 29-32 tells us to let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth. Negative words will come against you. Jesus said “A good man out of the
good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of the
evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you, that every idle word that
men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by
your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned”
(Matthew 12:35-37).
We are to say what God says, remember that Jesus defeated the devil by saying
“it is written” and it will put the devil in flight. You have to remember that there is
death and life in the power of the tongue. In Proverbs 4:20-24 it shows us that
we control the issues of life by what we say.
The effects of praising God brings pain to the devil. Remember that the devil was
the praise leader in heaven before he got haughty and fell, so when we praise
God, the devil remembers when. Besides when we praise God, like Paul and
Silas did in the dungeon, God will come into our situation (Acts 16:25-33).
We grieve the Holy Spirit when we let in bitterness and wrath, clamor and evil
speaking because it goes against the word of God. We are to walk in love,
because God is love.
Knowing what gives place to the devil, let us be careful, always asking God for His
wisdom in getting around what thoughts the devil is bringing your way (II
Corinthians 10:3-5) which says “for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”. In other words, any thought
that goes against the Scriptures, you can cast down.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 15, 2009
