Do NOT listen to the father of lies

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For those of us who have experienced the death of a child, the enemy often tries to convince us that our child is LOST – gone forever, dead, unworthy, unsaved, never to be found again.

He tries to convince us that if they were not perfect, if they did not leave a box of journals filled with godly prayers and confession, if they were not leaders in their church, if they dabbled in drugs or suffered addition, if they failed in any area…then they are in fact LOST! God did not love them.  He did not welcome them into His presence.  They are LOST!  Yes, the enemy will lie to us.  And he is good at it.  He will tell you your child is LOST.  He knows what to whisper into the ears of a grieving mother.  He knows how to humiliate a grieving father.  He is the father of lies.  He has had eons of practice.

But the Bible tells us that those who call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:21)

We cannot listen to the father of lies, for he only speaks lies and there is no truth in him. (John 8:42-44)

Instead, hold on to the Truth – the Truth found in His Word. Study the Word and learn what it says about eternal life and salvation by grace.

The truth is that God is merciful, loving, kind. Compassionate and gracious, slow to anger abounding in love. He does not treat us (or our children) as our sins deserve or repay us (or our children) according to our iniquities. For as far as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103).

Many of us who have buried our son or daughter must hold fast to the knowledge that our child had, in fact, made a profession of faith in some point in their life — maybe when they were young, maybe as a teen, maybe in the moments just before death. No matter when they came to life in Christ, if they have trusted Christ, confessed Him as Lord, called on the Name of The Lord, then they are saved.  They have been given the gift of eternal life. And their death does not change that.

At the point when they believed the Gospel of their salvation, they were marked in Him with a seal, the promised the Holy Spirit, a deposit guaranteeing their inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession. (Ephesians 1).

Our child was marked as a Child of God when they believed, even if they were not acting like it in the months or days leading up to their death. As a Child of God, the moment they died on earth, they immediately found themselves in the presence of Christ — In the presence of a living, compassionate, gracious, merciful, and loving Christ!

Our child’s salvation – his eternal life – is not dependent on him or his behavior.  It is a gift of God’s grace.

Romans 5:8-10  But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 10:9  Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Romans 10:11-13 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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He does not let go of those He has chosen. Even when we try to run from Him.

John 10:27-30    “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. ” My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Romans 8:29-30  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:37-39 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There are so many scriptures that teach us about eternal life for believers!  Rather than retype them, here is a list from www.openbible.info.

Learn what the Bible says about eternal life!  And hold fast to the joyful memories of your child!  Remember the laughter, the smiles, the happy times.  Choose what and who you will believe today. And look forward to the Great Reunion in Heaven someday when we will see Christ face-to-face.  And hang on to the hope that you will see your child again.

How then shall we live while we wait?  Let us live well, my friend.

For all grieving parents, I pray today that you are able to submit to the truth of God, resist the devil and he WILL FLEE from you (James 4:7). I pray also that God will make His Truth real to you today … so real that you are unable to hear the lies of the enemy. Amen

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Learn truth from God’s Word.

God'S Healing In Grief-Revised Edition

Christianity, death of a child, eternal life, FAITH, Grief, Scripture, support for parents who lost a child


KathleenBDuncan

I write about my life, my journey, my family, and my faith. I am wife to one, mom to seven with one in heaven, and grandmother to many. I am also full-time caregiver to my stepmom E who suffers from dementia due to Alzheimer’s. In my spare time I like to read, travel, crochet, bike, and play with our black pug Molly.

Comments (25)

  • Excellent post. Once we belong to Jesus, He will never drop us or forsake us. Even if we run hard in the opposite direction, I have found great comfort in that. He is keeping me; I am not keeping myself.

  • Needed to hear this truth again. My son died in an accident which involved alcohol and at first I was judging him harshly for not following God. He had accepted Christ but was not living the way I thought he should. My faith was shattered and everything I thought I knew was covered in darkness. It was a year on March 30th and God has not let me be overcome with unbelief. His peace and grace and mercy have kept me. At first I wanted to know why and where is he? I know I’ll probably never know why, but me thing I know is His love covers a multitude of sins. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

  • I really want to believe this, but what about all the scripture in the Bible that says those who do or practice xyz will not see the kingdom of God? I’m just as tormented.

  • This is an excellent article! I remember hearing a message on the devil and realizing that the devil wanted me to feel hopeless about losing our daughter whose faith was very real and she lived it. I remember getting very angry at the devil when I realized he was trying to get me to believe his lies. Thank you for sharing.

  • I have agonized over whether my son was in heaven or not. I have been tormented with images of him in hell. I hung onto to the hope and the promises of his salvation because he accepted Christ at a young age and made a public profession of faith at age 13. In his later teens and twenties he seemed to reject God and it broke my heart. He died at 25 and I wondered if those years away from Christ meant that he did not have eternal life with Christ. I did believe the father of lies for a time. Then I would read the scriptures and convince myself that his salvation was secure. And then the devil would shoot his flaming arrows again. Thank you for your post. I was just praying about this question yet again, when I clicked on the post titled “Do NOT Listen to the Father of Lies.” God knew what I needed and provided assurance for my broken heart through your inspired writings. Blessings!

  • Dear Kathleen,
    I was always under the impression that in America there is no more faith in the Lord ( evidenced by poor attendance in traditional churches, Hollywood movies etc..,) but through your writings I have come to know that so many people still know and love and follow the Lord. I was prejudiced and I am shamed many times over.
    Thank you for sharing and writing !

    • Susie,

      There will always be believers. Even in a country that has strayed so far from His Truth.

      I am humbled and grateful that my writings have changed your perception.

      Many still believe the truth found in the Bible. There are churches that teach truth. There are people who walk it out daily much better than I.

      My prayer for you today is that He would make Himself very real and very visible in your life.

      In Christ,
      Kathleen

  • I had no idea that the liar was tormenting grieving parents in this way. It makes me cry. Keeping speaking beautiful, healing truth to them Kathleen. Help them take every evil thought captive. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

    • The lies come to many of us.

      Especially parents of young adults who chose to die or those involved in drug or alcohol related deaths. I have many friends whose children were not “poster children for church youth groups” but who knew Christ. Like many, if not all, of us they had made mistakes.

      The enemy seems to enjoy bringing these mistakes up to the parents in an attempt to convince them that such mistakes (sin) will keep their child from Heaven. A tormenting thought.

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