A lens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Viral Lens to Perceive Devil’s Work
Viewing the Devil’s influence via a “thought virus” lens adds insights into the Devil’s destructive nature. The effects of the Devil’s interference starting with Adam & Eve rippled throughout humanity, leading to massive waves of death, lying, steeling, infidelity, bribery, abuse, despair, bitterness, hostility, disease propagation, warfare, envy, and many more problematic behaviors, intents, and mindsets.
Electron micrograph of monkeypox virus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Propagation of Viruses
Just like a virus can make a person sick, the Devil’s way of approaching the world harms peoples’ mental & spiritual health, and in several circumstances their physical health too via resulting unhealthy living. As a virus can spread from host to host, so the Devil’s influence spreads from person to person.
Virus Types
While only some viruses are harmful to healthy people, the D
evil’s influence is like a harmful virus type. The Devil’s ways destroy people’s lives, leading people to contribute to their own downfall, from the rich to middle class to poor. Partial impacts are often seen in this lifetime, where people’s behaviors lead to addictions, broken relationships, and mistreatment of others. Without intervention, this ultimately presents a bleak outlook for one’s eternal destination & rewards.
Brain scanning technology is quickly approaching levels of detail that will have serious implications (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Thought Virus Medicine
Ultimately, the Devil seeks to have people remain in rebellion to God’s ways to deprive them of the medicine God offers. God’s “thought virus medicine” comes through following Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus Christ’s message and life show us the way to live according to God’s wisdom & expectations. Jesus’ message enables people to confront their destructive “thought viruses” and seek God’s power to challenge and evict them.
Love Leads to Virus Intervention
Jesus is the Son of God, and is one with God, because Jesus’ character is the essence of God’s character. God loves and cares for others and sees their potential. Just like a parent cares for their children, God wishes all people to be adopted as children, and constructs good plans. People who rebel undermine those good plans, just like wicked children find themselves in trouble, even with parents wanting the best for their children. Because God is loving, God sent his son Jesus Christ to intervene, to pull the willing away from the Devil’s dominance.
Blaster Virus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Anti-Virus Protection
Jesus Christ lived this love by willingly coming to Earth to tell everyday people the truth and expose the hypocrisy and injustice often found in people & political & religious institutions and alliances. Jesus did this, despite the cost to his life via a brutal death on the cross. The Devil tempted the human-bound Jesus, who is the essence of God’s character in our bodily form, and Jesus won. Jesus chose what was right, even though limited like us. Jesus’ character is like a powerful anti-virus able to defeat the Devil’s temptations. When Christians are born again, it’s like installing this powerful anti-virus protection.
Genesis 3:3-5 (ESV):
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Job 1:6-12 (ESV):
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord
Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV):
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV):
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
