Demons Deceit

By Miles G. McPherson, Exclusive Columnist Saturday, June 18, 2011

King of Kings. Liar. Crutch. Alive. Irrelevant. Messiah. What words do you use to describe Jesus? In front of others and during quiet moments with yourself… who do you say He is?

Demons know exactly who He is. When Jesus encountered a demon-possessed man (Luke 8:28) they acknowledged Jesus as God and considered Him worthy of worship. But that acknowledgment of God is not something demons advertise freely.

In reality, demons vie for our attention with alluring false testimony. The lies they peddle may sound familiar because the falsehoods are often packaged and delivered to you in the form of self-doubt: “I’m not competent enough,” “No one cares,” or “I will never conquer this temptation.”

However, the very demons dispatched from the devil’s rank and file to deceive you are themselves keenly aware of the truth. They will convince you not to pray. In fact, forget praying, “America’s Got Talent” is on television tonight and you don’t want to miss it. Meanwhile, even demons submit to His word. (Luke 8:32-33)

They will tell you there is no hell, “live it up,” and there is no consequence for your sin. Yet, demons fear Jesus as Lord over the coming judgment. You may hear demons whisper, “prayer doesn’t work” and “cut corners on your faith” and “God has failed you.” Meanwhile, the Bible shows us that God expels demons and they always submit to His authority.

Have demons convinced you to live your life as a Christian in a bubble? Maybe your Christian bubble is just big enough to fit in a two-hour service on Sunday mornings. Some Christians have a more spacious bubble; your friends may know you go to church but lack understanding about a personal relationship with Jesus. Maybe you don’t talk with anyone about your faith. You’re an undercover Christian.

Collectively this has been one of the most paralyzing lies within the Christian faith. We’ve been lulled to laziness and cajoled to complacency.

How far would you go to defend your relationship with Jesus? What would you do to defend his name? The disciples all died for their faith. Threatened not to preach, they preached anyway. (Acts 4:13-19, 5:17-28) Beaten and jailed, they praised God. (Acts 16:16-25) Martyred for their faith, they saw God. (Acts 7:54-60)

Christianity is in dire need of believers with courage and motivation to create change. Creating change is not something that’s incredibly complex or expensive. In fact, your own testimony is the most powerful tool you have. All of us have experienced some type of struggle in life and most of us have experienced a miracle of God that changed our path altogether. I challenge you to talk about your story as much as you can. It’s the most credible thing you have. What God has done in your life is the most compelling and impactful narrative you can share.

“I was blind and now I see. I was once lost, addicted, suicidal, addicted to pornography, insecure, self-absorbed…but I gave my life to Jesus and guess what happened?” Whatever it is you’ve been delivered from -- that’s the most valuable tool you have to reach others and articulate the hope, love and deliverance awaiting others.

The power of your testimony will overcome demons. (Revelation 12:11) Don’t keep it to yourself. Because it’s one thing to stroll along with Jesus, maintain safe distance from others and live within your comfort zone. It’s another thing to enter into battle to spread His good news and defend His name. Which type of Christian are you?

To learn more about Pastor and author Miles McPherson, please visit MilesMcpherson.com
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