Like many folks these days, I seldom answer my phone if the number calling is not in my contacts list. Now that telemarketers and scam artists can call from anywhere in the world while displaying a number that looks as if it could be your next-door neighbor’s, it’s wise to just ignore unrecognized calls and hope that if it truly is a legitimate call, the caller will leave a voicemail message.
The other day I received a call like that. Most of the time, the scammers don’t leave a message, but this time I got a notification that I had a voicemail. It went something like this:
““You will be taken under custody by the local cops. There are four serious allegations pressed on your name at this moment. We would request you get back to us so we can discuss this case before taking legal action.”
Sounds totally legitimate and scary, doesn’t it? I’m sure if the local constabulary was on their way to arrest me, they would call to warn me first so I could get out of town before their arrival.
Of course, like any good internet savvy person, I typed the words “four serious allegations” into Google and read about the type of scam these people were pulling. Of course, it’s an attempt to scare folks into paying money to the scammer to avoid arrest. I also got an email recently that prominently displayed a password I used to use a lot in the subject line. That scammer really had obtained that password from a data breach from my health insurance company and used it to threaten me with exposure, saying that they had control of my computer and had a split screen video with my face on one side and the porn site I was allegedly viewing on the other. Of course, for a fee, they would agree not to send this video to all my email contacts.
Of course, in both cases, I knew I was innocent of anything the scammers were trying to pin on me, but I know there are people who have enough guilt in their lives to believe there might be some teeth in these threats and so they pay money to avoid the malicious actions these criminals are using as intimidation.
Satan is like that.
Even as followers of Jesus, we will sometimes fall into sin, make mistakes, lose our tempers, or be unkind to someone. We are not perfect and will not be this side of heaven. Even a non-believer has a conscience and our conscience will tell us when we’ve done something that isn’t in line with our moral code. If we are walking in a close relationship with the Holy Spirit, He will gently rebuke us for our choices, but it is a loving rebuke meant to bring us into closer fellowship with God and to shape us into the image of Jesus. The Holy Spirit won’t bring an accusation with a threat of condemnation, but conviction with a promise of mercy and grace.
The enemy’s accusations are meant to bring us into a place of shame, a place where we will avoid fellowship with God because we feel unworthy. In ourselves, we are unworthy, but Jesus paid the price to bring us into a position of wholeness, cleanness, and right-standing with God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Many times, Satan will bring an accusation against you that isn’t even true, but because he is the father of lies, he’ll put enough truth with the lie to make you question whether you were wrong in a situation. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the truth.
Don’t let that scam artist deprive you of fellowship with God. Don’t let him steal from you all the blessings God has given you. Don’t give him permission to speak into your life and rob you of your joy. Don’t answer back to him when he delivers a false accusation. He just isn’t worth your time.
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