No, it’s not a typo. I didn’t mean “devil’s advocate.” 
I’m talking about the sinister, sneaky evil who pretends to be your friend but he is most definitely NOT! My graphic may be cute, but there is nothing cute in reality about the enemy of your soul. The devil is a pusher and his drug of choice is EXCUSES. Now more than ever before, we are a society who lacks accountability. However we fail to measure up, we always have someone else to tag “it” in the blame game. What bad behavior are you struggling with today? Your only hope is in the Word of God, because the devil will give you all kinds of excuses to keep you circling around in the whirlpool of iniquity. Word: he is NOT your friend.
Oh how convenient those excuses are! I behave this way because…bad temper runs in my family, I don’t feel well, I was raised that way, we didn’t show affection in my family when I was growing up, I need that drink, I deserve that joint, I can’t control myself around chocolate, it’s no one else’s business what I do, and the biggest one of all: I’M ONLY HURTING MYSELF. If the devil can succeed in making you feel justified in behaving badly JUST FOR TODAY, I promise you he’ll show back up tomorrow with another convenient alibi. You can either speak the Word, as Jesus did, and drive away the tempter; or you can buddy up with your own destroyer and–contrary to popular belief–hurt not only yourself, but everyone around you. As you go about your day today, consider this: if an excuse won’t hold water when we stand before God on that Great Day, it doesn’t hold water now.
Pray with me: “Heavenly Father, everything in my flesh feels as if I deserve to behave badly and without restraint. Frustration, temptation, undealt-with anger or unforgiveness, even a feeling where I want to retaliate and pay forward the pain I’m feeling. Sometimes it feels good to be grouchy, sarcastic, verbally abusive, contrary, full of complaint, and full of myself. But Lord, in the end, it doesn’t feel that good…not really. There’s a feeling of emptiness as people pull away from me and as I start burning bridges. Please lead me to places in Your Word today that I can confess over my weaknesses, as I roll my works over onto You. You can keep me from caving in to peer pressure, to an addiction, to an uncontrolled temper, or to an easy out. I want to do better, and Your Word says I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me. I accept Your help today, and I will put forth effort as I wait for You to meet me where I am. I am NOT destined to fall into a pattern of ungodliness and negativity. I am NOT going to be a child who brings You sorrow, and I am NOT going to be someone who hurts everyone around me and expects them to just accommodate my bad behavior. Yesterday is gone, and with it, all those bad, worthless excuses. In Jesus’ name, I will behave, think, and SPEAK like a Child of the King!”
CALL THOSE THINGS 