THE DEVIL HAS NOTHING TO OFFER YOU

11 HAS ANY NATION EVER TRADED ITS gods FOR NEW ONES, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT gods AT ALL? YET MY PEOPLE HAVE EXCHANGED THEIR GLORIOUS GOD FOR WORTHLESS IDOLS!
12 The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the LORD.
13 “FOR MY PEOPLE HAVE DONE TWO EVIL THINGS: THEY HAVE ABANDONED ME—THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER. AND THEY HAVE DUG FOR THEMSELVES CRACKED CISTERNS THAT CAN HOLD NO WATER AT ALL!"
Jeremiah 2:11–13 (NLT)

• Whatever you give your affection more
than God has become another god.

• Israel forsook God because of comfort. You may not literally have one molten image or effigy you are bowing for as an idol, but whatever has taken the place of God in your heart has become another god.
• Your work, or material possession, can become an idol. People serve or worship the idols of money, fame, political position, and power, in the contemporary time.
• Many people are pursuing wealth at the expense of their relationship with God.

• The Israelites wanted to copy other nations, and serve their gods. They forsook God and embrace the gods of other nations and turned their back at the God who brought them out of Egypt: "THE PRIESTS DID NOT ASK, ‘WHERE IS THE LORD?’ THOSE WHO TAUGHT MY WORD IGNORED ME, THE RULERS TURNED AGAINST ME, AND THE PROPHETS SPOKE IN THE NAME OF BAAL, WASTING THEIR TIME ON WORTHLESS IDOLS" (Jeremiah 2:8 NLT).
READ: Jeremiah 2:5,6

• Many Believers today want to live and copy the pattern of the world like the Israelites of old. The things and pattern of the world appeal to them. Some claim to have left or forsaken the world but they are yet to be weaned from the things, affection, of the world. They still crave and long for what the world does (1 John 2:15-17).
• When you give your affection to other things rather than God, It suggests that you have abandoned Him.
• You might say you did not mean to abandon God in your heart, but when the time and the resources you ought to use for God is being used or diverted to other things, you have already abandon Him.

• The two wrong or evil things which God said the Israelites did were:
a. they abandoned Him, the fountain of living water;
b. and they dug for themselves broken or cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.

• You may not utter it with your mouth that you are abandoning God, but when you started chasing shadows, the things of the world at the expense of your relationship and communion with Him, you have already abandoned Him.
• When you no longer see God as your source, you heart and trust is in how you can labour or make efforts to get whatever you want, whether such is approved or not by God, which usually would not be done before by you; you have already dug for yourself a broken or cracked cistern.
• Your efforts without God would amount to a waste. A human effort without God would lead to frustrations and regrets (Psalm 127:1).
• God's pattern for His children, the Believers, is always different from that of the world. God planned your life, He is the only One Who can help you in fulfilling it.
• Whatever you honour than God is a broken or cracked cistern. Greatness and fulfilment you are looking for could only be found in God.

• When you exchanged the true living God for another god.

• Another god being talked about is the devil. He might come in various forms which you would not know that It is still the same old devil.
• I have seen some who claimed to be atheists. They said they do not believe in the existence of God or the devil. They claimed not to believe in the supernatural. But the truth is, whether they do believe it or not, If a person's allegiance is not for God, the person is automatically for the devil. And the devil has nothing good to offer anyone: "THE THIEF DOES NOT COME EXCEPT TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY" (John 10:10 NKJV).
• The Israelites exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
  Many people today, because of political position, wealth, fame or whatever their ambition is, have gone to the devil for help—to receive power.
• The devil would not give anything without sorrow being added to it: "THE BLESSING OF THE LORD MAKES ONE RICH, AND HE ADDS NO SORROW WITH IT" (Proverbs 10:22 NKJV).
• Idolatry is a snare, and It enslaves: "THEIR SORROWS SHALL BE MULTIPLIED WHO HASTEN AFTER ANOTHER god; THEIR DRINK OFFERINGS OF BLOOD I WILL NOT OFFER, NOR TAKE UP THEIR NAMES ON MY LIPS" (Psalm 16:4 NKJV).

• The devil is advanced in his operations now. There are cults in different part of the world today. They claimed to be Christians. They use Christian phraseologies or styles but they are not of God.

• Some places which are called churches are shrines. What they do in such places are contrary to the Bible. Although, there might be supernatural manifestations in such places, but not all supernatural manifestation is of God (Acts 16:16,17).
• The devil is a supernatural being, he could also appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Thus, those who operate with demonic powers could perform or demonstrate supernaturally:
  "FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL WORKERS, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO APOSTLES OF CHRIST" (2 Corinthians 11:13 NKJV)

"THOSE PEOPLE ARE FALSE APOSTLES. They do not work in an honest way. THEY TRY TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK THAT CHRIST HAS SENT THEM AS HIS APOSTLES."
2 Corinthians 11:13 (EasyEnglish Bible)

• Whatever is contrary to the written Word, the Bible, is fake. Do not because of what you want or a pressing need in your life, abandon God and follow other gods. The person or those who do such would have their sorrows multiplied (Psalm 16:4).

• God is the Fountain of living water. His way might seem slow, but it is still the best.

• Whoever is not pleased or satisfied or contented with what God is doing in his or her life, and hastens after other gods would later regret.
• God would allow you If you want to go in the way of the world, but the consequences would be terrible and calamitous.
• Are you in God? Have you given your life to Jesus Christ? If you had, how is your relationship and fellowship with God?
• I want you to answer the above questions personally in your heart and take the right step, and do the needful.

• You will not regret at the end of your journey on earth in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• That hold of sickness is completely broken in your life in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based 1 in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!

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