Don’t sup with the devil with a long spoon; he will destroy & take you to hell!

By Tope Banso
DON’T DO BUSINESS WITH THE DEVIL
“But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it’” (John 12:4-6 New King James Version).
If you’re useful to the Devil in a small way, you’ll be useful to him in big way! If you do business with the Devil once, when he has another business, he’ll come for you. It is a common statement that you don’t change a winning team.
Don’t do business with the devil. Don’t think you can do business with him, get what you want and leave him without genuine repentance. No. the devil will not let you go or he’ll try to come for you again. Even the Bible tells us that when an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it will seek to return with seven other demons if it finds its former abode empty, swept and in order. The person will be worse off than before (Matthew 12:43-45). If allowed, demons would return to where they had been cast out before and they would return with more demons.
Luke 22:3-4 says, “Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them” (New Living Translation). Why Judas Iscariot? Why not another disciple?
Whereas somebody must betray Jesus, the Bible nowhere said it would be Judas. When the devil had an assignment for someone close to Jesus to betray him, he came for Judas, because he was his business partner! They both had been doing business together! How? Judas had been useful to him in carrying out an assignment.
He was a thief; he had been stealing from the purse as the treasurer of the ministry of Jesus. “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, ‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it’” (John 12:4-6 New King James Version). Judas’ interest was not the poor, but his own pocket.
God didn’t make Judas a thief or a betrayer, but he became this by choice. When he went to meet his accomplices, the chief priest and the elders, he named his price and they didn’t even negotiate with him; they made full payment in advance. But when Judas saw that Jesus had been condemned, he was remorseful and returned to them the money, thirty pieces of silver. They rejected it. He threw it away and committed suicide, but they didn’t take the money back and put it into the treasury.
Matthew 27:6-8 says, “But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.’ And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day” (New King James Version).
Judas’ business with the devil may seem to have profited him for some time, but the business relationship eventually became a disaster for him. He was the loser. He lost his soul, lost his position and lost the money he was paid. You must have heard this saying: “He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon.” But with regards to Satan, I say to you: don’t try to sup or eat with him at all. You can’t outwit Satan, no matter how long your spoon is.
Don’t do business with the devil; don’t have any dealing with him. “How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14b New Living Translation). No way.
Look at Eve. She shouldn’t have entertained any discussion with the serpent, whom Satan entered into to deceive her. Because she tolerated a discussion between her and the serpent, she disobeyed God (Genesis 3:1-7).
If you’re born again, don’t forget you have been delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom you have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).
Ephesians 5:8-11 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (New King James Version).
Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). You are a slave to whatever controls you (2 Peter 2:19b). Note that before you were saved, if you are born again, you allowed yourself to be a slave of impurity and lawlessness, but now choose to be a slave of righteousness so that you’ll become holy (Romans 6:19). Flee from sin.
Humble yourself before God; resist the Devil, and he’ll flee from you (James 4:7). Don’t do business with the Devil. You have no business with the Devil.
If you’re not born again, repent of your sins today and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Whoever comes to Him, He will by no means cast out.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I reject Satan and his works; Satan, I have no business with you.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For over 250 in-depth and insightful messages by T.O. Banso, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
▪ Banso heads Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria
cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com
Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523; WhatsApp No: +2349081295947