Has the devil been relieved of his job?

The Bible tells us that one of the devil’s main roles is to be the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10).

Unfortunately, it seems that he no longer has to do the job himself because some of us Christians have taken over that role!

Today, my heart was broken when I heard how two very well-known "preachers" had begun mocking one another on social media. In the process, derogatory words were used that brought dishonour to the name of our Lord. 

Where was the fruit of the Spirit? Where were the love, gentleness and self-control that should characterise those who claim to serve Christ?

What we witnessed was not the fruit of the Spirit, but the works of the flesh.

Hearts were broken, families were saddened, and the Church of Jesus Christ was put to shame. Meanwhile, the enemy must have been delighted.

James 3:10 reminds us: - Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

How can we bless God with our mouths and then use those same mouths to tear down His servants? How can we preach about the love of Christ while speaking words that wound, humiliate and destroy one another?

Paul gives us a solemn warning in Galatians 5:15 - But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Sadly, sometimes we seem so determined to defeat one another that we forget who the real enemy is.

What happened to the example of Jesus?

Let us remember how Jesus responded when He was mocked, falsely accused and humiliated.

Isaiah 53:7 says: - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.

When Jesus was insulted, He did not retaliate with insults. When He was mocked, He did not respond with mockery. When He suffered, He did not threaten His accusers.

As 1 Peter 2:23 tells us, He entrusted Himself to the One who judges righteously.

What a contrast to what we sometimes see today!

When criticised, we criticise in return. When mocked, we mock back. When wounded, we look for words that will wound others even more deeply.

But just because someone has wronged us does not give us permission to respond in a way that dishonours Christ.

Jesus' silence was not weakness. He knew who He was, and He entrusted Himself to His Father. There are times when truth must be spoken and wrongdoing must be corrected. But even correction must be done with humility, love and a desire to restore—not with pride, ridicule or a desire to destroy.

We must ask ourselves: Are we following the example of Jesus, or are we becoming like those who hurt us?

Who is really winning?

We often talk about the devil prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Yet, when believers turn against one another, he may not even need to do much. We are already inflicting wounds on the Body of Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, we do not need more external enemies when we are busy destroying one another from within.

I can almost picture the devil sitting back, smoking a cigar and enjoying a stiff drink, celebrating an unseen victory—not because he has defeated the Church from the outside, but because we have weakened our witness from within.

Of course, this is an illustration, but the tragedy it portrays is real.

The greatest damage is not always done by those who oppose the Church, but sometimes by those who claim to represent Christ.

When Christians attack one another, the Church does not win. The enemy does.

This does not mean that we should never disagree or correct one another. Biblical correction is necessary. But there is a difference between speaking the truth in love and using the truth as a weapon to humiliate someone.

Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak “the truth in love.” Galatians 6:1 reminds us that when someone is caught in a fault, those who are spiritual should restore that person in a spirit of gentleness.

Our goal should never be to destroy a fellow believer's reputation, but to uphold the truth, seek restoration and bring glory to God.

We must remember that the people we attack are not merely our opponents. They are people for whom Christ died.

Let us stop doing the devil's work

Before we speak, let us examine our hearts. Before we publish that post, make that comment or utter those harsh words, let us ask ourselves:

• Will my words glorify Christ?
• Will they build up the Church or tear it down?
• Am I seeking to restore my brother or sister, or am I simply trying to win an argument?
• Will my response reflect the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh?

May God forgive us when our words have wounded His people. May He restore broken relationships, heal saddened hearts and teach us to disagree without dishonouring one another.

Let us stop doing the devil's work for him.

The devil is the accuser of the brethren. Let us not become his volunteers.

May our words reflect the character of Christ, our conduct demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, and our lives bring honour to the name we profess.

After all, Jesus gave us this reminder in John 13:35: - By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

The world is watching us. It is not merely listening to what we preach; it is watching how we treat one another.

Has the devil been relieved of his job? May the answer be a resounding NO—not because we have taken over his work, but because we have chosen to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ.