The righteous need to be careful because the righteous are trusting and sheep-like in their approach to spiritual warfare. Evil personalities possess a fierce drive toward gratification and dominion. Paul speaks more than once of those who come in and derive gain from unsuspecting believers. By flattery and enticing words they deceive the unwary. Their goal is to fatten their own stomach.

It may give us more of a desire to lead the overcoming life of victory in Jesus if we realize that whenever we sin we are giving worship to the devil. We are not stating that everyone who sins is devil-possessed. Nevertheless it is true that all sin has its origin in Satan.

If the Spirit of God brings to our attention that we are engaging in some lustful action, word, or imagination, and we refuse to allow Christ to deliver us and cleanse us, what are we really doing? Are we not choosing Satan over God?

If God has directed us to take some action, and we continue to refuse so we may gratify lusts which, according to I John 3:8, have their origin in the devil, are we not then servants of Satan?

Doesn't the Scripture state that he who commits sin is the servant of sin? Can we be a servant of sin and not be the servant of the devil?

The demand of Satan for worship is not so incredible after all. When we Christians practice gossiping, evil speaking, lust, fornication, lying, stealing, murderous rage, envying, personal ambition, conniving, revelry, we are yielding to Satan's demand for worship.

Let us answer Satan's demand for worship with a resounding No!

Let us, through the wisdom and enabling power of the Spirit of God, stop the evil practices, words, and thoughts with which we are occupied. We can stop sinning through the power of Christ.

Now, let us look at the complete text of I John 3:8:

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Christ was manifested in order to destroy the works of the devil. One of the first works of the devil that must be destroyed is the sinning that keeps Christian believers from fellowshiping with God.

God is worshiped when we do the things that please Him. Satan is worshiped when we do the things that please him. To whom, then, will we offer our service of worship—God or Satan?

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (I John 3:9)

The person who has been born of God is not continuing in a sinful way of life. This does not mean a believer should give up and go back into the world because the Holy Spirit or the Bible has reproved him concerning some sin in his or her life. Nor does it mean the sinning believer has never been born again of the Spirit of God.

To be continued.