In our previous discussion, we determined that Satan’s mission is adoration.  Satan wishes to be adored in the same ways God is adored by His worshipers; that is, through honor and sacrifice.  And this seems to be the mission of all demonic forces.  In their desire to be worshiped, they have taken up the guise of benevolent gods, wise spirits, and powerful otherworldly beings.  In this guise they have dragged people further and further from God by demanding that people act wickedly in order to serve them.  Sexual abuse and human sacrifice are among the abominable rites these false gods have demanded from their worshipers.  And even though their mission has been successful to an extent, God threw a serious wrench into their plans when Jesus appeared on the scene.

We might say that even though their ultimate mission and the desire of their hearts is ADORATION, they are now faced with an immediate mission which is PRESERVATION.  In the same way, I might have an ultimate mission to drive to the Smoky Mountains for vacation, but when the gas needle gets low my immediate mission is to find a gas station so I don’t end up stranded.  The desire of the demon’s heart might be the same, but it becomes secondary to what is necessary for survival.

At the cross, Jesus won the ultimate victory over Satan and all wicked spiritual forces.  No longer are human beings harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Jesus has more than proven His authority over spiritual forces.  During His ministry, He cast out and banished evil spirits with just a command.  In the book of Acts, we read that the apostles were able to do the same.  In fact, we find that all who follow Jesus and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit have the same authority.  Through the giving of His life at Calvary, Jesus took our guilt, shame, and punishment upon Himself so that Satan could no longer threaten us with these weapons.  When we are in Christ, we are set free from the intimidation and terrorism of the enemy.

And since the day of Jesus’s resurrection victory, the clock has been ticking for the spiritual forces of evil.  We read in Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 20:10 that there is a lake of fire prepared for the eternal punishment of Satan and his followers.  Unfortunately, this punishment is also prepared for those human beings who have sided with Satan – knowingly or unknowingly – by rejecting the gift of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ as Lord.  “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.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God,” (John 3:17-18).  Our sin condemns us just as Satan’s sin has condemned him. And like him, we will pay the price for our sin unless we call in faith on the One that God has provided to set us free.  That is, the Lord Jesus Christ who has died in our place and received the required punishment for our sin.

When will this end come, and when will Jesus return?  Many have tried to apply a date to “Judgment Day,” but Jesus tells us that it will happen when every people group in the world has had an opportunity to hear of Him and be saved.  “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,” (Matthew 24:14). 

So, if there is an eternal punishment waiting for these evil spirits when the Gospel makes its way through the whole world, then it makes sense that their immediate mission is to keep the Gospel from getting to the lost nations.  This is why demonic forces are the power behind the persecution of believers, discrediting of the Bible, and government suppression of evangelism and missionaries.  Most people who participate in oppressive governments and persecution tactics have no idea that they’re in league with demons, of course.  But none the less, these men and women are used by spiritual forces to keep other human beings under the thrall of Satan and away from the Truth that will save them.  This is the immediate mission of the enemy.

As Satan’s mission is 2-fold: Adoration and Preservation, his strategy for accomplishing his mission is also 2-fold.  In order to keep the Gospel from the ears of those who need it, Satan’s strategy is: 1) Keep the lost lost, and 2) Keep the saved ineffective.  We’ll explore these two tactics as we move forward.