Do not borrow yourself to Satan.
Satan needs agents. He has been advertising for ages! He needs agents: the people he can use (either temporarily or permanently) to execute his evil plans in this world. Do not borrow yourself to him. Just as we read about the people God used in the scripture; there are many who Satan used as well. The commonest traits, attributes of those who get used by Satan are those who covet other people's property, position, status, belongings, etc.
The opposite of covetousness is contentment. Contentment is satisfaction. Throughout the entire scripture, most of the operations of Satan through men and women had been through the sin of covetousness. One form of covetousness is envying what other people have, and wishing that they lose those things for you to have it. You can covet other people's achievements. You envy who they are, and wish that they become nobody for you to become somebody.
We read about Cain, who murdered his brother (Abel). "Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him." (Genesis 4:8). It was because God had respect to the sacrifice of Abel. But God rejected Cain's offering. That was why Cain killed his brother. Cain envied his brother. He coveted what God did for Abel. He did not want such great thing to happen in the life of another person except him. So he killed his brother.
We also read of Achan, who stole accursed treasure from the camp of Ai:
"Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia,of two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” (Joshua 7:19-21).
Achan confessed to Joshua how he had coveted the accursed treasure of Ai.(Joshua 7:1-26).
Achan wanted to be rich. And he wanted it quickly! So, he stole what belongs to someone else.
We read about King Ahab and his wife (Queen Jezebel). King Ahab held the highest position in the country. He was the President. He had several landed properties. He had wealth. Yet he was not satisfied until he and his wife plotted to kill a poor man over some plots of land, meant for growing vegetables! Can you imagine killing someone over vegetables? The wife of Ahab (Jezebel) masterminded this evil. She controlled the entire kingdom with her witchcraft. She plotted against Naboth. She paid false witnesses to appear in court against Mr. Naboth. Thereby, the king and his wife strip Naboth of his vineyard due to covetousness!
"Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?” He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” (1 Kings 21 :1-7). We can see how covetousness can destroy.
We were told the story of Judas who sought for an opportunity to betray Jesus: "...What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over". (Matthew 26: 15-16). "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over." (Mark 14:10-11). "He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present." (Luke 22:6).
The truth is that Judas has been a covetous person ever before he betrayed Jesus. It was because he had a trait of covetousness in him that the devil found him as his perfect candidate to be used against Jesus. Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.(Luke 22:3). We were told that Judas has been stealing from the treasury ever before he even sold his loyalty for some pieces of silver. "Then Mary took about a pinta of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”(John 12:3-8).
The covetous Satan
It is almost impossible for the devil to operate through anyone who is contented!
I said that for a reason which you will understand in the course of this study. Why do we have to learn from Achan's story? It is because that man died of covetousness. Why must we learn from Judas because it is not enough to carry the title of apostle! Covetousness crept into the heart of this apostle! Why do we have to learn from King Ahab's experience? Because you may be Mr President who have everything, yet unsatisfied!
It does not matter who you are (Whether you are ordinary man like Achan, or you are anointed Minister of the gospel as Judas. Maybe you are a royalty like King Ahab. Covetousness is subtle. And it can creep into your heart if you are not watchful. Satan himself fell from Grace because of coveteousness. He was cast out of heaven because he coveted the throne of God(Isaiah 14:12-19). He rebelled in an attempt to get the throne of God. He waged war against God and lost. "And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back" (Revelation 12:7). So, what could have made this archangel rebelled against God? The answer is not far-fetched. It is called covetousness. Satan wanted to sit up there. He wanted to be the one whom all angels bow down to worship. He wanted all creation under his feet. He wanted to rule and reign in place of God. He envied how God rule magnificently in the affairs of men and of angels. He became resentful and prideful. He rebelled in heaven. He was beaten and cast down to earth!
Covetousness as a doorway of Satan.
Why do we have to take the story of Ananias and Sapphira seriously? It is because even in the happiest marriage, covetousness can creep in. A spouse may be thinking that s/he deserves more than what he or she is getting. And people don't realize what they have until they lose it. In the book of Acts 5, we were told of how the couple (Ananias and Sapphira) coveted what belongs to God. They lied to the Holy Spirit and died.
The profound thing is that in the case of Achan, God Himself said that Achan was not the only one who sinned. God saw the sin as a national sin. The surprising thing in the case of Ananias and Sapphira was that the Holy Spirit is unseen. Yet He saw everything that happened on that location. It was Peter and other church members who was physically present but judgement came down from God instantly! So much to prove to us that even in the new testament church, no covetousness was tolerated! Why will Peter say that they had lied to the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit was present with them. The Holy Spirit is present with us today as well. Remember that Jesus said that He will send us the comforter who will be with us. After His resurrection and ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to abide with the believers. Although, we may not see Him physically. He is here.
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26). This is why we were warned never to give room to the devil. It is because we can grieve the Holy Spirit of God. "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30). "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Satan is covetous. And he would try to plant that seed of covetousness into your heart. You must watch out. Do not tolerate him. We must resist the devil and he will flee from us. "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7). The first phase is to submit and surrender your life to God through Jesus who died and rose again for your sins. The second phase is to resist the devil. You cannot have the power to resist the devil if you have not surrendered your life onto God. This is the secret of dealing with the devil.
