The Devil Made Me Do It!

"We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him."
1 John 5:18

From the beginning of time, people have been blaming the devil for their conduct. Adam and Eve were the first. After being tempted by the serpent, they succumbed to his lies and ate the forbidden fruit. Today, people continue to blame him for sin. Although he certainly is the author of sin and lies, we have been brought from death to life through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. We are born of God and we no longer can blame the devil for sin.
    I am learning that the cross of Christ is more than enough. After being a Christian for thirty five years, I am just now beginning to understand that I don't have to live with sin any longer. It has all been paid for at the cross. Although I may do sinful things, sin no longer reigns in me. Every sin I have committed and will commit, has already been forgiven. As I count myself dead to sin every day, I am participating in the cross of Christ. Anything short of this empties the cross of its power. I refuse to give the devil any credit or blame. Sin is no longer an issue. It is a non-event. I have been set free and my goal is holiness which is brought about because of the righteousness I already have in Christ. I will no longer say, "The devil made me do it."
    I hear Christians say that the devil is harming them. They say that he is taking advantage of them, causing them to be depressed, causing them to be physically ill, destroying relationships, and generally messing up their lives. Unless I am misreading this scripture, it tells us that we cannot be harmed by the evil one. Why? Because we have been born of God, and the One who was born of God first, Jesus keeps us safe from the onslaught of the enemy. It is time to stop saying, "The devil made me do it." It's time to stop declaring that the enemy is destroying us. It is now time to declare with all the authority of Christ, that we are without sin and we are kept safe in the arms of Christ. Sin doesn't master us and the devil does not own us. We are set free and in full authority over sin and the devil.
    I urge you to rethink your position on the devil. He isn't in authority over you and he cannot harm you. Are you born of God? If so, your sins are gone and the devil is positioned under your feet. It is a mistake to give the devil too much credit or too much blame. We live in a world that is controlled by sin and is under the influence of the enemy. But we are not! This is what separates us from the world. If we make choices to accept the position we have in Christ, we will live in victory over the enemy. I am not suggesting that the devil doesn't exist or that he isn't trying to harm us. He is. But the reality is this: He can try all he wants, but those who are born of God are untouchable. All we must do is agree with who we already are.