The Tale of Two Voices

"The Tale of Two Voices"

The cartoon comics that depict two characters standing on a man's shoulders is not far from the truth. The devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. These two voices are used for guidance and conscience. Sadly, in most of the cartoons I have seen, the main character listens to the devil which leads to a tragic, yet humorous, string of events.

However, the reality of this scenario in real life is indeed tragic but rarely, if ever, humorous. Satan is a voice constantly speaking to you, and the other voice is not that of an angel but of an Almighty God. We do have a choice as to which voice we will listen to. One will bring us to total destruction and the other complete victory.

Take Adam and Eve for an example. God, Himself, told Adam and Eve that they were His precious creation. He gave them everything. The animals were theirs to name and to care for. EVERY tree in the garden was theirs to eat from. All but one. God gave Adam and Eve total abundance, far more than enough and way beyond what they really needed. They were perfect as He was perfect and without sin which made them immortal. They would go on living with God in their Utopia forever. It was the only Utopia that ever existed here on earth. God showed them His great and eternal love and gave them far beyond what they could dream or even imagine. The only stipulation was to not eat of "The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil". They only had a concept of good and absolutely NO concept of evil. With this commandment, God gave Adam and Eve yet another gift that Satan chose to use against them. The gift of freedom and liberty. The gift of free choice.

Satan, hating God and all that He created, used this one small opportunity to strike. Here is the age old statement of rebelliousness. It was the first declaration used to tear man away from God, and the enemy continues to use this statement against God's children today. Are you ready to hear it? Here it goes.... "Did God really say.....?" Questioning God's word comes first. "Did God really say you shouldn't eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?"... Then comes the contradiction. "You won't surely die!"

WHAT?!?! The audacity of Satan to question and then contradict the Word of God Almighty. Well, it is not hard to see the results of listening to the voice of the enemy. We all know how the story of Adam and Eve turns out. The sad thing is that throughout the ages, God seems to be the one blamed over and over again for the harm of that one choice.

Be on guard! Satan is not original. He is playing this same game with you today. DO NOT listen to him. He will:

1. Question God's Word

2. Contradict God's Word

3. Tempt you over and over again

4. Let YOU make the choice to sin

5. Shame you for your sinful choice

6. Taunt you to the point of despair

7. Laugh at you when you are at your lowest

8. Give you ideas on how to end it all

DO NOT play this game with Satan. The easiest way to escape this downward spiral is to stop it before it even starts. Be in the Word of God and ask God for understanding. That way when Satan tries to get you to question God's Word, you can immediately turn away and stop listening. But, what if you are in the middle of his lies? Verbally stop Satan in his track. Say, "NO MORE! I will no longer listen to any of your lies, Satan. I choose to only listen to the voice of God." Then, immediately grab a Bible and begin to read. Start with something easy like the Psalms, New Testament, or turn straight to the book of John.

Perhaps, it is even worse for you. Maybe you are at the bottom, and you are in such despair you don't want to go on. Take a minute right now, stop everything you are doing, and look to God. Call out to Him and ask Him to save you. You are not beyond His reach and never away from His love. The only thing separating you from the Glory of God is your choice. Choose God. Let His love for you save you. Open your heart and your mind to God and be saved and become new in Him. He will show you how to shut out the voice of the devil and how to open yourself up to Him, His love and ultimately His eternal and complete victory.

Warriors can be struck down, but they do not stay down. They rise up in the strength of God. They fight to regain the liberty that Satan has stolen.They live in the victory of their all powerful God through and by the blood of their brother, Jesus Christ.

Don't listen to the enemy. Listen to your God and WIN!!