“Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus.” —John 13:2 (GNT)
Years ago, when I read how Judas betrayed the Lord, I wondered why he would do such a thing, considering the kind of man Jesus was and the miracles He performed. I felt Judas should have known better. But recently, the Holy Spirit pointed out something remarkable that I would love to share with you.
The Bible says, “…the Devil had already put into the heart of Judas… the thought of betraying Jesus.” —John 13:2 (GNT). This means it was the devil who planted that seed in Judas’ heart. Most likely, Judas never thought about doing it on his own, but the moment the enemy put the thought in him, he acted on it, and you know how the story ended.
The Holy Spirit showed me that just as Satan put the thought of betraying Jesus into Judas, he puts all manner of thoughts into the hearts of many believers today. Because they are not discerning, they end up acting accordingly. Many have betrayed others, stolen, or falsely accused people because of this, and the list goes on.
However, if you do not want to be used by the devil or influenced by him, you must begin to watch out for the kind of thoughts you allow in your heart. If you are not cautious of the thoughts passing through your mind, you may act under the influence of the devil and put your life in danger.
Recently, a young man was caught after a stabbing spree. When asked why he did it, he said it was the devil. It may sound strange, but the truth is that the devil is still whispering to people and putting thoughts in their hearts.
Another young man got up from sleep one day and started walking toward the roof to jump down. Thankfully, his friends were alert; they followed him and stopped him. When they asked why he wanted to jump, he said a voice told him to go to the roof and jump.
I could go on with stories like this because the devil is still at work. However, you have a responsibility to guard your heart. Refuse to allow the devil to put thoughts in there because thoughts become actions. And actions, once carried out, can be detrimental to your life. So, I encourage you today to become mindful of the thoughts you allow in your heart. Praise God!
Today’s Rhema
Mount guard over your heart and refuse to allow the devil to put thoughts in your heart because thoughts can become actions!
Confession for the Day
Father, I am grateful for opening my eyes to this truth. I declare today that no evil thoughts are allowed to pass through my mind now and all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen!
