Giving Place to the Devil

"Neither give place to the devil" (Eph. 4:27). 

I was especially impressed with the above words. If we modernize them they would read as follows: "Do not leave room for the devil." It is to be remembered that Satan does not cease to annoy us because he is cast out of our hearts, but as the Bible says, "The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

We all no doubt have heard the fable of the camel who just wanted to get his nose under shelter, but on being permitted to do so, kept pushing in until the whole camel was under. So, is it with the devil. Even after we are sanctified wholly, if we do not steadfastly resist him he will crowd his way back into our hearts and lives. Notice a few ways of "giving place to the devil."

First: By attempting to fight him with carnal weapons I once heard of a brother who was a door keeper at the church. One evening, during the service, some rowdies interrupted the meeting, and instead of this dear brother going at the matter of disposing of them quietly and level-headed, he began to tussle with them and jerked them around, hence the devil got stirred in them to the extent that they almost broke up the meeting. Besides, this brother lost his hold upon God, and is no doubt a backslider until this day. We must never try to fight the devil with the same weapons that he is using on us; if we do, he will defeat us every time. Jesus taught this lesson in His sharp rebuke to Peter when he rashly cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Reader, ever bear this in mind, you cannot fight Satan with carnal weapons, but by faith, prayer, and fasting.

Second: The next way of giving place to the devil is for us to go too close to the thing that is a temptation to us. Reader, you must ever keep at a distance from all sin, and as one has well said, "Do not venture on sin, because Christ hath purchased a pardon. That is a most horrible abuse of Christ. For this very reason there was no sacrifice under the law for any wilful sin, lest people should think they knew the price of sin, as those do who deal in popish indulgences."

A third way of giving place to the devil (i. e., leaving room for him to discourage us) is to allow ourselves to go too deeply into debt. Of course in some instances we cannot avoid going in debt to a certain extent, but for us to plunge unnecessarily in debt is wrong. What saith the scripture on this point "Owe no man anything, but to love" (Rom. 13: 8).

A fourth way of giving place to the devil is for a housewife to neglect, though a holy woman, her home duties, by not mending her unsaved husband's clothing or not having his meals ready when he comes from work. Many a Christian woman makes her home unpleasant and her crosses heavy by not doing her duty at home, and hence it gives the devil an opportunity to incense her unsaved family against her and the religion she professes. This same thought applies to the brethren as well; Oftentimes the brethren neglect assisting the wives with the children and in various other ways, thus overbearing and pressing them until they become as cross and crabbed as setting hens. Then they will go out and complain to the saints, "what a heavy cross they have at home," etc., etc., while at the same time they were the instigators of the heavy cross. They neglected their duty and thus gave place to the devil. Therefore, I do not think any such men are objects of pity.

Fifth: The next way of giving place to the devil is for one, in giving his testimony, to publicly tell his faults, failures, and weaknesses. Some one has said that "the devil does not know everything about us unless we tell him." Hence for one to get up in the class or testimony meeting and tell all of his weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings, only gives the devil and criticizing people a club to break over his head (so to speak). You must tell the people in testimony of your joys and victories, but tell God in secret prayer of your shortcomings and needs.

A sixth way of giving place to the devil is for us to attempt to reprove or rebuke a sister or brother when they are under pressure, or when we ourselves are tempted and under pressure. At such times we generally do more harm than good.

May the Lord bless and help us to keep every door barred tightly, so as to not leave room for the devil.