Young children say, “The devil made me do it.” What a lie! They do not live up to their responsibility for the sin. Sadly, some adults say that too. I’ve heard many Christians say the same.
The truth is that when I was tempted, I decided to submit to the sinful desires of my heart. To many times I hear Christians blame others including the devil for “evil thoughts” in their heads. The devil does not communicate to a Christian’s brain, at least I see nowhere in the Bible that teaches that. How can he if the Holy Spirit dwells in all Christians?
Neither is there an angel on one shoulder telling us to do good and a demon on the other trying to convince us so sin. Many passages states that we have a sinful nature (natural tendency) to follow the sinful desires in our heart.
When you sin, own up to it admitting you are the only one guilty of the sin and ask for forgiveness. Saying, “The devil made me do it,” is saying, “I am innocent of this,” which is a lie. Saying, “That thought comes from the devil,” is saying, “I am unable to think these kinds of sins,” which is a lie.
It is true that Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan.” However, he was not saying Peter was Satan, or that Satan possessed him. Just as when Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ moments before, he was not saying Peter was God; but rather God opened his spiritually blind heart.
When Peter tried to talk Jesus out of the cross Jesus was saying, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:33; Mark 8:33) When the sinful desires of the heart are in league with the devil’s desires, then fallen man can be called sons of the devil. (John 8:44)
