Do We Just Dislike or HATE the Devil?

​1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
 
One of the great deceptions of the time we now live in is to find a “usable” relationship with the devil. This may sound strange, but how pervasive has the message of just living a more positive life and to only “be a positive influence in the community around you” become the primary cry of Christianity?

Positivity is not exclusive to Godliness and living like Jesus. You can be a positive person and not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Of course, Jesus was positive in his message when speaking about reaching the world but that was a RESULT of the relationship with God. The true life of a believer is so much more than just living to enjoy as much as you can on this earth with a focus only on self but still making it to heaven. If the main message is not RESIST the devil and make him flee from your life with a focus on helping others see that truth, then we are missing the point.

Let’s start with the entire purpose of the devil. It is not to simply be a “hassle” but to completely, totally and utterly destroy every cell and atom of every person on this earth. When we realize just how much the devil hates us, we need to live a life in direct accordance with that vehement. It shifts our thinking from “how much can I indulge my flesh in life” to “my FIRST priority today is to be a piece of the bridge for people who don’t know Jesus yet.”
 
Churches today don’t talk a lot about hell maybe because they think it’s an archaic version of the gospel that people think is corny, but the Bible very clearly outlines the results of not accepting Jesus and his forgiveness.
 
The fact is that as much as Jesus loves us, the devil hates us. We can have NO usable relationship with the devil besides reminding him of his fate and that he has NO authority in our lives. When we understand that he is primarily a devourer then we will be focused on shutting his mouth and opening people’s eyes to the awesome power and glorious love of Jesus.