Study 21: July 30th - 5th August 2007

Reading – John Chapter Ch 8: 42-47.

Does the Devil Exist?

“Jesus says to the Jewish authorities, If God really were your Father, you would really love me, because I came from God and now am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my message. You are the children of your father, the devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.” John Chapter 8: verse 42-44 (NIV).

An employee in the golf industry and a keen golfer once asked me if I could visit him after work one day.
We made arrangements to meet and once we found a seat and something to drink, he asked me this question; “do you believe that the devil exists?”
He had seen a movie and was concerned about whether a person could be possessed by the devil. While it was not a personal concern for him, the idea of being possessed by someone evil disturbed him. They would be many who would dismiss this idea as first century mythology and not real in our scientific world today. This kind of answer would have been an easier response for my friend, but was one I was unable to give.

I am one who believes in the reality of a spiritual world that is opposed to God that is headed up by the devil. The devil or satan is a kind of spiritual being of the heavenly world that seeks to lead astray the world from God. Jesus came to set us free from its influence and hold over us. Anyone who reads the life of Jesus will be surprised how often Jesus set people free from demon possession and speaks of the devil or satan influence in our life.
(See the Gospel of Mark Chapter 1 verse 12, verses 23-27, Chapter 5 verses 1 to 20 and Chapter 8:verse 33 for different ways the devil or satan seeks to influence and control others) Our reading today suggests that unbelief concerning Jesus is also the work of the devil. All of us have in some way been influenced and led astray by the devil with unbelief, or disobedience.

Because Jesus has won the victory over sin death and the devil; the influence of the devil is limited, but I believe nonetheless real. Because of unbelief from the religious leaders of our reading today, Jesus tells them that they are not following God but the devil.
As all of us who follow Jesus are tempted to do wrong, but we are told to resist the devil and he will flee from us. (See 1 Peter Chapter 5: verses 8 to 9).

In a materialistic and secular world we live in rather than a spiritual one, the evil one is content to let us have our way and ignore God. If you choose to follow God, then you will begin to feel the pull of temptation to go back to old ways. This is the kind of influence the devil seeks. Like for Jesus when he began his ministry in Mark Chapter 1 verse 12, like for Adam and Eve in Genesis Chapter 3, like for Israel in the desert when set free from slavery, the devil seeks to destroy what God is doing. We can be confident that when we trust God he will give us the help we need to resist.

It is easy to both underestimate and to overstate the influence of the devil in life. A better alternative is to focus not on the devil but on God. It is God we should fear and respect, to trust in and follow. What you build your life upon is what will grow. Feed on God and his words through the bible and we will find the nourishment and the strength we need.
 
Eternal God, help us to see when we are led astray with unbelief and disobedience and to resist the devil. Thank you that you are stronger and have won the victory through Jesus. Amen