Can The Devil Really Make Me Do Something? {Revelation 18}
Revelation 18 describes the fall of Babylon. Babylon is a city filled with blasphemy, where the blood of God’s saints is shed with glee. It’s people are under the rule of the Antichrist and will receive God’s judgement. “And the light of the candle will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” (18:23) Because the people of Babylon are under the spell of the Enemy, is it fair to hold them responsible for their actions? God’s answer is yes. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
Throughout the Bible, Satan is called a deceiver, and the father of lies. But how much control does he actually have over us? Dr. Charles Stanley has some thoughts on the subject that when I read them I knew I wanted to share!
“The late comedian Flip Wilson may have popularized the catchphrase, “The Devil made me do it”, but this excuse has always been around. We blame Satan since we know he has something to do with the temptation process. But in fact, the Devil cannot make us do anything. Satan’s only power over us is manipulation and deceit.
If the Devil could actually make us do things, then he wouldn’t need to go to all the trouble of deceiving us. When he dangles the right bait in front of us at the right time, our fleshly desires make it seem as though something is relentlessly drawing us toward sin; but this power does not control us. In each case, we choose to disobey.
Think of it this way. Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a cliff. Now suppose I walked up to you and threatened to harm a family member if you didn’t jump. If you believed my story and jumped to save that person did I make you jump? I may have made you willing to jump, but I have not caused you to jump. Even if you figured out I was lying on the way down, I still did not make you jump. I simply tricked you into jumping. On the other hand, if I walked up behind you and pushed you, then I made you do something contrary to what you wanted to do, felt like doing, or even thought about doing.
Now think about the last time you felt tempted to sin. Did you suddenly discover you were sinning or had sinned? Were you in the process before you ever thought about it? Or did it begin with a thought, then a feeling, then maybe a little struggle, then the actual sin? Just as no one held Eve and forced her to bite the fruit, no one holds you down and forces you to sin. Satan cannot make you do anything, but He will do all he can to deceive you into dishonoring God.”....Dr. Charles Stanley