All we have is given by Heaven 🙌
I was reading John and Chapter 3 v 27 stood out to me!
It says "A man can have nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven" NKJV
Meaning that all we have, including some we think we worked for only came to us because it was given to us from heaven. Hallelujah 🙌
This brings me to ask,
Can the devil also give things to people? 👀If yes then,
How can one tell whether what they have received from heaven came from God or demons?
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Hello Oluwatofunmi,
This is an excellent question. I will answer this question in two parts - first, within the context of the scripture you quoted, and then I will answer the question outside of the context of the scripture. The reason I’m doing this is because we should not take a verse of the Bible and use it to explain something else, it won’t be the best way to interpret the Scripture in itself. However, we can still get answers to your questions by looking at other scriptures say about it.
In context, when you read John 3 from verse 22 to the end of that chapter, we see a dispute. John’s disciples had issues with the fact that Jesus was having more disciples. Then they come to ask John what he thinks about that, and his response is verse 27, 'a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.' He further explains what he means in verse 28 - "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him." To summarize that bit, what he meant was that his ministry to baptize people unto repentance came from heaven, and since Jesus also came from God, they were on the same side and his ministry was to point to Christ. Therefore, now that Christ has come, his ministry must decrease so that Christ can increase (John 3:30). To buttress this point, see the question Jesus asked the priests and elders in Matthew 21:25, 'The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?' Comparing both scriptures, we can confirm that John was referring to his ministry of baptism.
Now, to the second part, outside of the context of the scripture you quoted but to answer the question. Yes, God gives. Yes, the devil also gives. The Bible says that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). On the other hand, the devil only gives evil - lies (John 8:44), disobedience (Genesis 3:1-6), the gratification of the deeds of the flesh (James 1:14, Galatians 5:19-21), false doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1), spiritual blindness (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), and so on. The gifts of the devil are against the Word of God and will do us no good.
While it is important to know these vices of the devil and not be ignorant about them (2 Corinthians 2:11), it is also important not to glorify and focus on them. We should rather keep our gaze on God and His Word. The Bible says that we should walk in the Spirit and we will not fulfill the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Finally, it does not matter what the devil does, there is nothing that happens to us that God does not know about. In the end, this is the testimony of the believer - that all things work together for our good because we are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Even if we make mistakes, God is able to cause our mistakes to work in our favour.