Give credit where credit is due

I often hear people say, "don't give satan too much credit," or something along those lines. For most everything, if not everything, credit is due to either satan or God. One or the other. You either love satan or God, serve satan or God, obey satan or God. People don't like to look at life this way. People don't want to recognize the fact that you have to serve someone, and if you aren't serving God, then you are serving the devil. Every time I make a step that is away from God, it is towards the devil. That's freaking scary. I don't EVER want to be walking towards the devil. I don't ever want to be obeying the devil.

My thoughts on "giving the devil credit..." We are using the wrong word. We should not give the devil credit because that implies he is doing something good. We should acknowledge the stronghold, his work in our lives. When we acknowledge that he is working, we acknowledge our need for Jesus to overcome. We need to ask God to "deliver us from evil." My amazing niece told me she listens to the song Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri when satan is lying to her. Perri did not write this song about satan, she wrote it about a lost love, but the lyrics apply. Even if satan hasn't literally "kissed" you, he has used his kiss of evil to work in your life.

There is an awesome hope though! He has no real power. He has no real stronghold. We are delivered from this evil one when we ask for deliverance.

"⁶ Listen to my cry,

for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
⁷ Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name." Psalm 142:6-7a