The promises of Jesus for the church are still valid for today. As long as the church remains in Him and obey His words and keep His commandments and walk in the will of the Father. But do Christians walk in the will of God or do they walk in the will of the devil? What is the will of God and what is the will of the devil according to the Bible?
Do Christians know the will of God?
למרבה הצער, many Christians don’t know the will of God in general and regarding certain matters in life. Why is that? Because the Bible is very clear about the will of God. The reason why many Christians don’t know the will of God is because they don’t read and study the Bible themselves and don’t spend time with God.
The devil knows the power of the Word. He knows that the Bible reveals the truth and the will of God. But the devil doesn’t want people to find out the truth. Because if people don’t know the truth, he can deceive them and keep them in bondage.
The devil shall do anything to mislead Christians and to keep them ignorant about the words and the will of God.
The devil ensures, that Christians listen to his voice instead of the voice of God.
How can you discern the voice of God from the voice of the devil?
The voice of the devil represents the will of the devil (the will of the flesh) and opposes the will of God (the will of the Spirit).
Because of the false doctrines that are preached in many churches and the spiritual blindness of many Christians, they don’t have a clue, that they walk in the lies of the devil and serve him, by doing his will.
They think they know Jesus and think they live according to His will and the will of God and please Him with their lives. כן, they think they serve Him and live a godly and pious life, while in reality they serve the devil and are slaves of his law. Isn’t that a shame?
When you compare the will of God and the will of the devil, you will find out, whom you serve and whom the church; the assembly of believers, serves.
You will find out if you (and the church) is seated in Jesus Christ and represents the Kingdom of God or that you represent the will of the devil and the kingdom of this world, which is the kingdom of darkness.
What is the will of God and the will of the devil?
Now let’s have look at some examples of the will of God and the will of the devil. The will of God is also the will of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Since Jesus spoke the words He heard from His Father (ג'ון 8:28) and because the will of Jesus and the Holy Spirit derives from the will of God the Father, I have written ‘God says’.
God says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. You shall love Me above all” (Deuternomy 6:5, מתיו 22:37)
The devil says: “Love yourself and the world and all that the world has to offer”
God says: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour”(אקסודוס 20:16)
The devil says: “There’s nothing wrong with lying. A little white lie can’t hurt. It is for your own benefit and protection, and who will find out?”
God says: “You shall have no other gods before Me and not make for yourself a carved image, you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God am a jealous God” (אקסודוס 20:3-6)
The devil says: “It’s ok to have and serve other gods. Why can’t you make images to worship? How can you worship, what you don’t see? Who says, that you cannot make images of things that are in heaven and on earth? That’s art! God has given you the gift of making images. When the tabernacle was built, the craftsmen were inspired by the Spirit of God to make images of angels.
God says: “You shall not take the Name of the Lord our God in vain” (i.e. cursing, speaking lies about God, turn His words into a lie, using the Name of God in vain to get something done) (אקסודוס 20:7)
The devil says: “Use the Name of the Lord in vain”
God says: “Honor your father and your mother” (אקסודוס 20:12, מתיו 19:19)
The devil says: “Don’t honor your father and mother. Do what you want to do, and don’t listen to your parents. What will they know? You are not a wishy-washy, aren’t you? לא, ברור שלא, therefore, stand up against your parents and rebel against what they say and want. It’s not about the will of your parents that matters, but it’s your will that matters. They are old fashion, and their instructions don’t belong in this modern age anymore”
God says: “You shall not kill” (אקסודוס 20:13, מתיו 19:18)
The devil says: “It’s ok to kill. You should take the law into your own hands. Have you become pregnant and you don’t want the baby? No problem, just get an abortion. Do you hate your life and feel miserable and don’t you want to live anymore? It’s certainly not God’s will that you suffer. You should end your life on this earth. That’s the only way to be redeemed from all your misery and pain and you shall be with the Lord and have a much better life”
God says: “You shall not commit adultery” (אקסודוס 20:14, מתיו 5:31-32; 19:18)
The devil says: “Commit adultery. It’s ok to give into your feelings and be intimate with someone, who isn’t your spouse. Change is good and who will find out? If you get caught, then all you have to do is repent and Jesus shall forgive you. No problem! And by the way, David was intimate with Bathsheba, who belonged to another man, and David was a man after God’s heart ”
God says: “You shall not steal” (אקסודוס 20:15, מתיו 19:18)
The devil says: “It’s ok to steal (including peculate, tax evasion, doing undeclared work etc.) They have plenty of money and you need it”
“I hate putting away (divorcement)”
God says: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s” (אקסודוס 20:17)
The devil says: “You should covet your neighbour’s possessions and have what your neighbour has. Because God wants you to be blessed and prosperous in life”
God says: “I hate putting away (divorcement). What I have joint together, let not man put asunder” (Malachi 2:16, מתיו 5:31-32; 19:4-6,7-9, Mark 10:9)
The devil says: “Are you unhappily married, or have you fallen in love with someone else? Get a divorce! There’s nothing wrong with getting a divorce. You should do what you want to do and follow your feelings. It’s certainly not God’s will that you are miserable, unhappy and that you suffer in your marriage. God wants you to be happy and enjoy your life. ”
God says: “You shall not look on a woman to lust her, because if you do, you have already committed adultery in your heart.” (מתיו 5:28)
The devil says: “Ah well, a little bit of fantasizing can’t hurt. No one will ever find out. No one knows, what you are thinking about. חוץ מזה, you weren’t intimate in real life. כל כך, what’s the big deal”.
God says: “You shall not be intimate with someone of the same gender” (סֵפֶר וַיִקְרָא 18:22, 20:13, ספר דברים 23:17, הרומאים 1:21-28, 1 קורינתים 6:9-11)
The devil says: “Be intimate with someone of your gender. You can’t help it that you are this way. It’s not your fault that you have homosexual feelings. God has made you that way. Because you are born this way, it is God’s will that you are this way. God loves you and He accepts you, just the way you are. לכן, it’s ok to give into these homosexual feelings and be intimate and marry someone of the same gender. Look at David, who had a homosexual relationship with Jonathan, because he said that his love for Jonathan was above the love he had for women. And David was a man after God’s heart”.
God says: “You shall not tattoo any marks on you; I am the Lord” (סֵפֶר וַיִקְרָא 19:28)
The devil says: “Get a tattoo(s) on your body. It looks nice and cool. Almost everyone has a tattoo, even Christians, therefore it’s ok. What about a Christian tattoo of a scripture or a picture of Jesus on your body? So that you can be a witness for the people around you. And while you are at it, you should take more than one tattoo”
God says: “There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee (ספר דברים 18:10-12)
The devil says: “Are you not curious what the future will be like? Shouldn’t your life become much easier if you know how it will go? Then you will know exactly what decisions you should make. Don’t you want to know how your deceased mother/father/aunt/child etc. is doing? Then all you have to do is go to an occult consulter, who is able to inquire the death, and you shall get the answers you are looking for”
“I am the Lord your Healer”
God says: “I am the Lord your Healer” (אקסודוס 15:26, Isa 53:5,1 Pe 2:24)
The devil says: “Are you not feeling well? Then you should go to a doctor, a physical therapist, Mensendieck, Reiki therapist, acupuncturist וכו. because they are the only one, who will be able to help you and solve your problem. It’s ok to go because God uses doctors to get you healed. God has blessed them and given them wisdom and knowledge, to execute their profession. By the way, Luke was also a doctor. You should take medicines because medicines will heal you. When you bless your medicines, then God shall bless your medicines”
God says: “You shall not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths”. (מתיו 5:33)
The devil says: “Ah well, you have indeed made that promise, but things can change. You couldn’t know beforehand that it would turn this way. Therefore it’s not so bad if you don’t keep your oath and break a promise or a covenant. God will understand your situation because He loves you”
God says: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mat 22:39)
The devil says: “Why do you always have to think about others, and their well-being. Why do you always have to consider your neighbours needs or preferences? You should love yourself and think about yourself first instead of others. You should think about your well-being and do what you want to do. If others have a problem with the way you treat them, then it’s their problem and not yours”
God says: “Forgive others” (מתיו 6:14, Mark 11:25)
The devil says: “How can you forgive that person, after everything that (s)he has done to you? Let alone forget what that person has done to you. It’s terrible! You shouldn’t forgive and if (s)he asks forgiveness, then you just say, that you will forgive, but that you will never forget it”
God says: “When you fast….. ” (מתיו 6:16)
The devil says: “You don’t have to fast anymore. ישוע אמר, that His disciples only needed to fast from the moment that He was taken up in a cloud and went to heaven (Ascension day) until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Because by the agency of the Holy Spirit, He lives inside of you. Therefore Jesus is in you and with you. And if you want to fast, in order to get something, you don’t have to skip food for the whole day or days. You can also put your cell phone away for a day or don’t watch television for a day, these are also ways of fasting”
God says: “Don’t lay up treasures upon earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (מתיו 6:19-20)
The devil says: “Gather and lay up as many treasures on earth as possible. Because it’s the will of God that you are wealthy and prosperous. Look at Abraham and Salomon, and how God blessed them with all the wealth and riches of this world.
God says: “שימו לב, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses” (לוק 12:15)
The devil says: “What is wrong with wanting more and being prosperous in life? It’s good to be prosperous. That’s not greed or covetousness, but achieving, and achievement is good. The more prosperous and richer you become, the more satisfied you will become and the more pleasant your life will be and that’s God’s will for your life. He wants you to have a prosperous wealthy life in abundance. Al the riches and money of this world belongs to God, and therefore they also belong to you”
“You cannot serve God and mammon”
God says: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (מתיו 6:24)
The devil says: “Who says you can’t live like the world? It’s ok to live like the world and It’s perfectly fine to serve God and serve mammon. There’s nothing wrong with serving both”
God says: “Don’t worry about your life, don’t worry about tomorrow (מתיו 6:25,34)
The devil says: “Be worried! You should look at the future and what kind of things might happen to you. What if you will get……? What if that will happen to you? What if…..”
God says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (מתיו 16:24,25)
The devil says: “You don’t have to give up your own life. You may live the way you want to live. You believe in Jesus, right? That’s enough to be saved and have eternal life. It doesn’t matter how you live, you may live like the world. Paul also became a Greek to the Greek and a Jew to the Jews”
God says: “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (מתיו 19:14)
The devil says: “Children are just children. Children are not able to understand the Bible. They don’t have the ability to understand who God, יֵשׁוּעַ, and the Holy Spirit are. It’s too complicated for them. You shouldn’t force your children to believe. They should make their own choices in life. Let them play! Let them play games, watch television, read children’s books and do what they want to do. Those things are good for their development, and can’t hurt”
God says: “If your brother trespasses against you, go and tell him his fault, if he shall hear you have gained your brother (מתיו 18:15)
The devil says: “Leave your brother alone and accept him the way he is. You don’t have to go to your brother, who sins, and you don’t have to correct him and address his sins. Who do you think you are? You ain’t nothing better and also commit sin. Don’t be a hypocrite and don’t be so pious! Why do you see the mote in your brother’s eye, but not consider the beam in your own eye? If you confront your brother or sister with his/her sin, then you don’t walk in love. God says that you should love your neighbour as yourself. לכן, you should accept and respect your brother, because that’s love. We are not perfect”
God says: ”Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: כי מה אחווה צדקה עם עוון? ואיזו אחדות יש אור עם חושך? ואיזה קונקורד יש למשיח עם בליאל?” (2 קורינתים 6:14-15)
De devil says: ”Have fellowship with unbelievers, because how else will they get to know Jesus. Jesus also ate with tax collectors, harlots, and sinners, therefore it’s ok to hang out and fellowship with unbelievers and visit bars, clubs etc. You should show them the love of God by fellowshipping with them, and respect their life”
God says: “I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin” (ג'ון 8:34)
The devil says: “You will always להישאר חוטא and therefore you will always sin. Jesus came especially for sinners and He died for sinners. If you sin, then it’s ok, because you are not saved by your works but by the work of Jesus. He has taken care of the sin problem. כעת, you can be free in Him and live the way you want to live. When you make mistakes, you just ask forgiveness, and Jesus will forgive you over and over again”
“Why do you call Me, אָדוֹן, אָדוֹן, and do not the things which I say?”
God says: “Why do you call Me, אָדוֹן, אָדוֹן, and do not the things which I say?” (לוק 6:46)
The devil says: “The Bible is an ancient book and doesn’t fit into this modern age. Times are changing and I am sure that God didn’t mean it that way. It was meant for that age and not our age. By the way, we live in a new covenant in Jesus Christ, therefore it doesn’t matter how you live. You are not saved by works but by grace”
God says: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (לוק 9:62)
The devil says: “The past is part of you. It’s good to go back to the past. Because you can only solve your problems, by going back to the past“
God says: “For this is My will, even your sanctification” (1 Th 4:3)
The devil says: “You are redeemed and saved by Jesus Christ and His work, not yours. You don’t have to change and give up your own life, but you can live the way you want to live. All those religious rules and regulations, which were part of the old covenant are gone. You now live in the new covenant, there are no rules anymore. Jesus accepts you just the way you are and the way you want to live because He loves you”
God says: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Gen 2:24 and Heb 13:4. Read also Ex 21:10, Ps 78:63, Mat 22:2, 22:30, 24:38, Mar 12:25, Lu 17:27, 20:34, Jn 2:1, 1Co 7:38)
The devil says: “You don’t have to be married. It’s nowhere written in the Bible, that you have to go to the city hall or a church to get married. It’s better to live together unmarried first, so that you can get to know each other without any responsibility. Only then will you find out if you are made for each other or not. If it doesn’t work, then you just split, continue with your life and find someone else”
God says: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”. (ג'יימס 2:26)
The devil says: “It’s all grace. You are saved by grace and therefore you don’t have to do works. You can just lead your own life because it’s all about you. You are important and God wants you to have a pleasant and prosperous life”
“Sin not”
God says: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom 5:19)
The devil says: “You will always להישאר חוטא”
God says: “Sin not” (Ex 20:20, Ps 4:4, Ez 3:21, 1Co 15:34)
The devil says: “You will always remain a sinner. Only in Jesus Christ are you saved. If you believe in Him, then you can keep walking in sin and live the way you want to live, because you are saved by Him and not by your works. That’s the grace of God”
God says: “You are death to sin, therefore you can no longer live therein (Rom 6:1-2)
The devil says: “There is no sin anymore, because Jesus Christ has taken all sins away. That’s why Jesus had to die because you cannot live without making mistakes and sin. You are just human, you are weak and therefore you will keep making mistakes (חטא). You don’t have to change, Jesus will forgive you every time”
God says: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15)
The devil says: “Does hell really exist? The truth is that there is no hell, therefore you can’t go to hell. They only want to intimidate and scare you, so that you will do, what they want you to do”
There are many more lies, that the devil uses to mislead people and build his kingdom upon this earth. As you can see in these examples, the will of the devil is the exact opposite of the will of God, which is also the will of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The devil always twists the words of God into lies. He tries to tempt and mislead believers, by causing them to doubt the words of God and sin. And you know what? He still succeeds.
The devil twists and uses the Word for his own kingdom
The devil uses and changes the words of God into lies so that the people keep walking after the flesh in sin and therefore live as his prisoners in bondage. As long as believers listen to his voice and obey his words, which are lies, and sin, they will empower him and build his kingdom.
כן, the devil seduces many believers with….. המילה. Just like the devil tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness with the words of God. He changed and used the words of God to fulfill the carnal lusts and desires of man.
But Jesus didn’t’ walk after the flesh and the lust thereof, but He walked after the Spirit. Therefore He reigned over His flesh.
Although the words of the devil looked so pious, Jesus knew His Father and the will of His Father, and that’s why He didn’t fall for his lies.
Jesus didn’t use the words of His Father for His own benefit and to fulfill the lusts and desires of His flesh. But Jesus overcame the devil by using the words of God in the right context and for the Kingdom of God. Jesus exalted His Father by staying obedient to His will.
Jesus represented the Kingdom of His Father. He stayed obedient to that Kingdom and to the law of the Spirit, which belongs to the Kingdom of God.
The Word of God is meant for His Kingdom
The Word of God derives from God and represents His Kingdom. That’s why the Word is meant for God and to build His Kingdom and not for people and to build their kingdoms. Man should adjust their lives to the Word, instead of adjusting the Word to their lives. We live in an age, in which many people keep walking after the flesh. Their lives don’t meet the תשובה, they confess. למרבה הצער, many leaders of churches and congregations are not trustworthy and reliable anymore and don’t speak the truth of the Word. But they preach lies and doctrines of devils, that go against the will of God. They adjust the Word to the carnal lusts and desires of man. They preach after the flesh instead of after the Spirit.
They think that they represent the Kingdom of God and His will, אבל במציאות, they serve the world and the will of the devil.
That’s because they still love the world and all that the world has to offer. They don’t want to change and die to self and keep them from the pleasures of this world. But they want to join the world, live like the world and enjoy the pleasure of this world.
Because of that many pastors and preachers have become representatives of the kingdom of this world; the kingdom of darkness and mislead many believers with their motivational deceptive sermons.
כן, they lead many believers, who have started right, straight to hell. And the believers are spiritually blinded and allow themselves to be lead by them. Because they enjoy the fact that they can keep living the way they want to live, and that they don’t have to change and die to ‘self’.
Relationship with Jesus; המילה
But it’s important for you, as a believer to know the Word. It’s important to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and get to know the real Jesus Christ. You can only get to know Him, by reading and studying the Word of God by the Spirit. So that you will be able to discern what’s genuine and fake, טוב ורע; the truth of God and the lies of the devil.
By the Word, you will be able to recognize and withstand every attack of the devil. You will be able to attack and destroy every lie of the devil, and every stronghold in your mind, with the truth of God’s Word. Only with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, you will be able to fight and to be an overcomer.
לכן, take the words of God. Renew your mind and apply His words in your life. Stay faithful to Him, walk in the will of God and don’t turn away from His words. So that you will be an overcomer to the end.
'היה מלח הארץ’
