The devil is usually 95% correct..

Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.--Matthew 4:11

 

The devil is not someone we can outsmart. He is not like the evil nemesis in a James Bond film. He is a fallen angel with powers that are unexplainable to our human thinking. When he tested Jesus in the desert he did something very interesting. He used scripture to try and persuade Jesus to do what he wanted. He never lied to Jesus, he just didn't tell the whole truth. He quoted the Psalms, Jesus' favorite book to quote. He told Him what he would do for him if Jesus simply did what humans before Jesus had done, worship him and his materialism, power, and greed. Jesus never argued with the devil. He simply responded with the full truth. He never explained anything to the devil. Jesus experienced what everyone one of us experience with the devil. The devil is usually 95% correct when he accuses us of something. We are liars, drunkards, thieves, mediocre Christians, self possessed, talented, good at what we do, etc.. Diablo tempts us to despair or feel false pride with his accusations, trying to distract us from the narrow road. And how we usually respond is how he wanted Jesus to respond. He wanted Jesus to settle for what he was saying and jump from the high place. He wants us to wallow in our weakness, or be prideful regarding our abilities, thus turning from the love of God to the emptiness of self, he wants us to grasp! We need to try something Jesus did. We don't need to argue with Satan, we need to take it to a higher level of truth. "Yes devil, I am a liar, a drunk, lukewarm, etc.. but, here is my rosary, and here is the crucifix, and here is the verse that says He is with me, and listen now to my cries for mercy! My hope is in the cross, and in His grace to finish in me what He started. Get thee behind me."

 

wkm