The Collected Works of Stanford E. Murrell

The Reality of the Devil

Because Martin Luther struggled so hard to find the way of salvation, his sensitive soul became keenly aware of the Devil. To Luther, Satan was a real person. He was not a power. He was not a “boogie man” created to scare people straight and to do good. The Devil was certainly not someone to be mocked as people in the 20th century have done.

Comedian Flip Wilson (1933–1998) made the world laugh at the Devil with a single phrase: “The Devil made me do it!” And the Devil laughed too because he knows that few will take someone seriously if they are the punchline for endless humor.

Martin Luther would not have laughed, or even smiled. Luther would not have bought Wilson’s 1970 record, “The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress,” which proved to be his most successful album—his highest-charting album, his only Gold record and his only Grammy Award.

Luther was so sensitive to, and aware of the presence of Satan that he often referenced the “unbridled assault” of the Enemy. On one occasion at the Wartburg Castle, he picked up an inkwell and threw it at the apparition of the Devil he believed had come to torment him.

While Luther did attribute his depression and mood swings to Evil Spirits, in more lucid moments he gave some godly counsel according to one biographer, Brian Allison. Allison reports:

“The devil sought to discourage [Luther], by making him feel guilty, through rehearsing a list of his sins. When the devil had finished, Luther purportedly said, ‘Think harder: you must have forgotten some. And the devil did think, and he listed more sins. When he was done enumerating the sins, Luther said, ‘Now, with a red pen write over that list, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.’ The devil had nothing to say.”

The Longing of a Convicted Heart

Like Luther, countless confessing Christians believe Evil Spirits, as servants of their father, the Devil, engage them in an unbridled assault to drag them to hell. Secret addictions and a “besetting sin” enslave the soul of sensitive believers. which leads them to question their salvation, and even to contemplate suicide. The mental anguish is real. The fear of damnation is palpable. The heart longs to be free of sin and integrated as a whole person. The charge of being a hypocrite rings silently but loudly in their spiritual ears.

The Limitation of Knowledge

What such troubled souls understand is this: knowledge is not enough. They know that heaven must come down if glory is to fill their soul. Like Luther, the heart of tormented souls long to tell about a day of divine deliverance. They want a song to sing which reflects their own spiritual reality.

O what a wonderful, wonderful day
Day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Savior I met.

O what a tender, compassionate friend,
He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart.

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;
My sins were washed away,
And my night was turned to day—
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

~John W. Peterson

The Need for Hope

For the Christian in a battle with the Devil resulting in eternal life or death, hope for victory is desperately needed. The gospel tells the Fallen Sons of Adam that hope is found in Jesus. Hope rests on mercy of God. Hope looks to the indwelling Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Hope is to be placed in the Word of God residing in the heart. The Psalmist said, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11, ESV). Hope is embraced by faith in the God who cannot lie and has promised to draw near to those who will draw near to Him in spirit and in truth.

And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:
and I will turn away your captivity,
and I will gather you from all the nations,
and from all the places whither I have driven you,
saith the Lord;
and I will bring you again into the place whence
I caused you to be carried away captive.

~Jeremiah 29:13-15

The Battle with the Devil

Because the Devil is a real personality that can influence the behavior of men and angels, a way has to be found to combat the Evil One, the Slanderer, the Old Serpent, originally known as Lucifer (lit. Morning Star; i.e. Venus, Isa. 14:12). Jesus provides the way to be delivered from temptation, and defeat the Devil. Victory begins by understanding that Satan is not just an evil force, but a real person.

Time and again Jesus spoke about a real Devil. The Gospels record the interaction of Jesus with the Devil.

• It was the Devil who tempted Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11).
• It was the Devil whom Jesus rebuked (Luke 8:29).
• It was the Devil who fathered children (John 8:44).
• It was the Devil hell was created for (Matt. 25:4).
• It was the Devil who entered Judas (John 13:27).
• It is the Devil who can appear as an angel of light (1 Cor. 11:14).
• It is the Devil who is a roaring “lion” (in imitation of Christ) (1 Pet. 5:8).
• It is the Devil (Evil One) from whom we must be delivered (Matt. 6:13).

The Pathway to Spiritual Freedom

If there is to be victory over the Devil the following must be practiced each day. When these spiritual disciplines are implemented, an abundant life of happiness and freedom will be enjoyed.

• Pray Each day, ask God to deliver you from the Evil One (Matt. 6:13).
• Resist Determine to resist the Devil; he will flee from you (Jas. 4:7).
• Memorize Store up Scripture in the heart (Ps. 119:11).
• Sing Speak with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit (Eph. 5:19).
• Protect Make no provision to do wrong (Rom. 13:14).
• Weaponize Put on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18).
• Have faith Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).
• Remember Remember the price of redemption paid for you (Eph. 1:7)
• Reflect Reflect not only who you are but whose you are (1 John 3:1).
• Guard Put a garrison around the heart (Phil. 4:7).
• Subjugate Bring every thought into captivity for Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
• Enjoy Taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8).
• Study Give yourself to seriously study the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15).
• Mediate Think about what the Bible says (Josh. 1:8).
• Confess Do not cover up any sin (1 John 1:9).
• Believe Believe in the love of God and the promise of eternal life (John 3:16).
• Rest Many temptations are better resisted when one is rested (Ps. 4:8).

“Every Christian is as spiritual as they want to be.”

~Leonard Ravenhill

Above all, remember the encouraging words from the Apostle Paul: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13, ESV).