A literal devil and God's power

Do you believe in a literal devil?

Being that tomorrow is Halloween, I thought I might ask.

Sometimes I wonder if pagans believe in a literal devil more than we Christian types do.

In an interview with New York magazine, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia explained his beliefs about the reality of the Devil. After mentioning his belief in a real heaven and hell he interjected, "I even believe in the Devil."

The interview continued (with interviewer in bold):

You do?

Of course! Yeah, he's a real person ….

Have you seen evidence of the Devil lately?

You know, it is curious. In the Gospels, the Devil is doing all sorts of things. He's making pigs run off cliffs, he's possessing people and what not. And that doesn't happen very much anymore … It's because he's smart.

So what's he doing now?

What he's doing now is getting people not to believe in him or in God. He's much more successful that way … I mean, c'mon, that's the explanation for why there's not demonic possession all over the place. That always puzzled me. What happened to the Devil, you know? He used to be all over the place. He used to be all over the New Testament. What happened to him? He got wilier.

Isn't it terribly frightening to believe in the Devil?

You're looking at me as though I'm weird. My God! Are you so out of touch with most of America, most of which believes in the Devil? I mean, Jesus Christ believed in the Devil! It's in the Gospels! You travel in circles that are so, so removed from mainstream America that you are appalled that anybody would believe in the Devil! Most of mankind has believed in the Devil, for all of history. Many more intelligent people than you or me have believed in the Devil.

There is a literal devil.

But here’s what he does not want you to know:

He is not omniscient. 

He is not omnipotent.

He is not omnipresent.

We respect the devil and his demons, but we need not fear them.

Why?  Because God’s power in us is greater than his power. 

A word of encouragement:  Don’t try to fight the devil on your own.  He is smarter than you are!  He’s had thousands of years experience in tempting God’s people!

On your own, you are no match for him.

But with God’s power in you – there is nothing that the enemy can throw at you that you can’t overcome.  

Greater is he in us – than he who lives in the world!

We stand in the strength of God.  We stand on what He has done for us at the cross.  We stand in the knowledge that Jesus is praying for us.

Jesus will not let the enemy overwhelm you!

You hear a knock at the door.  

“Who is it,” you ask.

“It is the devil.”

You say, “Jesus, would you mind getting the door?  I am not going to answer that door!  You get it, Lord.  You know my weaknesses.”

Here’s the word of the Lord to you today:  Rely upon His power and not your own ability to overcome the evil one.

There is a literal devil – but there is a literal God who is far more powerful.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.