As we move through life, we must remember that there are two categories of voices seeking our attention. One type belongs to God and intends to help us reach our heavenly home. Yet, there are other more insidious voices that aim to cause us to stray from the path the Lord wants us to walk on. These belong to satan.
The last few posts examined how the devil spoke directly in Genesis and in the Book of Job. We also considered the consequences and objectives of those evil communications. Today, however, we look at how the devil speaks but this time through human beings. Such communication is no different from when the devil speaks on its own. It aims to deceive those who believe in God and cause them to turn from Him.
This happened when the Assyrian army arrived at the wall of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah of the Kingdom of Judah. The army, led by the king's field commander, had pillaged through the neighboring country and was puffed up by its military successes. It reached Jerusalem's wall to find a remnant that inexplicably stood in defiance to the King of Assyria.
The field commander opened his mouth to share a message from his king - Sennacherib - and the conversation that ensued reflects how satan speaks. One of the first things the warrior did was to attack Jerusalem's confidence, saying in Isaiah 36:4 - The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: “’This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? This is a common tactic of the devil. It speaks a few words aimed at breaking the confidence of those who believe in the Lord and His might.
Sennacherib's man didn't stop there, continuing in Isaiah 36:7 - But if you say to me, “We are depending on the LORD our God"—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar"?
With this statement, he twisted the truth with a lie. Yes, Hezekiah did remove many high places and altars of worship. However, these were places where citizens bowed to false gods and idols. What Hezekiah did was cause his people to return to worshipping the one true God and Him alone. Yet, the war commander sought to create confusion and division in Jerusalem. That could create enough disunity to cause someone to open the gates and let the enemy into the city. After all, Mark 3:25 states, If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Satan is no different. It twists truth with lies in order to rock a person's confidence in the Lord. It will present very logical arguments but if you agree with them, you then would be rejecting what God has said and open the door for satan to come in.
In Isaiah 36:8, the war commander also made an offer, saying, “’Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! Did you catch the disrespect in that statement? Sennacherib's field commander insinuated that the city was so weak, it didn't even have up to 2000 soldiers remaining. Similarly, the devil cannot control itself, it will surely include a veiled or not so veiled insult in its statements. It's just a matter of waiting for it to reveal its true self. How many of us know people who can't speak without including a dig at the person they're conversing with? If not that, they must make a disparaging comment about someone else? These types of people have no godly love in them and so their hate comes out as insults and other expressions that are contrary to God's word. We must be careful to not be these people and to avoid them.
Isaiah 36:10 - Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’” Here, the field commander claimed to be there because the Lord Himself had sent him and the Assyrian army. Satan is known to pretend to be a representative of the Lord. It is for this reason that counterfeits exist - to maintain deception. The Bible reveals this as a ploy of the devil in 2 Corinthians 11:14 - And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. In pretending to be a servant of the Lord, the devil presents lies with the aim of derailing and destroying people. And that was the case with this war commander and it's untruth that it had been sent by God.
In case you are wondering how things ended, let me tell you. God promised King Hezekiah that He would keep Jerusalem safe (Isaiah 37:35). And He did. Sennacherib was killed by his own sons in the temple where he served his false gods (Isaiah 37:38). They couldn't protect the Assyrian king from his own flesh and blood. Yet, the God he'd insulted through his field commander was able to protect the people of Jerusalem without any of them lifting a hand to fight. All because they trusted in Him and didn't succumb to the lies of the devil.
God intends to do the same for all of us who would believe in Him and dismiss the devil's evil communication, whether it is spoken by satan itself or a human being. We must therefore invest the time in becoming familiar with God's voice by studying the Bible and asking God for grace to hear Him clearly. This way, we won't fall for the lies satan peddles. The Lord will help us all, IJMN, Amen.
For more on the How satan speaks series, please consider the following:
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, thank You for bringing us together this day. Thank You for the opportunity and privilege to honor You with our worship and intercession. Please take all the glory, Lord.
God, I lift up today's participants and those who will join in praise and prayer at a later time. I call on You to cover them in Your grace, remembering them for their participation. For the word tells us in Hebrews 6:10 - God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Therefore, my King, please remember them for their labor of love as expressed today in intercession for others. Bless them. Surprise them with Your goodness and favor. Let Your hand be on them for their good and Your glory, IJMN, Amen.
LAST 10 MINUTES
Today, we looked at how satan used the mouths of human beings to express its evil words.
This begs the question of have you ever allowed yourself to be the mouthpiece of God's enemy? This is not a fun thing to think about but it is something we need to confront.
Have you spoken words with the intent to manipulate, to bring fear, to dismiss someone's faith in the Lord, or to even put the very existence and power of God in question? There is grace available for all of us who have sinned when we confess our sins, repent and receive God's forgiveness in faith.
For those of us who don't think they have anything to seek God's mercy on, please consider 1 John 1:10 - If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. I do not share this to make you doubt your stance with the Lord, but I do say this to call you to carefully consider whether there is a possibility you've ever been used by satan to say what it wants.
I know I have made that mistake, not aware of the gravity of my words and their consequences. If you feel the same, please join me in praying the following:
Father, I thank You for Your grace and mercy. I take this opportunity to acknowledge that I have made mistakes. I have spoken worthless instead of worthy words as You wish. At some point, I have failed to say words that please You and instead have expressed evil communication. Please forgive me. I seek Your mercy and I'm grateful You are the God who hears us when we repent and graces us with His salvation.
Help me to be careful to avoid evil communication and to instead speak words that give You the glory, IJMN, Amen.
Abba: the Father of the fatherless, the Helper of the helpless,
I come before You to intercede for the children at KA. I thank You for the progress I have seen in their behavior and mannerisms over this past week. My Lord, I pray over this good work that You have started, that it may continue to progress and never regress.
Lord, I pray for their home life, that You would fulfill Your word that says "the Lord will teach Your children and great shall be their peace". Let these children be blessed and may Your mercy speak for them since someone is standing in the gap for them and You already have great plans for their lives (Jer 29:11). Preserve them blameless till the end. Amen IJN!
From sis OD - Thank you God for this message
Glory to You, most High!
It is written:
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2)
and
May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,
to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the LORD. (Psalm 149:6-9)
Lord I use the praise offering I have just given you to execute the destruction of the evil forces working against the lives of your children. The enemies planning evil, those using their tongues to deceive and entrap, those who dig pits to capture -- all these fall under your judgement now IJN. I ask that You "send help from your sanctuary" and establish the words I have spoken. Thank You God for watching over Your word and making it good, amen.
*From AC* - With God, all things are possible - Matthew 19:26
Adonai Ropheka, you are the God of the impossible, the God of breakthroughs! There is nothing on earth that you cannot do. In Jeremiah 30:17 you declare that You will restore good health and heal all wounds of Your people, therefore I pray for Your divine healing and complete health restoration upon JAD, Mama K, Auntie S, my Pepper fam, and those who concern them for Your glory and victory. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray, Amen
*From BI* - Lord, I Lift into Your capable hands victims of modern slavery. I pray that You break every chain holding them captive and shine a light unto a path of freedom. For all those enslaved including victims of forced labour and human trafficking, give us the strength, wisdom and courage to reach out and be a voice and source of comfort. Lord, strengthen the fragile-spirited and the broken-hearted. Soften the heart of traffickers to see the face of God in the people they enslave and change their ways. Jesus came to set us free and by His stripes we are healed so Lord heal the physical and mental wounds of Your children who have been sold into slavery. Fill them with the warmth of Your love and grant them Your transcending peace IJMN Amen.
Glorious God, thank You for all You have done for people all over the world. Thank You, for the word tells us that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. You therefore are He who has undisputed authority and dominion over all we see and don't see. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 32:19-20 - Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free
Father, there are many things up in the air about the US economy and its banking system. Lord, this uncertainty is causing concern for many. Thank You for being the God who has promised to help all who trust in Him. Therefore, I pray for those looking to You in these times that the promises of Isaiah 32:19-20 shall abide in their lives. Let them be surrounded by Your security despite the concerns. Protect them and that which belongs to them. All by Your grace and to Your glory, IJMN, Amen.
PRAYER TIME
Let us put the needs of others before the Lord right now.
It is time to pray for the people in your life - friends, family, coworkers etc.
Consider praying for your community and the issues it faces. Did you see something troubling on the news recently? Pray about it and call on the Lord to bring His presence into that matter,
It is well.
Psalm 75:9 - As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
Glory be to God in the highest!
Father, thank You. I praise Your holy name!
Yay praise God!
From the Isaiah chapters referenced in today's post, I learned that the devil just likes to use fear/threats to try and push us in the wrong direction. But we just have to do what the Bible says and fear no evil. Also Isaiah 8:13 -- "The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread." After all, not fearing anything (but God of course) is one of our big advantages over the enemy.
Praise reports
- Some miraculous provision that I received last week came in handy today :)
- Whenever I felt bored or 'out of it' I just asked God for strength and zeal and then I received it
- God is just good overall ... thank You Abba!
Almighty Father, I worship You today.
Thank You for sending Jesus to live and die for us so that we become free from the clutches of death.
Thank You for loving each of us with a reckless abandon that we don't deserve.
Thank You for holding us in Your hand and guiding us.
You are our great and wonderful God!
*From BI* - Thank You Lord for the gift of life. Thank You for taking away my pain, shame and sorrow. Thank You for being a light unto my path forever guiding me to safety, peace and joy. Thank You Jehovah for allowing goodness and mercy to follow me. There is none like You Lord. All power, honour and glory belongs to You now and forever. Thank You my Abba Father!
From AC - Thank You Pappa for this glorious Friday! I am so thankful for the warm weather, the beautiful clear sky, and the sun shining down upon us today. As I marvel at all of Your creation, I am in awe your Your glory, might, and splendour. You can never be praised enough, for there are no boundaries to Your greatness! In Jesus' name, I give you all honour, Amen.
In Jesus' name, Amen. AMEN!! I just had to pray the bolded over all of us. This is a powerful series, glory to God! Thank you for sharing these lessons with us sis @FFJ . May we all receive God's grace to discern between the voice of The Holy Spirit and the lies of the enemy.
From Isaiah 49:13 - Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
Hallelujah!!!
Father, thank You for this opportunity to join all of creation to rejoice in You. You are our Great and Mighty God. You know all things and are all powerful.
Thank You, Lord!
From EC - Amen and good morning ladies!
From IDQ - Good morning, God bless you all!
❤️
*From AD* - Good morning! Thank you God for this day! Amen!
*From PU* - In the name of Jesus, Amen!
Thank You!
PRAISE TIME
Let us praise our Lord God Almighty for He is great and greatly to be praised.
Time to make a joyful noise, folks!
Tell Him how wonderful He is and thank Him for all He's done.
Glory!!!