A single, mid-age lady, raising kids inherited due to another’s drug abuse and irresponsible lifestyle, was unloading her heart to pastor through tears. She was dealing with several situations that were very difficult at best. After a period of detailed disclosure of the various things going on, there was some counsel and guidance given that would hopefully help the seemingly impossible situations. Toward the end, with a little sparkle in her eye, the lady offered a bit of good news saying, “My neighbors don’t steal gas from me anymore.” “Wonderful! Praise God!” was the pastoral response. Then the lady continued, “Yeah, I put a cup of sugar and some diesel fuel in the two and a half gallon gas can. They quit stealing my gas. We didn’t have any mosquitoes around for a while.” We laughed, hoping the neighbor learned their lesson with no retaliation.
Satan is an oppressor. He often uses people through which to do his dirty work. Most of the time we don’t want to acknowledge that the devil is using us if we find ourselves guilty of making life rough on others. But the Word tells us that the wrestling match in which we are engaged in this life is not with flesh and blood, but with “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). It is easy to be a tool of the devil. It happens every day. That is why the Word instructs us to walk in love in the power of the Holy Spirit, putting to death the deeds of the flesh, so the spirit man of true peace, holiness, sound judgment and justice can operate for the blessing of all. The devil has a hard time using a Holy Spirit filled person who is walking in the love that will do no ill to his or her neighbor. If the devil is using someone on you, then some Word of God needs to be spoken to those spiritual forces behind it all. It will mess his operation up. “He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.”(Job 5:12). “For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform” (Psalms 21:11). “And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee” (Jeremiah 1:19). If the devil is robbing you of your gas, of your energy and joy in this life, then put some sugar and diesel of the Word in the can and let him chew and combust on that a while. When the smoke clears life will be a lot sweeter for you. God backs up his Word.