Nothing New Under The Son: How The Devil Is Deceiving Us

Jesus is the “true light” (Jn 1:9), the “Light of the World” (Jn 8:12; 9:5; 12:46), and he was born during the night watch (Lk 2:8), at midnight, when it was pitch black outside, the time when the darkness was the deepest and most intense.

The foreshadowing today with the light is really amazing.  The secret of Satan is to confuse and confound us.  He will lead you to think that you are the only one to have done something.  He will lead you to think that there is no hope for you.  All you have is to turn to the darkness.  Today, I will show you that this is not true.  In fact, the only reason why Satan can trick us is that we have not been doing our own homework and we allow him to confuse and confound us.  This will stop today all we need to look at three aspects of Satan.

First, we will look at how Satan operates in the Spiritual Warfare department. To do this all one has to do is to look at John 8:44  Speaking to a group of Jews, Jesus says, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” 

Satan is truly the “father of lies” in that he is the original liar. He is the “father” because he was the first one to lie. Satan told the first lie in recorded history to Eve, in the Garden of Eden. After planting seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind with a question  (Genesis 3:1), he directly contradicts God’s Word by telling her, “You will not certainly die”  (Genesis 3:4). With that lie, Satan led Eve to her death; Adam followed, and so have we all.  He plainly told Eve what she wanted to hear.  It was not the truth and it was not correct.  He does not mind bending the truth if he has something to gain from it. 

Lying is Satan’s primary weapon against all of God’s children all throughout the history of man. He uses the tactic of deceit to separate people from their heavenly Father. Some of his more common lies are “there is no God,” “God doesn’t care about you,” “the Bible cannot be trusted,” and “your good works will get you into heaven.” The apostle Paul tells us that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians), so that what he says and does sound good and seems reasonable. But it is nothing more than a false appearance.  He will explain you have no problems or the government will solve your problems.  His goal to have you place your faith in man, not God.  This twisting of the truth allows him power over masses of people. 

Many of Satan’s lies tend to perpetuate themselves. This is what happened when Eve convinced Adam to also believe the devil’s lie. Today, Satan still uses people to spread his lies for him. Often, he uses charismatic but foolish people to further his falsehoods, as in the case of false religions and cults. Some people just spread falsehoods for their own benefit.  This has been done all throughout history but in today’s society it is both much easier because of technology and you can reach a much wider audience than ever before. 

Second, we will look at why Satan wants you to believe that you are special or that no one understands you as he does.  This allows him the ability to manipulate you and control you.  Take a look at what has happened in many countries this past year and a half.  Churches have been shut down.  Church services have been forced to go online.  This is a perfect situation for Satan.  He is reinforcing the idea that Eucharist is not that important.  It is for others not for you.  Then people have been talking about Churches as being a super spreader of COVID 19- yet Grocery and Hardware stores remained open and people flocked to them in droves.  My question here is: Does COVID 19 only spread at Church?  The answer is of course not.  However, if you listened to Satan’s lies you would come to that conclusion.  It is safe to shop but not go to Church? The answer is of course not.  However, if you listened to Satan’s lies you would come to that conclusion.  Do you now know the connection here?  Satan is working through public officials not to spread COVID 19 but to spread a much greater disease- distrust with God.  Satan wants you to question God not him.  Next time you hear one of these lies just ask that person, “Why are you picking on the Churches could there be another reason other than what you are telling me here?”  If Satan can take away the Eucharist he is attempting to try to divorce us from the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  If he can convince us to watch Church on TV he has accomplished his goal, but will accomplish ours? Brothers and Sisters, do not be disturbed, do not believe in his lies, and do not fall for any more of his tall tales.  He is not a child of the light, he will not tell the truth, and he will not be able to win.  His only way to do so is to get you to give your power to him.  Fight, fight, fight like your life depended upon because it does in both this world and the next one. 

Third, when you face this spiritual warfare realize that you are not alone and you are not the first person to fall for his tricks.  Read the following scriptures that should help you see how others in the past have handled similar situations. 

[Ephesians 6:10- 17:]

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on an evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  

How is the best way to place on the armor of God?  Attend Church and take the Eucharist of course.  Have you ever thought about why Satan was fighting so hard to keep you from doing that?  Have you ever thought that it was him that has put in these stumbling blocks for your attendance?  Why not then just fight back just a little bit harder and give the devil his due.  You do not need to listen to him.  Brothers and Sisters, God is real and Satan is very real.  We need to be prepared.  We are at war and things will not get any easier without the help of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus wants us to stand up for what is right and true.  We should not just bow down to Satan.  Satan does not have any power over us unless we give it to him first. This is what is true and right.  Jesus offers us the solution.  Come back to Jesus before it is too late.  Go back to Church, stop listening to Satan and minions.  God wants you in Church Satan does not.  Jesus offers you his body for your protection, Satan wants your body for his protection.  See the difference here?  This is your life, this is your future now and forever.  Things are not going to be easy and we should not expect them to be that way. We are here on this earth to be tested.  Together let’s pass the test and we will then be able to talk much more about it in the next world with Him.