As a Bible believing individual I understand the work of spiritual forces and their interference in human's life. But I am not too bothered about the devil. I have come across many Bible believing believers who show more interest in talking about the devil rather than God as if the demonic forces are always at work in their lives.
As for me, my life is centered around the Lord and I believe He is in sovereign control of me and my life. Nothing will touch me, my family and our lives as long as we stand in the Lord leaving a life with God-conscious mind and heart. I believe that we are covered by the blood of Christ and nothing can harm us or no weapon formed against us can prosper. This is my faith based on His word (the Bible). Hence I don't see the need to be too bothered about the devil and his strategies against me or my family, because the eternal God is our refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms (Deu 33:27). Simple as that isn't it?
I am not too comfortable with people who keep blaming the devil for everything that happens in their lives. Years before, once I had my right wrist fractured when I slipped and fell off my bike. I was at home for close to two weeks taking off from work. When my Church friend visited me she said that it was the work of the devil. I was totally taken aback. I tried to tell her that the incident happened because I was trying to adjust my dress when about to sit on my two wheeler and missed to hold the handle bar due to which I fell off along with my bike to my right side. I am well aware that it was because of my carelessness that I fell and fractured my wrist for I had missed to concentrate my posture and the handle bar. However, my friend ignored my explanation and she tried to convince that it was the devil's doing. I was not convinced by her perception and not wanting to offend her, I remained silent.
This is not one incident where I have met people who are all the time devil-blamers meaning for everything that happens in their lives (and other lives) they would like to either blame others or the devil which is a typical Christian mentality these days. I am tired of listening to people who try to give an explanation for everything in the spiritual realm as if they have the answers for every single problem on earth. Believe me even though I am a Bible believing Christ follower, I don't have answers for many perplexing questions in life and I don't need to know because I know who knows the reason.
Coming back to where I left, I am not buying in for the thought process of devil is the reason for this and that. However, I am not totally ignoring the forces of darkness at work. I have heard of and seen people who are really demon possessed and who have been delivered through prayer. On the other hand, I have also met people who are devil-blamers all the time whose talk is always like- This is the act of the devil. That person has got the spirit of greed or the lady has the spirit of jealousy, etc.
People are too good to blame others of having different kind of spirits. Why not look inside? A truly matured individual is one who will indulge in self-reflection often rather than being like the first Adam and Eve who were typical blamers (put the blame on the other). When God confronted Adam and Eve for their disobedience, Adam put the blame on Eve saying that Eve asked him to do so and likewise Eve put the blame on the devil for having deceived her. Come on!!! When will we grow up and stop being like Adam and Eve and learn to take responsibility for our actions???
I like what Stephen Charnock, a Presbyterian preacher of the 17th century from England says, "Self is the great antichrist and anti-God in the world, that sets up itself above all else". We actually don't need to search for the devil outside, but can honestly afford to take an inside look or introspect to see if there is any trace of conceit, manipulation, selfishness, self-righteousness, pride, arrogance and above all attitude or smug. This is all we need to do to grow up and stop worrying about what the devil can to us or who has got a spirit like that of a devil?! If we are really mature, we will stop blaming others and stop saying whose has got which spirit ...We are all bad enough on the inside that we specifically don't have the need to search for the devil outside or in others...
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