Every day as believers we must make choices. The life we live today is the outcome of the choices we made yesterday. The future destiny we hope for lies in the choices we make before God today. Our faithfulness before God in overcoming today will give us greater opportunities tomorrow. Sometimes however, we listen to the lies the devil speaks and we choose to obey the lie and not the truth. When we obey lies we open a door to become used by the enemy. We become a weapon of the devil that he will use against the church. Sometimes the door that we open to become a weapon of the devil comes through our own unresolved heart aches. ” But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ” (James 3:13–16, NIV84)
Sometimes, as Christians, we come under attacks even as we have been diligently walking with God. We recognize the source of the attacks is the devil and we stand firm. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ” (Ephesians 6:12, NIV84) We overcome. Often, a key to overcoming is standing on this Scripture. “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. ” (Isaiah 54:17, NIV84)
What I want to consider is not the battle that we overcome, but what happens to those people who listen to the lies of the enemy and becomes the devils weapons against the church. The NASB versions says it like this. “”No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord. ” (Isaiah 54:17, NASB95) When our tongues speak against another brother or sister in the Lord, we are weapons of the devil. The Bible clearly says we cannot prosper. “One sinner destroys much good. ” (Ecclesiastes 9:18, NIV84) Our sin is a weapon the devil will use to destroy the church.
“The tongue has the power of life and death. ” (Proverbs 18:21, NIV84) If we bring death to another person by accusing words, we cannot prosper and we will reap death in our lives. There is an example of people who were in the church and trying to appear spiritual to others by walking in spiritual activity and gifts. “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘The Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’ For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the Lord. ” (Jeremiah 29:21–23, NIV84) In addition, “Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the […] ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has led you to believe a lie, this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants.” (Jeremiah 29:24–32, NIV84) If you speak a lie, if you prophesy a lie, if you speak from your own desires, you cannot prosper.
Sometimes when we find ourselves against a brick wall in our lives and we wonder why we cannot move forward, we should take the time to examine and look for the reason we are not prospering. Have we spoken against a brother or a sister in Christ? Have our words been less than encouraging? Perhaps in our hearts we have been unable to submit to our pastor and the authority over us. Have we spoken against the leaders in our church? Have we been a source of division or strife?
If we have, all we need to do is repent.
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. ” (James 4:6–10, NIV84)
So as we come to God in prayer, let our thoughts be like the psalmist. “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers. ” (Psalm 141:3–4, NIV84)
