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Unbelief |
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One of the
schemes of the devil is this: he tries to induce the saints not to believe
the Word of God. Now, I will give you some practical examples of how the
adversary seeks to induce you not to take God at His word, that is, not to
believe what God says but to believe what men say (sometimes even by quoting
some passages from the Bible) and how you must resist him. |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law, but
that’s not true, keeping the law is necessary in order to be justified,
because it is written: “For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight
of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Romans 2:13 - NKJV). Answer: ‘Away with you, Satan! For it
is also written: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 - NKJV).’ |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that Jesus is God, but that’s not true because it is written that He is
the beginning of the creation of God and the firstborn of all creation. How
then can he be God? Did Jesus Himself not say that the Father was greater
than Him?’ Answer: ‘Away with you,
Satan! For it is also written that Jesus Christ is “the eternally blessed
God” (Romans 9:5 - NKJV), and that He said to the Jews: “Before Abraham was,
I AM” (John |
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The tempter: ‘So you place
so much emphasis on holiness by saying continually ‘don’t do this’ and ‘don’t
do that’, yet we are already holy and we are free in the Lord to do whatever
we like.’ Answer: ‘Away with you,
Satan! For it is written: “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that believers must not go to the beach, nor watch television, etc, but
it is wrong to command the believers to abstain from these things for it is
written: “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the
world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;)
after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew
of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in
any honour to the satisfying of the flesh” (Colossians |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that a believer should ask God for the Holy Spirit, but every believer
has already the Holy Spirit, thus it is absurd for a believer to ask
something that he already possesses.’ Answer:
‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written: “If ye then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).’ |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that God still speaks through visions and dreams, but that’s not true
because the canon of the Scripture we have is already complete and therefore
we don’t need further revelations.’ Answer:
‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written: “And it shall come to pass in the
last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17) and again that “in a dream,
in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings
upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction”
(Job 33:15-16).’ |
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The tempter: ‘So you
say that Jesus Christ still performs miracles and healings, but that’s not
true, for the time of miracles ended with the death of the apostles; today we
do not need miracles and healings for people believe in the Lord even without
seeing miracles and healings.’ Answer:
‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 – NKJV) and also: “The manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7) and again:
“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John |
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I could go
on with more examples but I stop here because I have confidence in the Lord
that you have understood how the devil with his craftiness tries to induce
you not to believe the Word of God. But why does the devil try to induce you
not to take God at His word? Because he knows that without faith it is
impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Bear in mind this, because it is
very important. He knows very well that if a believer ceases believing
justification by faith or the deity of Christ or the fact that holiness must
be pursued earnestly testing all things and holding fast what edifies and is
useful and is according to the will of God, or the promise of the Holy
Spirit, or the fact that God speaks by visions and dreams revealing the
secrets of His knowledge and of His wisdom, or the fact that God heals and
works miracles because He did not change and therefore everyone can ask God
to heal him, I say, he knows very well that if believers stop believing one
of the above mentioned teachings (besides them, there are many other sound
teachings which the devil does not want Christians to believe) they will harm
themselves. If they reject some of these teachings the harm will be very
serious, while if they reject some other teachings the harm will be less
serious; however, in any case they will harm themselves. |
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Therefore,
brothers, take heed to yourselves and when doubt or unbelief comes to knock
at the door of your heart take the shield of faith with which you can quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked one, and take also the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God, and resist the wiles of the devil. Have faith in
the Word of God, in every circumstance continue to believe that the Word of
God is truth and will never fail. Remember that God is truthful and that it
is impossible for God to lie and that the devil is a liar (and the father of
all lies) even when he quotes some passages of the Scriptures. Be watchful,
brothers. |