# How Satan usually kills

Key Passage: John 10:10
Date: June 7, 2024

With a church for years and years. And we’re glad they’re part of it all, for sure. John chapter number 10, if you would, please. John chapter number 10 in God’s word. John chapter number 10.

And one of our men last night, he said, “Now,” he said, “Pastor, do you know what you’re going to preach tomorrow?” We had our fellowship yesterday.

We were on the way home. He said, “Do you know what you’re going to preach tomorrow?” He said, “That’s probably a dumb question.” I said, “No, it’s not a dumb question. God sometimes changes things.” And friends, he jinxed me, I’m telling you. I was up early and I thought I had what the Lord wanted and started to get ready for church. And something about shaving changes a lot of things. You know, it gets the burrs off.

And sometimes the Lord works in your heart when you’re shaving. So I’m saying all that to say, it’s going to be more chaotic than it usually is—already chaotic, you know. And the Lord kind of changed everything this morning when I was shaving. But I believe this is what God would have for us. And so I hope you don’t judge the preaching, but try to get the truth, if you would, that God—I believe God wants us to focus on this morning. John chapter number 10.

Verse number 10. Now here’s what you’re thinking: “Well, good. He didn’t have no time to prepare this, so it’ll be short.” Come on now. I know, I know, I know how that goes. And if you’re a preacher, you know, sometimes the less prepared goes longer. Yeah, I heard those moans and groans out there. Oh, I heard that. Yeah, yeah. So you pray extra hard now, amen.

And because we want to get out and eat some fried chicken somewhere because we’re Baptist, you know. I mean, that’s part of it. But it is good to see everyone in the room here this morning. John chapter 10, we’re going to begin with just reading one verse, verse number 10. Would you please stand? John 10 and verse number 10.

And if you ever want to know what the devil’s all about, this is the verse that gives the goods on Satan right here. This is it. By the way, I went some of the different angles, but I wanted to preach on the devil in hell: What’s it going to be like, the devil in hell? And, you know, hell was created for the devil and his angels. And today is his high and holy day, the devil’s day. You know that?

And you check it out the websites. Which websites? Try to say that ten times in a row. How about that? They’ll be tripled today, no doubt about it. And so I was wanting to give—the Lord just used me to give the devil a black eye on his day. And so we feel like the Lord wants us to go a little different. But just, what’s the devil all about?

And really the title of it for the internet would be: How Satan Usually Kills. How Satan usually. Now, he’ll use every angle he can. I mean, he’ll go to the men’s fellowship and have us shoot each other yesterday, you know. But how the devil usually kills. But this verse here, we’re going to start with it, John 10 and verse number 10. The Bible says, “The thief”—that’s Satan—“cometh not, but for to steal.” Boy, by the way, he loves to steal God’s plan for your life away from you. He likes to steal your influence, your testimony. He likes to steal your peace and joy. He steals. For the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill. We’ll talk about the usual way he kills.

And to kill and to destroy. Now, how does he destroy? The ultimate of Satan destroying is sending someone to hell. God’s offered salvation for every single person in the world through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It’s available. But if Satan can convince us to not receive that gift, that’s his ultimate goal: destruction. Hell forever and ever and ever and ever. It’s not total annihilation. You don’t burn up. The Bible says the smoke of their torment is sent up forever and ever. That’s the saddest part about hell to me. No ending to it. What a sad thing. Satan is all about that. Still killed. So his ultimate goal is to take as many people to hell with him as he can.

Let’s just finish out the verse for verse’s sake. If you go, then we’ll pray and get going. “I am come,” Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Praise the Lord for the abundant life that’s found in Christ. That’s what He came to give you. Yes, that’ll equal heaven in eternity. I’m preaching on that a little bit here lately.

But abundant life—He wants to kind of have a foretaste of that here on earth. Well, this saying, Satan’s agenda, it’s a three-part agenda: steal, kill, and destroy. That’s what he’s all about. He never comes apart from these three things. That’s what he’s saying. Would you say those three things with me? Here we go: Steal, kill, and destroy. He’ll never come, he’ll never be around apart from those three things. That’s his agenda always. Steal. He cometh not but for to steal, to kill, and always—that’s what it’s always about. But the usual way he kills. I thought the Lord would just have us to deal with that: the usual way Satan kills.

Would you pray with me that God will work in our hearts this morning? Father, Lord, thank you for these people that came to Your house. Lord, for a lot of different reasons, but I believe many, if not all, at least part of the reason was to come in here from You. And so, Lord, I do pray, would You speak to a simple preacher? Lord, I’m trying to follow Your leading. And Lord, use this to grow us and strengthen us. Help us to be more what You have us be, and Lord, so Satan could not use us to kill. And Father, we’ll thank You. We’ll brag when You will, praise You for what You do. Father, we ask for this in faith because we’re asking on Jesus’ name and His merit. We’re asking. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Would you turn? We’re going to turn just a little bit more than maybe the typical in our Bible. We turn over to Proverbs chapter number 18. Proverbs chapter number 18, very quickly here. And I want you to see a verse. We’re going to try to tie the two together. Proverbs 18.

And once you find that, I’ll give you the verse in a second because if you give the verse right now, you’re not going to listen to the beginning of the verse. And I want to get your attention for a little bit more here. We’re in Proverbs 18. Now help me out. Help me out. Keep your finger there, but help me out. Satan, he doesn’t come apart from three things. It’s to what? It’s to kill. Kill. We’re focusing on the kill. Satan always comes to kill. And the typical way Satan kills. Now look, if you will, in verse number 21 of Proverbs 18, 21. If you’re there, would you say amen? Amen. Good. The Bible there says, “Death”—that sounds like killing—“death and life are in the power of the what?” Yeah. Now we’re getting to what I believe Satan uses more than anything to kill. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” By the way, if you just love the power of the tongue, that’s pretty scary, that thing. “And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

So we know part of Satan’s agenda is to kill, and then God tells us death—or killing—death and life is in the power of the tongue. Y’all still with me this morning? Stay with me just a little bit. Look over in Matthew chapter number 16. Matthew chapter number 16, if you would, please. And we’re going to find out what Jesus—that’s God in flesh, I mean, manifest in the flesh, God Himself—what He says when He calls someone Satan. Let’s find out what this person is doing. We’re in Matthew 16. Matthew 16, would you look down in verse number 21? Matthew 16 and verse number 21 of God’s word. You all still with me this morning? Good deal. Matthew 16, look in verse number 21, if you would, please.

And the Bible there says, “And from that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He, Jesus, must go into Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.” Now, honestly, they didn’t want to hear that. They wanted Jesus to sit on the throne, and He will one day, amen, but not at that time. And Jesus said, “Hey, before I get on the throne, I’ve got to go through this time. Well, I’m spit upon. I’m beaten. I’m bloody. I’m going to be nailed to an old rugged cross. I’m going to die. Now, hang on. I’m going to raise again three days later.” But they didn’t want to go through that time of suffering.

But Jesus is beginning to tell them and reveal more what’s going to happen. And watch what happens when He tells them that, verse number 22. “Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him.” That’s amazing to me that Jesus allowed Himself to be rebuked, but that’s what the Bible says.

Now, what’s the next word? It’s very important. “Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him.” What’s the next word? How do you say things? With your tongue, your words. Began to rebuke Him, saying, “Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee.”

Now watch what Jesus says—amazing. But He turned and said unto Peter, “Get thee behind Me.” What’s the next word? Satan.

Peter—Peter wasn’t trying to kill Jesus in the plan of God with a gun or a knife or a sword. Peter was using his tongue, his words. And Jesus identified who was behind it all. By the way, be smarter than a cat; be a dog. You say, “What in the world?” Oh, you cat lovers, you’re like, “Whoa.” You ever throw something at a cat? You know, they’ll look at that piece of paper, whatever you do it, they’ll look at that, they’ll go there. But a dog, typically, unless it’s a dumb dog—most dogs, in my opinion, are fairly smart. Boy, I’m getting on some of these pet owners, I’m sorry. We had a cat. I like cats too, you know. But look, you throw something at a dog, and typically a dog looks and sees who threw it. And Jesus saw beyond Peter, and He saw who was throwing it. That’s why He said, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.”

But the thing that Peter was doing, he was using his words. And what I’m trying to identify is Satan goes after killing people. And the thing He uses more often than not is our words. Peter was using words, and Jesus said, “I know who’s behind this thing. It’s Satan,” by what Peter was saying. Friend, I’m telling you, Satan will use words and the tongue to kill more than anything in this world. Death and life are in the power of the tongue when Peter was using his words to rebuke Jesus from following God’s will. That’s when Jesus said, “Get thee behind Me, Satan.”

Let’s just finish the verse for verse’s sake, if you would please. Verse number 23: “But He turned and said unto Peter, ‘Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’”

Now, let me say this about Peter and God in flesh revealing who’s behind it—Satan getting Peter to say those things. Remember who Peter was? He wasn’t just a disciple; he was that, but he was a select group of disciples called the 12. What was it? Apostles. Those are the ones that Jesus—He had prayed all night the night before—and He came down and He called unto Him. I was very keen: called unto Him. Your first calling is to walk with the Lord, by the way. And He called them unto Him, those 12 apostles. So those 12 apostles would be closer to Jesus humanly than anybody in the world for those three to have years. But then of the 12, there’s the inner—what do we call them? Three? So…

Not just the disciple, one that’s disciplined himself to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, but he’s an apostle. But not just an apostle; he’s part of the inner three: Peter, James, and John. So those were the people that were the closest to Jesus for those three and a half years. In the times of His trials and testing, those were the ones. In the garden, those are the ones that were with Him. Those are the ones that went just a little bit farther, but not far enough. Jesus went a little farther. But I’m saying those are the ones that were with Him. But those are the ones that Satan used to try to kill with words. Now, that’s very important.

Because more often than not, Satan will use those that are close to you to kill. And he’ll often try to use your tongue to hurt those that I’m very close to. That’s his agenda. You see what he’s doing. And Jesus is revealing what’s—Frank, can I say this? More often discouragement comes because in the home, I’m talking negatively and I’m talking just discouragingly and lack of faith. And look, if she’s out of faith, more often than not, it’s because of my tongue speaking of my wife. Friend, I’m saying Satan is so crafty at trying to get you to kill God’s plan for those that you’re close to.

I’ve told this illustration many times, but it just fits the bill so well, and I don’t have any notes this morning, amen. But I can’t bypass it. You’ve heard me tell about the son whose dad was an alcoholic. The son was used to that. You know, drunks are funny. Some drunks are happy drunks, some drunks are mean drunks, and some drunks are just—they love everybody drunks. But this guy’s dad was a mean drunk, but he was used to that.

And the boy was sitting in his bedroom one time, and he was sitting there, and his dad drove up drunk in a vehicle, and literally, literally his dad drove into the house. I’m talking about past his bedroom. Well, he’s sitting on the bed in his bedroom, and his dad drove the car inside the bedroom. I mean, he was drunk. And he actually got out of the car into the bedroom. And the son’s like, “Wow.” Now this is the interesting entrance right here. You know, “Wow. Talk about grand entrances. Boy, Dad, you got the award right now.”

But he said, “I was used to that.” And Dad got out of the vehicle in the boy’s bedroom, and he went over and he grabbed the boy—he was drunk. And the boy said, “I was used to Dad being a mean drunk. That’s not the thing that got me.” He said, “I’ve been—that had been going on for years.” But his dad grabbed the boy, and the dad had a gun; he was used to that. I said, “I was used to crazy things. He was a drunk dad.”

But the next two words wounded him, killed him in some aspects, for at least the next 30 years before I really figured out what was going on. That just two words, after all his dad had done. He said, “I was used to all that, but two words.” See, Satan often wants to use your tongue to hurt, to kill those typically that you’re close to. That’s the one that Jesus identified, one of the inner three, Peter. But his dad took that gun, and this is what he said, just two words: He said, “You’re worthless.”

Almost like you’re not worth me spending a bullet on. And for the next at least 30 years, that man spent all his life trying to prove those two words were not true. And, friend, I’m saying Satan is always trying to use words to wound those often that you love very much. And you must be so wise about that.

Husbands, it is so critical that you don’t go home and bash your wife and your kids and, you know, kick the dog and shoot the cat or whatever you do. It’s so crucial that you’re very wise with your tongue. By the way, you were pretty wise with it when you were dating her. Come on now.

Wives, can I say this? That man, he can take criticism from so many things of the world, but you are his rib. I mean, if you found your wife, you found your prime rib. Hopefully you’re not cooking it well done, you know. But you remember Adam put him in a deep sleep and took the rib out? That’s for a reason. Now, wife, look, that rib protects vital organs. That rib is right by the heart. That’s why every man wants a wife that believes in them. That wife thinks he’s the best thing, better than sliced cheese, you know. Now, the rest of the world might think he’s a flop, but if that wife sees something, that man can pretty much make it. And your words, wives. They sing songs about that: “She believes in me.” The world does. Because, friend, there’s something there. And your words are crucial. Satan will try to kill more often than not. I promise you, friend, the angle he used more often than not is our words.

Hey, young people, young people. A home can survive, but they’ll have a tough time surviving if there is a very cynical, critical, bad-attitude teenager in the home. That’s very hard for a home. Now, Mom and Dad, if they stick together and their wives are out in prayer, they can handle it. But that’s tough. It’ll really bring down a whole home if a teenager just has an attitude and they voice it with their tongue. Now, hopefully Mom and Dad are wise enough to handle and take care of that thing. Don’t just let it continue. But your tongue.

A young person that—boy, just a fun-loving, good-spirited young person can add a sweetness to a home, to church really, that nothing else can. And I love it when young people are just saying, “I’m not rebellious. I’m not trying to get out of church and do everything wrong. I’m enjoying living for the Lord.” That’s a sweet spirit. And your tongue portrays that. Your tongue.

Satan is always trying to use our tongue. Now look, if you will, over in James chapter number one. James chapter number one. We’ll look at two verses in this chapter here, James chapter number one, if you would please. And we’ll be at one verse in just a moment here. James one.

How many of you out there say, “I don’t want the devil to be able to use my tongue”? You’re out there. You like that? I’m with you, but I’ll be honest with you: He’ll be going after that night and day. He’s going to be—He’s seeking whom He may devour, and He knows where death comes from: death and life in the power of the tongue. So He’s after that. He really uses that angle just about more than anything. Wars are started over what people say—the tongue.

So if I don’t want—I don’t want Satan to use my tongue. I know he’s trying to use my tongue; he’s trying to use your tongue for him. He said, “Well, I’m a Christian.” Peter was too. Peter was part of the apostles; he was part of the inner three. But Satan was using his tongue. So if you don’t want Satan to use your tongue, here’s what you’re going to have to do. Look at verse number 26. James 1, verse number 26: “If any man among you”—you’re not talking about the world—“among you seem to be religious.” Notice that: seem to be religious. “And bridleth not his”—what’s the next word?—tongue, but deceiveth his own heart." They won’t see it because they’re deceived. They’ve deceived their own heart. “Sir, you’re hurting your wife with your tongue.” They don’t see it. “You’re bringing out the spirit of this class.” They don’t see it. And so on and so on. Because they’ve deceived their own heart. “If any man among you seeming to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” Wow.

So I try to serve God, and I’m trying to please Him, and I’m trying to be a good testimony at work or wherever it may be. If I don’t bridle my tongue—if I don’t say, “Whoa, Nelly,” when it comes to my tongue—my religion becomes… What’s the word? Vain. I’ve seen it with dads so often. They’ve used their tongue to hurt and wound their child, and so now they’re trying to help their child, but the religion is vain because they haven’t bridled their tongue. I’ve seen it with ladies who just cut apart somebody or their children or their husband, whatever, and so later on they truly want to help, but the religion’s vain. It happens in the workplace. People don’t bridle their tongue. They go around and gossip and talk about the boss and everybody else, and they’re using foul language. And then later on they try to witness to someone, and their religion is vain. Somebody says, “Well, I just always speak my mind.” I’m sorry to hear that. Your religion is not going to be very helpful according to God’s word. Friend, I must—I must—I must work at the things of bridling my tongue. We all will have times, maybe of discouragement and downfalls. And if I blurt all those out—boy, they don’t have a filter. I’m sorry to hear that. Satan’s got a good mouthpiece then. The religion is going to be vain. Because the Bible says if I don’t bridle my tongue, my religion is what? It’s vain.

What a sad thing. God’s talking to His people. Now, look up to verse number 19. This is where God has been working on me. You say, “Are you preaching at us?” Yeah, and I’m part of us too. It’s all of us free. I like to be perfect at this, but I’d be lying if I told you that. Look at this, James 1. Look at verse number 19, if you would please. James 1. This is how God has been working on my heart for months about this thing here. James 1:19: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” I don’t know about you, but when those emotional moments happen—I mean, my wife and I, we have them; they’re always loving, all of them, every single time. I mean, for 28 years, all of our emotional moments have been loving, right, Tammy?

You know, whatever it may be in the home or wherever, you know, and that’s just part of life. You’re going to have those moments. The Lord’s been working on me: “Hey, slow to speak, slow to speak.” If you’re going to say, “No, I don’t want Satan to use my tongue,” He’ll try to—I promise you, He will. He’ll be after that. And I don’t want Satan to be able to use me to bring death and killing to someone’s life and God’s plan for their life and their heart and wound them. I don’t want that. Friend, half of the battle is if we just learn to slow to speak. I don’t know about you, but in the heat of the moment, I’m not always so slow to speak. Just slow to speak. Give time for the Holy Spirit to guide you. Give time to think it through. I don’t want to hurt; I want to bring life. That Proverbs 18:21 can be used both ways: death and life. You can bring life.

By our soul winners out there, people out trying to win souls, whether it be Saturday or in the grocery store on Monday. But what are they trying to do? They’re trying to bring life, everlasting life, eternal life. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Well, we don’t just believe—one of the reasons why we just don’t believe in lifestyle evangelism, we just go and smile and wait for them to come to you. No, we try to go get them. Why? Because death and life are in the power of the tongue. He said, “Go ye therefore and teach or preach the gospel.” Your tongue. So it can be used negatively—Satan’s trying to use it—or it can be used positively—God trying to bring life.

It is amazing. It is amazing how just a few words can mean so much. I think of two instances in my life where a school teacher, a Christian school teacher, Ms. Steele, just said—all she said was, “Hey, Paul, God could use you to be a great preacher one day,” or something like that. “You’d make a good preacher one day.” I never dreamed of preaching. Didn’t want to preach, just a 12-year-old boy. But that changed my life, literally.

We lived very close to school, and I’d walk through a little wooded section often when we were walking home. And through that little wooded section, God confirmed to my heart what that lady had said. Just those few words changed my life. I was—my seventh-grade year was not one of my best years. And I was backslid in my seventh-grade year. And beginning in my eighth-grade year, just a young, young girl in the school, Christian school, and she said something like to me—and I can’t remember the exact words—but she… and I was floundering in that time of my life. And she said, “Man, Paul, you’re always a good guy. You always seem like you’re living for the Lord, standing for the Lord in our school.” And that wasn’t always true in that school. And that changed my life, literally. God set up a direction of the right path from just those few words. The power of words. Satan is always trying to use your words, and yet God can use your words.

We won’t take time to look at it. But Proverbs chapter number six, it’s been mentioned here recently, and God gives His six things He hates. Then the seventh thing is the abomination—that’s something God extremely hates. You know what the seventh thing is? Help me out. Many of you know it: “He that soweth discord among the brethren.” A couple years ago, I never realized it, but soweth… Well, usually you sow a seed, you don’t get that harvest of the seed until typically months later. And often the person that’s sowing discord, you won’t see it for a season later. But those seeds—and sometimes we even accidentally are sowing seeds of discord. You say, “Well, there are five.” You have a month or a year or so or a season later, that’s when the seed starts coming up. “He that soweth discord,” not harmony. Discord among—not out in the world, but among the brethren. How do you do that? Your tongue.

God says, “I see the schemes of Satan, how he’s trying to kill, and I see how he uses the tongue to bring death.” And so God says the thing that I just can’t stand—that thing is an abomination to God. David’s soul—how do you use your tongue? Discord, not out in the world, but among the brethren. But why does God extremely hate that? Because He knows Satan tries to kill with the tongue.

Oh, friend, it’s so vital—our tongue. I’m learning this in my life. And I’m not talking about as far as salvation. I’m talking about my faith that the Lord can do great things in our day and time and through my life and your life and all that. When my faith is low, typically it’s because my tongue has not been right. I’m talking about me. It is interesting: when God says, how does faith come? Faith comes by hearing. Now, we’ve started there here recently—hearing. That’s when God speaks to you. Faith comes by hearing, but hearing comes by what? Did you notice the word? The tongue, if you will, the Word of God. Now there’s a middleman we’ve been emphasizing that will be here, but the middle man is hearing, but down here at the bottom is faith comes from the Word of God. Now I’m saying this: God, you’re not the Word of God—I’m not trying to compare you to the Word of God—but your words. God can use your words to grow people’s faith, to grow your faith. You’re not going to be a man or lady who has great faith if you’re always speaking discouraging, down words.

James, we won’t look at it because we’re going to run out of time. Are y’all still in James 1? How about that? Good. Look over in chapter number 3 then. You’re already there. How about that? James 3, if you would please. James 3. And this whole chapter is about the tongue. We won’t read the whole chapter because your tongue and my tongue wants to eat food here pretty soon, amen, you know?

But just a couple of verses. James 3. Look in verse number 4. James 3 and verse number 4: “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great”—I think of aircraft carriers, massive, a city on water, have thousands and thousands of people on those ships, these huge ships—“which though they be so great, are driven of fierce winds” (that’s when they have sail ships), “yet are they turned about with a very small helm, rudder, if you will, whithersoever the governor listeth.” Now, what’s the comparison? This big, huge ship is controlled by this little bitty rudder. Verse number five: “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire.” He’s saying these big, huge ships are controlled by that little bit in comparison, a little bit of rudder or helm. And he’s saying, look, you’re controlled, you’re steered with your tongue. Oh, your tongue.

So if I’m always saying negative, critical, bad, lack-of-faith things, friend, you’re not going to steer your ship down Faith Alley. You’re going to steer your ship into defeated harbor. Your tongue, your words are just so vital, friend. And I promise you, Satan’s trying to use those words. Yet God can use your words too. God would like to control your tongue. God would like to change your heart, and have the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. You can bring life. Brother Mark back there, and a little bit more I lived than used—but Brother Mark, he just said, “Yep,” but he’s shaking his head. Brother Mark has been to work and had a good testimony, and then one of the coworkers was in the hospital. He went to the hospital, and he led them to the Lord. His tongue.

By the way, faith can be by hearing here by the Word of God. How you’re saved? We’re saved by faith. Yeah, yeah. “For by grace you are saved through faith, not of yourselves.” But it’s given with someone sharing the Word of God with him—your words. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Everything about it—preaching. Boy, that sermon just spoke to my heart. God used that sermon in my heart and my life. Well, a sermon is just somebody’s tongue. Friend, Satan wants to use your tongue, and God wants to use your tongue. Your tongue. It’s vital. How does Satan more often than not—how does he kill? Right there. He doesn’t come apart from steal, kill, destroy. Friends, I promise you, more often than not killing, he’s using that tongue. But God would like to use it too.

Just a word sometimes can encourage someone, lift someone up, get them back on track. Just a few. Husband, can I just—my mind’s going that way so much because we’ve got this marriage conference coming up. But husband, you don’t know what it would mean to your wife if you came home and just bragged on her for a while, loved on her. Maybe going through a tough time and just said, “Hey, the Lord’s going to bring us through this thing. God gave me a promise.” You don’t know what that would do for your home, for your kids. Dad, he’s not browbeating everybody; he’s encouraging. You don’t know what that would do. Bring life. Death and life by the tongue. Satan, I promise you, more often than not, he’s going to kill. He’ll try. He’ll seek to use the tongue.

A man was very ill. It was a terminal illness. He was going to die. He knew it. But he had some hope. “You know, God can do anything.” So on and so on. He went to the doctor. The doctor said, “Sir, I can’t remember the exact amount of time. I’m going to say six months.” It may have been different. But the doctor said, “Sir, you have six months to live. That’s it.” The guy said, “Well, all right, but you never know what God can do. And I’m going to pray, and I’m going to take this, and I’m going to exercise.”

And the doctor said, “No, no, no, sir, you don’t understand. I’m not trying to hurt you, but I don’t understand. You’re not going to live past six months. That’s it. You’re going to die.” And the guy said, “Well, you know, I’m going to try this thing, and I heard seeing those on the internet.” And the doctor said, “No, no, sir, you’re going to die in six months. It’s over.”

And he left. And he went out of the doctor’s office. He went to get in his car, and he stopped. And he turned around, and he walked back into the doctor’s office, went past the nurse station. And he found right where the doctor was. And he said, “Sir, how dare you take from me the one thing I had left? I don’t have anything. I have one thing. You stole from me my hope. You took my hope from me.” How did the doctor steal or kill that hope? His tongue.

Friend, if you’re saying your tongue—hey, here’s a wonderful thing. If I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, I call upon Him. Part of that is my tongue. “That thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Yes, believing in your heart, but yes, confessing. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

And sometimes people—and I try to lead the Lord—and then want to pray out loud, and I’m all right with that. But I’ll say, “All right, I’m going to lead you to prayer, or you pray on your own.” But when we’re done, I’m going to ask you, “Did you call on Jesus or not?” You’re going to confess Jesus or not, because that’s part of it. Friend, I say that to say this: If you’re not a born-again Christian, if you’re not going to heaven today, it’s very important that somewhere along the line in your heart, you say, “Jesus, I want to go to heaven.” And not just with your heart, but somewhere along the line you confess Jesus Christ with your mouth, your tongue.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed. You’re here this morning. You said, “Preacher, man, I want to give my tongue to the Lord.” I mean, I want to just place it in His hands. The surest way for the devil not to use your tongue is by you giving your tongue to the Lord. You said, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I want to give my tongue, my words, and my mouth. I want to give them to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to yield my words.” Satan will tell you you have the right to say whatever, and Satan’s a liar. You see, I want to yield my tongue, every bit of it, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, for me and the Lord, the best I can, I’m taking my tongue, my words, and I’m giving them to the Lord. If that’s you this morning, just lift your head. I want to give my tongue—me too, I’m with you. I want to give my tongue. I want to bring life where I go. I want to bring life to the workplace, to the home, to the community. I want to bring life to my family. I want to bring life to the school. I’m not there, but I like to be one of those when you’re down, you say, “Oh no, here they come.” I don’t want to be. I like to be one of those when you say, “Oh good, he’s coming, she’s coming. They’re encouraging. God used them in my life.” I like to be one of those. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down.

Maybe you’re here this morning, you say, “Preacher, I know Satan’s trying to use all of our tongues, and I need to work at bridling it.” God spoke to my heart. I need to bridle my tongue. I’ve got to work at that thing. I’m not perfect; nobody’s perfect at it, but I’m going to do my best to bridle my tongue. God spoke to my heart about that. If that’s you this morning, you lift your hand. “I’m going to work at bridling my tongue.” I’m going to work at bridling my tongue. I’m going to work at bridling my tongue. So vital, so very, very important, so vital. God bless you. God bless you. Thank you so much. Both times God’s speaking to your heart. Thank you for letting Him do that. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down.

One more question. We’ll have an invitation. You’re here this morning, you say, “Preacher, there’s never been a time in my life where I’ve confessed Jesus, where I believe—don’t it—when I trusted in Him and Him alone to be my Savior. I’ve never been saved before. I’d like to put my full faith in Jesus Christ. I’d like to trust in Him and Him alone, with my heart.” Oh yes, leave with my mouth. “I want to confess Jesus Christ and trust Him and Him alone to be my Savior.” I’ve never done that. I need to trust Christ. Need to be saved today. Anyone like that? “Preacher, I’m not saved. Need to get saved.” That’s you this morning. Just slip it up. “Preacher, I need to believe in my heart and confess with my mouth Jesus Christ.” God spoke to my heart. I want to go to heaven one day. I want to be saved. Anybody like that, would you slip your hand up? Anybody like that, just slip it up. Hey, brother, let’s let God use our tongue.

Would you please stand? We’re going to have a word of prayer. We won’t be long. As soon as I say amen, we’ll sing invitation time, but so long. But I want you to come spend some time with the Lord. Come down to an old-fashioned altar that is leading you to where you’re at. But let’s spend some time with the Lord. Give your tongue—it’s so vital—to give your tongue to the Lord. Would you do so? Father, thank you so much for the wisdom of Your Word. Lord, I give my tongue to You. Forgive me the times that Satan has used my tongue to hurt, defeat, bring down, kill. Oh, Lord, use our tongue for Your glory and Your honor, to help and encourage, bring life. Father, let us see through the wiles of Satan. We use our tongue to bring life to many. I thank You, Lord, for what You do. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Would you come? Would you come? Would you come?

Messiah, Tennessee. Dr. Roberts was very young. He had a ministry there. And a lady was just a bank teller, years and years and years, a bank teller. And she passed. And I believe it was Dr. Robertson who had the funeral. And at the funeral, he asked how many… She was just a good person telling people about Jesus Christ. She was good at it. She was activated. And he asked, “How many people here in this funeral… as God used this lady to lead you to the Lord Jesus Christ?” And they say 30 hands went up.

Just a bank teller using her words to bring life. Your tongue’s so vital. Amen, amen.

Original File: How satan usually Kills - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday am 103121