If I Were The Devil
Now if you were the Devil (Satan, Lucifer), and you are limited by being created without the omniscience of God and you can only be in one place at a time; the same being true of your demon (fallen created angels) followers, where would you make your attack on humans to have the most impact? What would be your schemes and wiles?
Paul Harvey was a brilliant radio broadcaster. His, "And now you know... the rest of the story" was legendary. In 1965 he produced, "If I Were the Devil." Sixty years later, his predictions sadly have proven to be reality.
“If I were the devil … I’d engulf the world in darkness but wouldn’t be happy until I seized the ripest apple on the tree: the United States.
If I were the devil... I’d subvert churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.”
To the young, I would whisper, ‘The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide -what’s bad is good, and what’s good is bad. To the old, I would teach them to pray, “Our Father, which art in Washington…”
Then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors on how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the devil, I’d have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed from within. With promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.
If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline their emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, judges promoting pornography, and soon… I could evict God from the courthouse, from the schoolhouse, and from the halls of Congress.
And in His own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money.
If I were the devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who want until I had killed all incentives of the ambitious.
And what do you bet -I could get states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against hard work and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned and that what you see on the TV is the way to go.
If I were the devil, I’d just keep on doing what he is doing.” (End of Paul Harvey’s discourse)
The gospel truth of redemption through Jesus Christ offers freedom from such bondage: "to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God" (Acts 26:18).The problem of the Devil's binding, hindering, and restricting influence does not end at our acceptance of Christ as our salvation. Many believers (though headed for Heaven) are still bound in areas of their thinking and behaving. They are still influenced by the enemy's lies. They cannot make the liberating confession: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11). Ignorance of the enemy's tactics will persist in the lives of those who do not know (or will not yield to) God's liberating truth.
God has provided an offensive weapon for each of us to fight these ongoing battles of spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:17 “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”, all who are willing to embrace the truths of God's Word will enjoy more and more freedom from the enemy's lies. John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They will grow in understanding of, and reliance upon, the victorious purposes of Jesus' coming to this earth. “For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8 ). Do not fear the Devil, his ongoing battles to control your thoughts and actions today with lies and deception can be defeated with the truth of the powerful and living Word of God.
The war against the Devil and his followers has already been won at the cross (Colossians 2:14-15, Hebrews 2:14). His demise is already written by his Creator in Revelation 20:10 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire…and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
The testimony of all who believe in the gospel's truth is this: "God has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:13).
