Give the Devil No Foothold
The sermon emphasizes the importance of living a sin-free life to prevent the devil from gaining a foothold in our lives and families.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of not giving the devil any foothold in our lives, as stated in Ephesians 4:27. He warns that allowing sin, such as stealing or failing to forgive, can give Satan a grip on us, and stresses the need for full surrender to God, including our finances and relationships. Stegen also highlights the responsibility of parents to raise their children in the fear of the Lord, cautioning against enabling their sins. He encourages believers to live uprightly and to make restitution for past wrongs to maintain a strong relationship with God. Ultimately, he calls for a life of integrity and compassion to keep the devil at bay.
Text
"Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27).
Don't give the devil any foothold. God's Word says we must be perfect (Matt 5:48). Bless those who curse you. Do good to them who treat you spitefully.
How does the devil get a foothold in a Christian's life?
Satan should have no hold over a child of God. You should not fear him but he should fear you if you're truly a child of God.
However if you allow sin in your life, the devil will take your arm and twist it into his direction.
"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephesians 4:28).
If you steal you give the devil a foothold.
Someone might excuse himself that he has no money. You should not be lazy, but work and you will have enough.
You need to be faithful, even in financial matters. There is a saying that a person is saved until you touch his purse, then he forgets his Christianity and fights like an unsaved man.
These things quench the Holy Spirit. If you surrender to God it must be a full surrender; not that you keep your money or anything else from God.
What type of a surrender did you make to the Lord? Did you keep anything back?
If you want the Holy Spirit you must live upright; not like the unbelievers that do not know God.
Many children go to hell because their parents do not train them up in the fear and ways of the Lord as they should. There are exceptions to the rule, but in general, if a child goes into the world and forsakes the Lord, the parents are to blame.
How do you raise your children? By far more pornography is consumed on the cell-phone than in printed publications. How then can you give your child a cell phone and so send them to hell?
If you don't raise your children in a Godly way, they will make you old before your time with all their perversion and sins.
Many parents leave the Lord's way because of their children. They defend their children in their sin. Don't give the devil any foothold whether through your children or any other way. Do not side with your children in their sin.
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32).
If you're not compassionate to one another, then you give satan room. If you don't forgive you give the devil a foothold.
It doesn't mean that you must overlook sin, but when a person truly has remorse then you should forgive.
Satan should have no hold over you, but he gets the hold over you because of sin.
A certain African girl lived a promiscuous life, but then she got converted and repented of her sins and preached the Gospel. However, one day her old boyfriend grabbed her while she was on her way to church, dragged her to his house and locked her up there. When we wanted to open a case at the police station, one of the older women explained to us that we won't get anywhere opening a case against the young man. She had given him her handkerchief and never broke her allegiance with him by demanding it back, after she got converted. It is a custom amongst them that because of her handkerchief which he has, she still belongs to him.
It's the same with satan, if you reject him you must get rid of all his works in your life and home. Otherwise he still has a hold on you and will return and do with you whatever he likes.
If you every now and then fall into sin and don't get victory over sin then pray and ask the Lord if there's still any handkerchief of the devil in your life.
In 1952 there was a fiery preacher who shared how the Lord one day reminded him of money he borrowed from a friend at university and never returned. Immediately he wrote a letter to him asking for forgiveness and included even more money than he owed. That Sunday when he stood up to preach that man sat right in front in church, and he was so thankful that he made that right and could preach with authority.
May we make restitution and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to do whatever He asks of us.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Introduction to the concept of giving no foothold to the devil. - Understanding the importance of living a perfect life as per Matthew 5:48. - The consequences of allowing sin in our lives.
- II points: - The impact of financial integrity on spiritual life. - The need for full surrender to God. - The dangers of laziness and theft.
- III points: - The role of parents in raising children in the fear of the Lord. - The dangers of modern technology and its influence on children. - The importance of not siding with children in their sins.
- IV points: - The significance of compassion and forgiveness among believers. - The relationship between sin and the devil's hold on our lives. - The importance of making restitution and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Key Quotes
“Neither give place to the devil.” — Erlo Stegen
“If you don't raise your children in a Godly way, they will make you old before your time.” — Erlo Stegen
“If you reject him you must get rid of all his works in your life and home.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- Evaluate areas of your life where you may be giving the devil a foothold and take corrective action.
- Commit to raising your children with a strong foundation in faith and awareness of worldly influences.
- Practice forgiveness actively to maintain healthy relationships and spiritual integrity.