First Words 9-19-22

“No Place”

“Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)

You don’t need a degree in theology to understand what Paul is saying to us: Give No Place To The Devil. This word of exhortation from Paul is to all and excludes none. Where you go to church, how you do church, or what your doctrinal beliefs are, have absolutely no baring on the meaning, relevance or application of this truth: Give No Place To The Devil. What does it mean to give place to the devil? I understand it to mean allowing something that is a sin or that can lead to sin, to remain in our life. Know this - the devil…our spiritual enemy, is NEVER satisfied with a small place of influence in our life. Once allowed…. he works relentlessly to have influence and control over us. Give him an inch and he will take over your whole life and then your family.

When we allow our mind to imagine and dwell on that which is sinful -we give place to the devil. When we allow a hurt feeling to fester or harbor an offense - we give place to the devil. When we continue to do that which we know directly contradicts God’s Word - we give place to the devil.

Satan is never satisfied with one unclean thought, one lustful look, one drink, one indiscretion, one party, one pill, one smoke or one day of neglecting God’s Word. Give No Place To The Devil! We live in a church-world where many professing Christians want to see how much like an unsaved world they can live and still profess to be saved. Nevertheless, God’s Word says- Give No Place To The Devil.

The good news is, we do not have to give place to the devil. The influence of a Christless culture

abounds. Granted, it’s not easy to live different, look different and talk different. I John 4:4 says, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world”. I John 5:4 says, “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world”. James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you”. We are blood-bought, blood-washed and have Jesus the Son of the Living God living in us… we don’t have to give place to the devil!

Why does it matter? Because others are watching. Those “others” include our children and grandchildren. You may say, I do this privately…no one knows or sees. Listen, that which we allow in the private places of our life will one day be lived out on the public stage of life if we continue to give place to the devil.

Give no place to the devil…INSTEAD, GIVE PLACE TO GOD, HIS WORD AND HIS PRESENCE IN OUR HEART AND HOME. The results are incredible, and the difference is “out of this world”!