The Devil’s Calling Card
Caution – Be Alert!
The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 that the devil is our adversary, walking about like a roaring lion looking for his next victim. John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (the sheep), but that He came so that we could live an abundant life. As I was studying one day I noticed that many words that started with de- or dis- were destructive in nature. When I looked up de- and dis- in the dictionary, it really brought it to light.
Dis
(dɪs) /noun
Also called: Orcus, Pluto the Roman god of the underworld, the abode of the dead; underworld
Greek equivalent: Hades/Hell
[from the British Dictionary]
de-
*You can remember it by DMVs (like Dept. of Motor Vehicles). De- stands for “anything that will reduce, remove, reverse, and I like to add restrict!”
Here are a few words that instantly came to mind in my study. I ended up with two pages of words that started with de- or dis-. I challenge you to sit down and make your own list. It will help make you more aware of the “power behind the throne” as we say. Who is behind this kind of “destructive” behavior? It’s not that hard to figure out when he leaves his calling card!
De –
Defeat
Delay
Detour
Destruction
Decrease
Destroy
Devastation
Destitute
Deteriorate
Deserted
Despise
Detriment
Dis-
Division
Dissention
Distraction
Dismantle
Disrespect
Disconnect
Disable
Disappointed
Disaster
Dishonest
Disrepair
Discontented
Overcome Evil with Good
An easy way to decipher “who” is behind something is:
God is GoOd! He always ADDS something to your life. God adds and multiplies.
The Devil is (d)Evil! He always SUBTRACTS something from your life. The Devil subtracts and divides.
Ephesian 6:12 New Living Translation (NLT)
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies (people*), but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. *emphasis added
James 4:7-8 Amplified Bible (AMP)
So submit* to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you.
*Submit also mean to cooperate.
So the next time you are in a situation and recognize strife and “division” for instance, you know who is behind it. STOP! Shut it down! There is no game without you. It’s like pouring water on a fire…put it out! The devil is playing YOU like a piece of chess on a gameboard. Take your ball and go home. Game over! That will make him madder than a hornet, but you are not going to let him push you around any more and bully you. You say, “Enough is enough!” Stand up to your bully! #NOMORE!
How do we defeat evil? By doing good!
Love works, every time!