Say No to the Devil’s Reminders by Roberts Liardon

No shuts the door to the torment of being haunted by your past. At times, demons will take the past and try to torment or haunt us with it especially if we have not asked forgiveness for something.  Unforgiveness really opens the door to the devil’s tricks. That is why it is so important to walk in love and to repent immediately when we do something we should not. (See Psalm 103:12 and Micah 7:19.)

Roberts Liardon tells us that the devil loves to remind you of past mistakes. In fact, he seems to deal more with the past than with anything else. If God has forgiven us and erased those sins or mistakes, then we need to leave them erased. Say no to the devil’s haunting, and he has to flee. He will run from you if you say no. Keep saying no until he quits harassing and haunting you with that thing. Find a verse on which to stand. (See Romans 4:22–24.) No is like a razor. It sets you free.

Proverbs talks a lot about saying no. One proverb tells men to stay away from those women who “cry out in the streets” for you to come into their beds. The Word did not say for us to interview them to find out why they do what they do, or to take pictures and write articles and books about them.

I know one person who had a “street ministry to prostitutes and homosexuals.” The next thing I knew, he was both! I know that is a wild statement, but it is the truth. The Word does not tell us to interview such people and get on their level in order “to relate better” to them. The Word says to tell them the good news, then go.

Roberts Liardon shows us that the Word also says, “Tell fools no.” Proverbs 23:9 says that if you talk with a fool, he will despise the wisdom of your words. The only way you can deal with some people is just to say no and walk on without turning back. Also, Proverbs 19:22 tell us to say no to liars. Say, “No. I am not going to walk with you. You are a liar. Good-bye.”

No is powerful. No will protect you. So why do people not use it more? For several reasons, but usually because they do not understand what no is.