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You know, I’ve got to give it to the devil. He truly is as slick as they come.

It is my understanding that he has some power in this physical world and what amounts to zilch in the eternal kingdom of heaven.

Hence, he has an advantage when it comes to orchestrating the events of this world, in order to accomplish two, very important things to him—things that we should all be aware of.

One, I believe, is to get us to believe he doesn’t exist.

Two, is to show us a perspective on this world that leaves God entirely out of the equation.

Now I don’t know which one is more damaging, but to think the devil doesn’t exist is extremely dangerous and to further believe that God is not an integral part of life is spiritual suicide.

As in the Parable of the Sower, we learn this reality… “Some people are like seed along the path where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them.” Mark 4:15.

This entire parable speaks to how life, its worldly seductions, its substance less illusions about acquiring wealth and desire for personal gratification, can obscure the truth contained in the Word of God.

Can you imagine being tricked out of what rightfully belongs to you because you didn’t know it was yours in the first place?

Now underscore that with the belief that the person doing the tricking is actually someone who doesn’t really exist.

If we succumb to either point of view (belief in God or not), then we proceed through life guaranteeing that the Word of God will bear no fruit in us.

Hence, it is impossible for us to have the kind of life which God intends for us. I believe many of us, me included, spend far too much time and energy relying on the lies of Satan, in a world that measures success by the weight of one’s wallet, rather than by God’s divine will.

Our struggle is one where we must first be the soil made ready to produce a crop. Our challenge is to be prepared to hear the Word.

The intent is to bear fruit. By bearing fruit, I mean we should spread the Word, pollinate the lives of others with the reality that evil is real and walks and talks and lives and breathes in this world today.

More importantly, we have been seeded with the secrets revealed to us in the life and death and life of Jesus Christ. He is the key to our salvation.

The question then is what do you believe in? Your world becomes defined by the answer to that simple, but very important question.

Belief in God obviously, necessitates a belief in the devil and fortifies and insulates you against the evil in your life winning. If you don’t believe in God, what you don’t know will be what ruins you eternally.

You will never seek Him out and therefore become vulnerable to the devil’s tricks, because keeping you ignorant is and always has been the tool of this oppressor.

It’s a control thing as we all now know. In that regard the one thing that insures salvation is just a little bit of knowledge based in faith. That faith, no matter how small, stands as a testament to all that God is in control and the first option should always be Him.

A little bit of faith is required when life and the devil say no way. Faith always gets tested. Salvation lies somewhere between what you say, what you do and what you believe in.

You see, when you know the truth, you can’t be tricked. However, the effort to trick you will be constant and the lies will keep coming, but “If you hold to my (Jesus) teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32. May God reveal to your heart His purpose for you and may you be bathed in it.

May God bless and keep you always.

The Dallas Weekly is a member publication of the NNPA. Learn more about becoming a member at NNPA.org.

James Washington is a father, husband, Christian and writer. James is also the owner and publisher of the multimedia company The Dallas Weekly. You can follow James on Twitter at @JAWS_215.