February 20th, 2024 Issue
Are You A Diabolos?
Heartfelt Exhortations is a teaching series, that has been building off previous lessons. If you are coming into the middle, and missed previous lessons, you will definitely want to take the time to go back and read them in order. This link will take you to a full index of all the Heartfelt Exhortations that were written in previous newsletters. When I first started publishing these lessons, they were in the same newsletters as my gardening lessons. Just scroll down to find the lessons. I pray you will be deeply blessed!
Are You A Diabolos?
Diabolos is the greek word for devil. Generally we don’t refer to people as a devil, but the scriptures actually warn, in several places, that it can be a problem. Here is the Strong’s definition for diabolos G1228
This word is used 38 times in the New Testament. The vast majority of those times it is used to describe Satan himself. Sometimes it is used in conjunction with the description of people being “children of the devil”.
1st John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
The distinguishing feature of those that are “children of God” vs “children of the devil”, is love and righteousness. Those that have God’s Spirit, are going to bear His fruit. Those that are walking in the flesh, will bear Satan’s fruit. Here are some warnings about people being devils.
John 6:70 Jesus G2424 answered G611 them, G846 Have not G3756 I G1473 chosen G1586 you G5209 twelve, G1427 and G2532 one G1520 of G1537 you G5216 is G2076 a devil? G1228
This refers to Judas, the one that would betray Jesus. But he is not the only one that has this problem.
1st Timothy 3:11 Even so G5615 must their wives G1135 be grave, G4586 not G3361 slanderers, G1228 sober, G3524 faithful G4103 in G1722 all things. G3956
2nd Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, G794 trucebreakers, G786 false accusers, G1228 incontinent, G193 fierce, G434 despisers of those that are good, G865
Titus 2:3 The aged women G4247 likewise, G5615 that they be in G1722 behaviour G2688 as becometh holiness, G2412 not G3361 false accusers, G1228 not G3361 given G1402 to much G4183 wine, G3631 teachers of good things; G2567
In these verses the word devil is translated into “slanderers” and “false accusers”. But it is the exact same greek word that is given to Satan himself. So let’s see if we can take a deeper dive into what the apostles are truly concerned about.
So what are slanderers and false accusers actually accomplishing for Satans kingdom? Well he loves slander and false accusations. It is his bread and butter, the thing he is best know for. Here is a passage in Revelations.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Satan, or the Devil, is called the “accuser of our brethren”. What people don’t realize, is that it is through human mouths that he does some of his work. That is why deacon’s wives and aged women are warned against it, in the above verses. The works of Satan and the works of Christ are very different. Satan’s work is very prevalent when there is some kind of division that he has been able to sow. Like a church split, or a marriage that has been destroyed. The last thing Satan would want is for there to be any kind of reconciliation. That is why he will work really hard to keep you from loving your enemies and praying for them. Rather he will fill your head with a long list of a record of wrongs, that have been committed against you, so you will feel justified in your rejection of the one that has hurt you. Then that justification spills over into verbal accusations of sin, that are in the lives of the ones that have wronged us. But there is no true Godly Love present to seek to restore and reconcile the situation. Just a list of excuses for why that isn’t possible.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Remember we will exhibit the works of the one we really serve. In fact we have been given a ministry of reconciliation.
2nd Corinthians 5:18-20 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
So we have been called as ambassadors for Christ’s Kingdom, to help other people find reconciliation with God and other men. Here is how Christ describes our part in His ministry.
Matthew 18:11-17 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
“if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone” This is what Christ desires to do through you. In a upcoming newsletter, Lord willing, I will be sharing on the concept of loving church discipline. For those that need to have more intervention, then just a private first encounter. But for this lesson I want to focus on this first most important step, the one that is almost always neglected. Loving someone enough that we go to them quietly and try to reach them. Not avoiding them and telling the whole world what they have done wrong.
What does Satan desire to do through you? He desires for you to talk about the sins of other people behind their backs. Gossiping about it, seeking to hurt them. That is what the Accuser of the Brethren does. Christ wants you to Love them. How do we do that? Remember the Golden Rule.
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
If you were the one that was deceived by sin in your life, what would you hope that someone would do for you? I know what my answer is. I would hope they had the Spiritual maturity to love me through it.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Jude 1:21-23 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
James 5:16-20 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Are you a tool in the hands of the enemy to destroy, or a vessel filled with God to reconcile and restore? Are you really doing for other, what you would want them to do for you? If your answer is, “I am not mature enough to go to them”. Then all the more reason, to be quiet and pray for them, and the situation.
I have noticed that people that are experiencing some kind of division, like a failing marriage or a church split, will often be very tempted to fail in this area. They feel a need to justify their actions. The more extreme the actions, the more extreme the slander.
Every once in a while, I will meet someone that will be discussing some sin that is in someone else’s life. I will ask them if they have privately gone to that person and lovingly shared with them what they see in their life, or do they hate that person and have no desire at all to help them find reconciliation with God or other people? Usually people are stunned. They are so use to other people listening to their Devilish talk, and not calling them out. We need to become very sensitive to this in the body of Christ. If you see sin in someones life, you need to lovingly pray for them. If you don’t feel like you have the Spiritual maturity to speak into their lives, keep praying for them, and ask the Lord to bring someone into their lives that will be able to be used of the Lord to help them. But don’t do the Devil’s work, and gossip about it with other people. Do exactly for them, what you would hope they would do for you!
Thank you.