the quick change artist

satan is called many things in the Word. i met a young but wise pentecostal preacher on an airplane flying back from atlanta last october who called him a quick change artist. i sat next to him and in the aisle across from us were his wife and baby.  they are canadian but are new in a pastorate in whitehall arkansas of all places! we were talking about many things spiritual - it was a delightful conversation as i chatted mostly with him about their particular denominational beliefs since my granny and papa were not only pentecostal but my granny a preacher! 

we talked about spiritual warfare.  he said satan will tempt you to do something, lure you into sin, make it look so enticing and attractive. then as soon as you've done it, he'll step into the proverbial phone booth, change his clothes, come out as if a different person you won't recognize and then BAM! he'll turn right around, point the finger in your face and say you're so bad, you awful sinner you, you're the worst of the worst! how could you do that! i thought you said you were a christian! 

i'd never quite thot of it that way. what an apt description of how he operates!! of his m.o.  that ole accuser of the brethren, the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy, the adversary (the devil) who prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, the liar, the enemy, the one who masquerades as an angel of light, the evil one, the prince of this world, et al.

may the Lord bless this preacher and His family in their ministry here in arkansas, protect them from the quick change artist as they do His will among their flock and community of arkansans, and make us all wise to the wiles of the devil as we fight the spiritual warfare that goes on around us 24/7 (ephesians 6:12).  

isaiah 49:25 is very encouraging as we fight this warfare.  the Lord God tells us plain as day:  

I will contend with the one who contends with you.

surely that includes the contentious enemy, the quick change artist himself.