It is not an uncommon thought or comment to say that “the devil sure must have a hold on someone” if that particular person is going through some rough times. Perhaps most who watched any television in the early ‘70s remembers Flip Wilson in comedic form saying that “the devil made me do it” to whatever problem he (though dressed in character as a woman) experienced. Everyone laughed, of course. But was it really funny? There is no doubt that scripture tells us that man can be possessed by demons and it is even obvious that sinful man, though saved by grace, can be influenced by demons. However, a person filled with the Holy Spirit cannot be possessed by demons. Too many saved people have been influenced by demons and fallen, though never losing salvation.
However, I think, sometimes that we give the devil too much credit. We forget that God actually has Satan on a leash allowing him to “devour whom he may” but only as God allows. What we seem to conveniently forget is that pre-salvific man is totally depraved in his natural state. In other words, natural man is already bad off, although he may not be as bad as he could be at any given time. So, if man is already bad, as scripture says, then sinful man may not need to have the “devil take hold” of him. Having said that, though, scripture does tell us that depraved man is “…of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…” (John 8:44) and I John 3:10 mentions “…and the children of the devil…” So, it cannot be refuted that the devil has control of some people. But he does not possess the saved because they are filled with the Holy Spirit through regeneration. Influence, he may, but the saved person has the Holy Spirit to help him out of sin no matter how far into sin he falls. And this is where man’s natural and sinful will comes in as God allows through His permissive will. Why God allows such sins we may not fully understand but we can see clearly from scripture that unregenerate man is sinful on his own. And if unregenerate man is sinful on his own then the devil can just sit back and laugh because he does not need to help man self-destruct. He is perfectly capable of sinful acts without the help of the devil or anyone else. Scripture validates this point.
Genesis 8:21 – “…for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth…”
Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Psalm 58:3 – “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.”
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Mark 7:22 – 24 – “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
John 3:19 – “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
Romans 5:12 – Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 – “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
It is plain from scripture that natural man is sinful, evil and has no desires within himself for God. Yes, Satan plays a role but because of sin man is capable of evil thoughts and actions on his own. What seems to be left out of the equation in the conversation is man’s responsibility. When the lost sinner dies and stands before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgement Seat, he will not be able to use the excuse that “the devil made me do it.”
