Bible Matters 389: Devil

Once you are a member of Team Abba, you recognize your enemies. 

In the Old Testament, the word, “devil” is used just 4 terms in reference to sacrifices unto the devil. 

Leviticus 17:7 – And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

Psalm 106:37 – Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

In the New Testament, “devil” is used 102 times and is now a “being” from within that is able to manipulate and deceive.  Jesus is telling you that man shall not live by physical desires (bread alone), but by every word of God.   

Matthew 4:1,5,7-8,10-11,17,24 – Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Luke 4:2-6,13,33,35,41 – Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.  And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.  And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.  And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,  And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.  And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

John 13:2 – And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

Physical sicknesses are now associated with the presence of an inner being or devil.  Casting the devil out of a person would restore their normal health. 

Matthew 8:16,31-33 – When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.  And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.  And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

Matthew 9:32-34 – As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.  And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.  But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

Mark 1:39-42 –  And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.  And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.  And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

Mark 3:15 – And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

Mark 7:26,29-30 – The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.  And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

Baptism of the Holy Ghost is the replacement of the devil inside you with the Spirit of God .  The Holy Ghost within you requires your devil to be cast out.  That devil controlling your sinful life is the inner you that is a servant of sin that rules your life to do the things that contradict doing the will of God.  The greatest servant to the Son of God in the New Testament required seven devils to be cast out.

Mark 16:9,15-19 – Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Luke 8:2 – And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

The devil does not cast itself out.  When you serve sin, you reinforce the devil within your inner being.  When the Holy Ghost casts out the devil, the kingdom of God is come upon you.   The baptism by the Holy Ghost is your born again moment.  Earthly wisdom is not from above.  The Holy Ghost from above yields the fruit of righteousness.

Luke 11:14-15,17-20 – And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.  But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.  But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.  If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. [19] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. [20] But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

1 John 3:8-10 – He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

James 3:15,17-18 – This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

The devil is the enemy of righteousness. 

Acts 13:9-11 – Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

The devil cannot live his life, serving the kingdom of God. 

James 2:19 – Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

When you keep the sayings of God, you shall never see death.  Draw nigh to God and purify your hearts.  You cannot be double minded and serve both the devil and God. 

James 1:8 – A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

John 8:44,48-52 – Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?  Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.  And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.  Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

James 4:7-8,10-11 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

You have overcome your old life and by the blood of the lamb, no longer serving sin

Revelation 12:9,11-12 – And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Be faithful and you shall not be hurt in the second death. 

Revelation 2:10-11 – Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Today, commit yourself to serving only God on Team Abba.  With a pure in heart, you shall see God.

Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.