Matthew 10:26 – 33 ESV So have no fear of them for nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So, everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
I’m not much of a card player, but I’ve heard that in poker, a good bluff is just as effective as four aces if you can pull it off. If that is true, the devil would probably be one heck of a poker player because he is great at bluffing. In poker a bluff works because a player convinces the other players that he/she has better cards than they do. The devil’s bluffs work because he convinces people that he has more power than he does.
The Bible does not tell us exactly how much power the devil has. To be certain, he can cause us trouble if God allows (Job chapters 1 and 2). The keys are that the devil can only do what God allows and he cannot affect our eternity unless we fall for his deception. So, the devil bluffs us by telling us the consequences he can bring when we obey God are more significant than the consequences of not obeying God.
Obeying God does have consequences. It can break relationships. It can make you look foolish in the world’s eyes. There are even times it can cause the loss of a job. In some places imprisonment, torture, and death are real possibilities. Jesus doesn’t downplay these things. He simply puts the focus on what really matters – eternity.
Our brief time on this earth is not even a drop in a bucket compared to eternity. We have usually less than 100 years to live in these mortal bodies. Yet how we live determines where we will spend the next few billion years … and the few trillion years after that. The devil tries to convince us that trouble he can cause us, or the pleasure he can give us, in this lifetime is more significant that the rewards God will give us for forever after.
So if God calls you to share your faith don’t be concerned with looking foolish or offending someone, think of eternity. If honoring God at work causes trouble with your boss, think of eternity. If proclaiming to allegiance to God costs you your life, think of eternity.
Not only is eternity more important than the present, but God even has a better deal in the here and now. Living a godly life has plenty of rewards now. Peace, joy, guidance, wisdom, and security all are offshoots from a relationship with God right now. They are far better than anything the devil can give and worth any threat the devil can make.
The devil can bluff. He is great at it. God has truth and His truth is greater than the devil’s lies. Don’t fall for the deception. Keep your heart and mind focused on God and you will not be fooled by the enemy’s bluff.
Lord, keep me firmly in Your will. Don’t let me be blinded by the devil’s lies. No matter what the cost of serving You is, the rewards far outweigh it.