Don’t Do The Devil’s Job For Him

“I’m so stupid. I am such a screwup.  I always break things.  I knew I wouldn’t win.”  On an average day you will hear statements like these come out of the mouths of countless people.  I invite you to pay closer attention and see what I mean.  Perhaps even you say such things?  Sometimes statements such as these are said ‘tounge-in-cheek’ and with a bit of humor in order to soften the blow. However, we underestimate the power of our words and the authority that comes from what we declare and proclaim.  Speaking curses such as these are the devil’s job, not ours.  But too often we are content to do his dirty work for him. But why? (Read my post on using restraint here)

Have you ever considered that foul, inappropriate language is called ‘cursing’?  All day long people go about cursing their job, cursing their kids, cursing the dog, cursing the red light and anything else that is upsetting to them in the slightest degree.  Not so ironically, these same people will wonder why they don’t get a promotion at work, or why their dog is sick or why their kids are so rebellious, etc… Some will say it is just the way they were raised, or that the things they are saying are mere words and don’t mean anything.  I’m saying it is possible that you have been duped by the enemy into doing his job for him so he can focus on other things. We often give Satan too much credit by seeing him as God’s opposite.  He is not God’s equal, and therefore is unqualified to be His direct opposite.  Unlike God, Satan is not everywhere at all times. And unlike God, Satan does not have unlimited resources and power.  Therefore, he must be efficient and if he can get you to curse everything in your life, then he doesn’t have to use his time and energy to do so.  In the Bible, Satan (the devil) is called the accuser of the brethren, which means the brothers and sisters in the family of God.  He will always accuse you and if he can train you to do the same, then you help him accomplish his goal, even if it is unintentional.

Friendly Fire

Not only will Satan accuse you and try and get you to accuse yourself and others, he accuses God and will try to train you to do the same.  I see a pattern in scripture that lets me know why the devil would want to get us to accuse God.  Nearly every time people accused God in the Bible, they unknowingly invited the enemy to attack them.  The first time the Israelites are attacked by an enemy after coming out of Egypt is when they accused God of not providing water for them in the dessert.  Immediately they are attacked from the rear by the Amalekites (Exodus 17).  Some would look at that and say God punished them for cursing Him. I disagree. God was trying to provide and care for His people and they didn’t understand His way so they accused God of not being good and came into partnership with THE ACCUSER, giving the devil full access to their position.  This pattern is seen throughout scripture and quite possibly throughout our own lives.  Much like a computer hacker prompts and prods his victims for access to their secure data, the enemy tries to gain access to our security in God by getting us to accuse God of being unfaithful, unkind and unloving.  When we do so by accusing God in the same way that the devil accuses Him we come into partnership with the devil and grant him access to our position.  It’s a trap and I don’t want you or me to fall into it. (Read my post on spending more time with your temptations here)

If you feel you have been duped and have been doing the devil’s job for him there is hope! Don’t walk around feeling condemned for the mistakes you may have been making.  Simply repent for your actions, return to the Lord, and replace the behavior with a new one!  Stop speaking curses against yourself, your situation and those around you.  Stop accusing God of not being fair, or of not being loving and kind.  Start agreeing with God and stop agreeing with the devil.  Speak blessings over your family and  speak blessings over your job and your boss (that doesn’t mean you have to agree with them on everything, that’s not the same thing).  Choose to speak blessings and life over your circumstances and watch how your partnership with God looses you from the partnership you had with the devil.  Watch how God begins to bring beauty in the midst of despair.  And when you see it, give Him all the credit.  God is for you today and so am I.

From the Bible

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony… – Revelation 12:10-11 NIV

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. – Proverbs 18:21 ESV

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days… – Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV