Magic tricks are something that have always fascinated me. No matter how often I say I will not be tricked today, I still am. No matter how many times I say I will pay attention and not allow myself to be distracted, I still am. I am easy to fool that’s for sure. I can never figure out how the magician did the trick. I saw David Copperfield make a tiger appear. Great trick. But the truth is, that they are not real, they are truly tricks.
As fun as magic can be, I once heard someone say that the devil’s greatest trick was making people think he doesn’t exist. Interesting. We seem to live in a world that wants to embrace concepts such as this and suggest there is nothing ‘bad’ or nothing that we should refrain from. There is no ‘evil’ force. The world today wants to embrace that nothing is wrongful and if someone suggests something is wrong, then they are stoned for not having ‘tolerance.’ However, it seems most of our movies show the universal struggle between ‘Good’ and ‘evil.’ Star Wars – for instance – has Darth Vader and the ‘dark’ side. I see the good v. evil in most children’s movies and stories as well as adult themes and ‘Good’ wins.
I think the devil not only made many believe he doesn’t exist, another deception that he makes them believe there are no consequences to choices made today. Undoubtedly, he is a liar, a thief, an accuser, and his ways lead to certain death. He deceives by making things that are ultimately destructive to us look like ‘pleasure’ and that all is okay. The devil also subscribes to the thought process that obeying God is not necessary and is what losers do. We need only look at evil men – ISIS, Hitler, and many others to see the work of evil. Sometimes it is a little more subtle in our own lives. Choices that are not what God would want us make lead to the break up of homes, addictions, abuse, treating women in disgraceful ways, and many other life sabotaging actions.
Jesus, however, is Life. In fact, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14.6) The exact opposite of the devil. Our Healer, Savior, Greater than any opposition. He set His rules – commandments – to protect us. I used to think the ‘rules’ were burdensome, but our Loving Father gave them to us because they are the ways that lead to life and prosperity and happiness. They are protective because God made us, He knows how to protect us and what ultimately hurts us. Holy isn’t a word we throw around much these days, but it is a word God uses to encourage us to life. Jesus knows all the tricks of the devil and has given us every reason to follow His teaching to have real life and happiness.
I choose to not be tricked by the devil, but believe God is my God, my Helper, my Deliverer, my Guide, my Source, my Friend, my Everything. God says to us He has put before us death and life – He encourages us to choose life. (Deut. 30.19) In everything we say and do, choose life and God’s way. It is the way to happiness, health, good things.
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