The Devil Made Me Do It? Really?

Isaiah 14:16-17 - "Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook the kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home."

In days gone by a popular phrase was, "the devil made me do it."  These words have been used in many ways.  As a joke or mockery in response to some sort of behavior.  As a way to relieve the guilty conscience from something that we have done that we know was terribly wrong.  In our churches we often hear that, "the devil is really at work."  This is usually in response to something going on in the church, i.e. gossip, contentions, divisions, etc...  We will also hear it in response to knowledge of people, brothers and sisters in Christ, in some sort of crisis, i.e. personal, family, etc...

I submit that at best these words are used flippantly and at worst they are used as justification.  Perhaps even the best intentioned Christian truly believes that all that ails the world is the devil, Satan.  While I would never deny the working of the devil in the world, I wonder if he is credited with more than his due. 

Certainly, we know that he lurks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  If he is as powerful as our worldly behaviors indicate, then why does he have to seek whom he may devour?   Why wouldn't he devour everyone he chooses?  When a wild animal seeks prey, the victim, many times, is that one that has become separated from the heard or flock.  The separation has come, perhaps without the victim even realizing it - following a new trail, following a scent, looking for greener pastures.  The victim has become so focused on what it is seeking that it has lost sight of the real danger.  It is in this state, the "lion" or any other predator pounces and devours.

For the Christian, we become separated from the flock and vulnerable when we become focused on our desires and not God's.  These desires can run the gamut.  It could be something that seems to be good, or it could be just seeking after worldly pleasures.  However, the bottom line is that no matter what it is, when we leave God out and become so focused on other things, the devil pounces.  Sometimes, as in the animal kingdom, we may escape from the clutches of the lion.  The escape will not come without cost.  Any encounter with a lion will leave wounds.  Sometimes the victim will recover and live with the scars of the encounter.  Other times the victim will escape the initial onslaught only to succumb to wounds later.  Still other times, the victim never escapes and is killed outright.  The fact is, that no animal is the same after an encounter with a predator.

The predator also seeks the one who is weaker than the rest of the flock.  Perhaps the victim has become physically ill or is just weak.  The christian becomes weak in the absence of the presence of God, the leading of His Spirit and failure to be in the Scriptures.  This, more often than not, results in leaving the protection that comes from being part of a body believers.  This makes us vulnerable and easy prey to the seeking lion.

The lion doesn't make the prey weak.  The lion doesn't entice the victim to leave the flock.  What sheep in its right mind would go willingly to the lion??  The lion only waits for an opportunity of extreme vulnerability and then he attacks.  Sadly, the vulnerability comes from the victim's own choices.  How can I say this?  1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it."  Based on this passage, we see that succumbing to any temptation is our choice.  The way of escape is ever present, yet we choose to embrace the temptation.  More often than, not this occurs when we are spiritually weak.  Once we succumb to the temptation, we have placed ourselves at the mercy of the devil, who is like a roaring lion.

The irony in all of this, referring to our text verses, Isaiah 14.16-17, one day the curtain will be pulled back and of the many things that we will see, we will see the devil for who he really is.  Our response - this is this the one who made the earth tremble, shook the heavens and would not let his prisoners go??  This is what I made myself vulnerable to?  I chose this over God and His principles?  Really?  While the devil certainly is our adversary (Job), I submit that we give him far more credit that he deserves.

The devil made me do it?  Really?

He must increase, I must decrease.