TRIPLE THREAT: THE DRAGON, THE FLESH and THE WORLD
ONCE UPON A TIME, American pop culture (and comedian Flip Wilson) popularized a saying.
“The devil made me do it.”
[Actually, what Wilson originally said (dressed as woman) “The devil made me buy this dress.”
All this is said to introduce the idea that the devil doesn’t make anyone do anything. And also that the devil isn’t alone in offering temptations to the unwary.
Actually, the Bible names three members of Team Evil: the dragon (Satan), the flesh and the world.
THE DRAGON
Many people don’t have a very good idea of how Satan operates. They believe the devil is shadowing them, tempting them at every turn.
However, that is unrealistic.
Satan is NOT omnipresent (being in all places at all times). Because he can only be in one place at a time, he likely directs the action.
In fact, in the end times descriptions of the Book of Revelation, the actions of the dragon are more like those of a director or a general: leading the troops and providing his own signature touch of evil, deception.
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world”
—Revelation 12:9
There are also a number of spirits which personally attack humans. The Bible lists several, but contrary to popular notions,these are not under the direction of Satan, but of God.
God’s Word says that they are sent as judgments from God Himself.
“And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
—1 Kings 22:19-22
“Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:”
—Judges 9:23
Where Do Evil Spirits Come From?
Satan does tempt. Luke 4 and Matthew 4 record when the arch tempter tried his lies on Jesus Christ.
He failed.
So, if the reader is afflicted by such evil spirits, it’s probably a good idea to examine his behaviors and get right with God.
Railing against the devil will not help.
However, Satan is the head of Team Evil and is responsible for the total deception that blankets humanity. Jesus called Satan the “father of lies.”
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
—John 8:44
However, the devil has help.
THE FLESH
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
—Galatians 5:17
At all times, the flesh attempts to ensnare the unwary.
The human spirit is encased in a body of flesh. And the flesh craves many, many things. In popular culture, the flesh’s cravings are boiled down to “Wine, women and song” or “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.”
Basically, the flesh is the bundle of insatiable appetites humans have. IF the flesh had a motto, it would read “More, more, more.”
Or perhaps, “I will” (which is sometimes said to be the shortest definition of “sin.” It was this “I will” attitude which got the dragon cast out of heaven in the first place.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
—Isaiah 13:12-15
The flesh wants what the flesh wants.
And what the flesh wants leads humans into coveting and other sins.
But it is just not the devil and the flesh which lead humans down the broad path of destruction.
THE WORLD
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
—1 John 2:15-16
The world is where humans live. In the world, they are surrounded by its pleasures, its appetites, its calls to pride and its lusts.
The world offers the three siren songs of sin:
- The pleasures of the appetites of the flesh;
- The satisfaction of STUFF: coveting material things. Accumulating money and the things money can buy; and,
- The exaltation and honors bestowed by the world. The feeling of “being somebody.”
The world is the hotbed of sin.
The world never quits attempting to ensnare the human, whether that person is a child of God or one of the unsaved.
Friend of the World or Friend of God: Make Your Choice
WHAT TO DO?
So, the devil is not alone and the devil really didn’t make you do anything.
But the devil has plenty of help.
Including most people’s lack of knowledge as to what it takes to fight the battle against sin.
Between the devil, the flesh and the world, even a believer (with the help of the Holy Spirit) has a tough time navigating Team Evil. Without the salvation offered by Jesus Christ, no one would be saved.
The person who tries to do it on their own never really had a chance.
“When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
—Matthew 19:25-26
Evil surrounds the entire world. Struggling against sin is an ever-constant fight for the believer.
For the unbeliever, it’s still a struggle. But the unbeliever doesn’t even know he’s in a fight: he gets beat up in the battle, but doesn’t really know why.
Are you tired of having the vague (or not-so-vague) feeling that you’re losing at life?
It’s not yet too late to turn life around (repent).
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”
—2 Corinthians 4:3
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
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- THE WORLD: Futility of Men Exalting Men
- Workers of Iniquity: In an End Times Tight Spot
- Workers of Iniquity: Always Looking Over their Shoulders
- End Time Rising: Running out of Time
- End Times Survival, End Times Preparation
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
images:
1- ETPR/naypong, FreeDigitalPhotos.net/ETPR
2- ETPR
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