Sermons

If I Were the Devil

Marc Nuessen, September 22, 2013
Part of the Other series.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 We need a dry bones revival now more than ever as the devil tightens his grip

4/3/1965 - PAUL HARVEY’S ‘IF I WERE THE DEVIL’ TRANSCRIPT
If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of it’s real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’
“To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’
“And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
“If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
“If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet? I could get whole states to promote gambling as thee way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work, in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing on what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day.”
If I were the devil, I would search out men and women that have a form of godliness but deny its power, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth (2 Tim 3:5-7). I would not have them stay home on Sunday, but have them crowd churches. I would have them applaud teachers that promote love as god instead of the other way around (2 Tim 4:3-4). I would have them sit back in their seats during calls for repentance, because repenting identifies sin, identifying sin is condemnation, and condemnation isn’t the politically correct way to show love as god (John 3:18-21).
If I were the devil, I would have my people lure others to neglect their first love, Christ (Rev 2:4), allowing dust to gather on the sacrament until it is forgotten. I would have my people applaud the unrepentant sinner for overcoming intolerance and overflow the collection plates of churches that prostituted themselves to supporting immorality (Rev 2:14, 23).
If I were the devil, I would weigh down the hearts of those alive in the Spirit with the weight of my lukewarm spiritual dead sitting in pews next to them (Rev 3:15-17). I would have my people ostracize those that speak of absolute truths, calling it hate speech, black or white offends but gray is harmless (Rev 2:10).
If I were the devil, when the trumpets are blown, I would gather those that are frightened and hiding (Rev 6:15-16). I would make them see God as a weak child using hail, fire, blood, poison, darkness, locusts, and wars as instruments of His tantrums (Rev 8-9). I would bolster men and women not to fall to their knees, but to stand firm against God and demand emancipation (Rev 9:20-21). I would call them my children, for I am their father (Matt 8:44).
If I were the devil, when God sends His witnesses, I would run them down, raising their dead bodies high while my children partied day and night at their feet (Rev 11:7-10). As my time grew short, I would lead my children in open war against Christ’s bride, eradicating Christians across the earth (Rev 12:12, 17).
If I were the devil, I would raise an immortal-like ally to blaspheme God’s power over life and death (Rev 13:3). I would empower a second ally to lead my children in worship of my own christ and enforce obedience by controlling all trade (Rev 13:13-17).
If I were the devil, as the bowls were poured with loathsome sores, waters of blood, burning heat, biting darkness, earthquakes, and boulders dropping from the sky, I would openly perform signs and wonders rallying my children behind me for a final coup to dethrone God (Rev 18:9-10).
In other words, if I were the devil, I would just keep doing what I am doing to make sure I won’t be eternally imprisoned alone (Rev 19:17-21). And that’s the rest of the story.
Ezek 37:1-6 God will breathe life into our dry bones so that we may know He is the Lord.

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