Clerow Wilson, Jr. Better known as Flip Wilson made his fortune telling stories about characters he made up in the early 1970s.
Wilson won a Grammy Award for his comedy album "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress." Wilson's characters included Reverend Leroy, pastor of the 'Church of ‘What’s Happening Now', his most popular character, Geraldine Jones, always referred to her boy friend as Killer and whose favorite line was “The devil made me do it”
For a spell America used that phrase as a cover for anything questionable.
Today some of the best known ministers use "Don't let the devil make you do it" - - whatever the subject matter under discussion is and this seems to go over pretty well with their audiences.
Scriptures like 1Peter. 5:8 "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" sets the tone for the preaching that follows which is in my opinion elevating Satan to a higher plane than he deserves and further diminishes the work of Christ on the cross.
Colossians 2:15 He (Jesus) defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.
As someone said "This roaring lion is toothless and the worst he can do to you is Gum you".
Is there such a thing as demon activity? I hesitate to use the words possession for such real occurrences are rare but you can bet that evil spirits will go any where they are invited, and will be in manifestation one way or another.
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." What I find is resisting the Devil doesn't occur very well unless I first submit myself to GOD and HIS commandments.
Isaiah 59:19b: When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
The excuse the devil made me do it isn't true. If you yielded to temptation, it was because you wanted to. There was something in you that responded to the temptation that came your way.
James 1:13-15 Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you. Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death.
So says James on temptation, and while evil can't tempt GOD it sure can tempt men.
Whether you are old or young it is well to know yourself, your weaknesses for it is there temptation will cross your path, and you are subject to be tempted.
Even back as far as the Garden, Eve and Adam were subjected to the tempter's wiles. While the source was from Satan he had to use something (some one) else to pass on the temptation.
The pattern hasn't changed, usually a friend or acquaintance will lead you into temptation where Lust is conceived and you succumb to sin.
No matter what, remember this: "the Devil can't make you do it."
This post is Linked with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays
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| image courtesy photobucket.com |
Wilson won a Grammy Award for his comedy album "The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress." Wilson's characters included Reverend Leroy, pastor of the 'Church of ‘What’s Happening Now', his most popular character, Geraldine Jones, always referred to her boy friend as Killer and whose favorite line was “The devil made me do it”
For a spell America used that phrase as a cover for anything questionable.
Today some of the best known ministers use "Don't let the devil make you do it" - - whatever the subject matter under discussion is and this seems to go over pretty well with their audiences.
Scriptures like 1Peter. 5:8 "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" sets the tone for the preaching that follows which is in my opinion elevating Satan to a higher plane than he deserves and further diminishes the work of Christ on the cross.
Colossians 2:15 He (Jesus) defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.
As someone said "This roaring lion is toothless and the worst he can do to you is Gum you".
Is there such a thing as demon activity? I hesitate to use the words possession for such real occurrences are rare but you can bet that evil spirits will go any where they are invited, and will be in manifestation one way or another.
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." What I find is resisting the Devil doesn't occur very well unless I first submit myself to GOD and HIS commandments.
Isaiah 59:19b: When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
The excuse the devil made me do it isn't true. If you yielded to temptation, it was because you wanted to. There was something in you that responded to the temptation that came your way.
James 1:13-15 Whenever you feel tempted to do something bad, you should not say, "God is tempting me." Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone. You are tempted by the evil things you want. Your own desire leads you away and traps you. Your desire grows inside you until it results in sin. Then the sin grows bigger and bigger and finally ends in death.
So says James on temptation, and while evil can't tempt GOD it sure can tempt men.
Whether you are old or young it is well to know yourself, your weaknesses for it is there temptation will cross your path, and you are subject to be tempted.
Even back as far as the Garden, Eve and Adam were subjected to the tempter's wiles. While the source was from Satan he had to use something (some one) else to pass on the temptation.
The pattern hasn't changed, usually a friend or acquaintance will lead you into temptation where Lust is conceived and you succumb to sin.
No matter what, remember this: "the Devil can't make you do it."
This post is Linked with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays
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