Do not give the devil a foothold

In Ephesians 4:27 we are told to “give no opportunity to the devil.” 

In the original Greek manuscripts of this verse, the word for “opportunity” is topos. It’s where we get our English word “topography.” In Ephesians, this word suggests some sort of location or space. 

Various biblical translation teams have struggled to adequately capture it’s meaning. Here are a few of the ways they have tried to do so. The King James translation says: “Neither give place to the devil.” The NRSV says: “do not make room for the devil.” The NIV says: “do not give the devil a foothold.”

The words “opportunity,” “place,” “room,” and “foothold” are all attempts to translate this same word: topos. 

But what does any of this matter?

Think of two siblings chasing each other around the house. One is trying to get away from the other. He runs into the bathroom and starts to shut the door. The one who is chasing him is close behind. Before the door can be shut, he puts his foot in the door. That’s a “foothold.” As a result, he can then put in an arm, then a shoulder, and then his whole body. Game over. 

In the Bible, anger can be a foothold that the evil one can use to gain influence over us. So can unforgiveness, the occult, or false religion. 

But so can pride. Perhaps this is one of the reasons we are warned against it so much! 

When we become self-centred to an unhealthy degree, what should we do? Let’s be honest, acknowledge what is going on, ask God for forgiveness, and re-centre ourselves on the Lord. 

1 Peter 5:5 says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So let’s yield to God, serve the people around us, and not let the devil gain a foothold in the door of our hearts.

Notes:

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-Bible quotes, ESV.