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Day 235 Proverbs 21:24 Proverbs 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who deals in proud wrath. 25 The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor. 26 He covets greedily all the day long: but the righteous gives and spares not. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind? 28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that hears speaks constantly. 29 A wicked man hardens his face: but as for the upright, he directs his way. 30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. You don’t often think about the personality traits of wicked people, yet you know what they are like. They are the opposite of an honest person. Everything they do, they do with intent to hurt or destroy others. Their counsel is their own. They justify their actions by how people offend them and their ideals. They stir up trouble wherever they go. Satan loves people like that and will feed their personality traits with his own. He takes innocent people and gives them a thought, an acceptable innocent thought, feeding their vanity and pride, and gradually increasing those thoughts until the road of destruction yawns before them, but they do not see it because Satan has so clouded their vision that they believe they are living the good life. It doesn’t take much for his lies to permeate an innocent life. Eve was a good example of perfect innocence being taken in by Satan’s lies. Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (KJV) Solomon knew the subtlety of Satan’s wicked schemes, and he knew what God demanded of his people. As king of Israel, his duty was to read the Law of Moses every day, to keep it at the forefront of his mind. In doing so, he could see how Satan infiltrated the lives of God’s chosen people. He told the people what they were doing to themselves when they listened to Satan’s schemes and lies, and he told them that only God gave good counsel and would keep them safe from every lie Satan told them. As Christians, you have the Holy Spirit living in you, giving you discernment when Satan comes around with suggestions that do not line up with the Word of God and would lead you down the destructive path. The Holy Spirit keeps your eyes open, so you can ward off those schemes and stay on the narrow path leading to eternal life. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. If you arm yourself with God’s armor every day, you will not fall victim to Satan’s schemes. Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, the empty tomb proclaims your salvation. Satan doesn’t want you to remember what Jesus did, and will lead you astray by any means possible. Don’t let him. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (KJV) Are you armed and ready for battle? Wicked people do not stand a chance against a child of God. Let’s pray: Father, let your Holy Spirit show me when Satan is directing my thoughts, and leading me on the destructive path. Keep my mind and heart free from Satan’s snares, as I put on the armor of the Word of God, resisting every temptation Satan would bring my way. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 2 May 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay