THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Although I was young at the time, I remember seeing some performances of a comedian who was popular on TV in the 1970s, Flip Wilson. 

If you remember him, you probably remember a sassy character he created named Geraldine. (This was 50 years ago, when it was allowable - and even encouraged - for people to openly laugh at a man in a dress.) 

In his comedy Wilson/Geraldine popularized the phrase "The devil made me do it!". One of his bits was about a preacher's wife who gets dragged into a clothing store and almost physically forced into buying an expensive new dress by the devil himself. 

Obviously the joke was about people who take no responsibility for their own actions, pinning all the blame for bad decisions on the overwhelming influence of Satan.

But I think we are more prone to the opposite mistake - not even recognizing that we have an enemy out there who DOES wish us harm and DOES want to influence us in such a way as to drive us further from God. 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8

If we don't even acknowledge the reality of Satan, how could we possibly be on alert against his schemes?