“⁴³ Why do you (Jews) not understand My (Jesus) speech? even because you cannot hear My Word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. ⁴⁵ And because I tell you the truth, you believe Me not.” John 8:43-45

The religious yet unconverted Jews could not understand the Word of God and neither can the religious but unconverted today comprehend the Word of God. Such is why it is a fruitless task to debate Scripture with an unbeliever, the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 2:14).

As a Believer, we know the devil is a lie.  We know that he comes to kill, steal and destroy.  He is the devil and that is what he does.  However, do we understand that satan himself is grossly deceived?  Yes, he has read the back of the Book but he doesn’t believe what it says.  Deception is powerful and it’s very premise is to cause one to believe a lie.  The devil is the father of lies because he is so deceived himself.

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the Salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.”  2 Chronicles 20:17

Many give the devil more credit than he is due.  Please don’t misunderstand, satan is a powerful adversary who in fact has dominion over the unconverted man…just watch the news to see.  The Believer’s weapons are not carnal but mighty through God.  Our armor is God’s Armor and STAND in His Armor.  The only fight the Believer is called to fight is the fight of faith…faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:12).

“¹¹ Put on the whole Armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole Armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:11-13

What we, the “converted”, must also understand is that not only is it not our fight to fight…it’s not the devil’s either.  He is a defeated foe.  As a Child of God, we have been redeemed and our Redeemer has the power to possess that which belongs to Him, namely you and me…whosoever will believe.  Our Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus Christ, not only paid the price for our redemption, He also has the power to possess that which He has redeemed.

I want to say it again, the devil is indeed the father of all lies because he himself is in fact deceived.  The very purpose of deceit is to get one to believe a lie.  The fight satan is calling you to fight is not yours, but understand this…it is not his either.  The fight belongs to God, submit to HIM.  Fight the good fight of faith…faith in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ and the power He has through His finished work on Calvary’s Cross to possess that which He has redeemed. Be determined to know nothing else.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

The devil won’t flee unless we are submitted to God.  The fight is not ours, it belongs to God.

-Donna Clark Warren