If you’ve read this far, then hopefully you’re more aware of some of the ways that our enemy might be at work in the world around you.  Just knowing that the mission of his existence is to be adored as God is adored reminds us that we should not indulge those things that give glory to demonic forces.  And this mission requires that Satan postpone his ultimate judgment for as long as possible.  That means keeping the Gospel from the lost peoples of the world in any way he can.  Because when the Gospel reaches the whole world, Jesus tells us that the end will come.  So the enemy’s 2-prong strategy for keeping the Gospel at bay is to 1) Keep the lost lost, and 2) Keep the saved ineffective.

How effective is your witness for Christ?  Let me put it a different way.  Do people know your favorite college ball team?  Probably so, because you wear their jerseys, hats, and t-shirts.  Do people know what your favorite pastime is?  Probably so, because you like to talk about things that are fun and fulfilling.  Do people know how proud you are of your family?  Probably so, because you show them pictures of your kids and grandkids, talk about their accomplishments, and brag on how smart and pretty they are.  (I’ve never met a grandbaby that wasn’t smart and pretty.) 

We are witnesses for what we love.  Whether it’s how proud we are of our team, our hobbies, or our families, we love to broadcast the things that are most important to us.  And an important part of “keeping the saved ineffective” is DISTRACTION.  If Satan can keep Christians from talking about the important things of faith with those around them, then he’s quarantined the Gospel to that one believer and he won’t lose any more to Christ.  Satan doesn’t care what you like or what’s important to you, as long as it’s more important than faithfully following Jesus.

Along with distraction, another way Satan keeps believers ineffective for the Gospel is through FEAR.  How many of us have been afraid to have a difficult conversation… especially a conversation about Jesus.  We dread having to talk about our faith because it’s something that we probably don’t even totally understand ourselves.  We have never tried to put our own faith into words.  Or else we find it so hard that we avoid it.  What if I steer somebody wrong?  What if I can’t answer the Bible questions they have?  What if they’re offended by my beliefs?  These are all realistic fears that Christians have.  But we can’t let fear stop us from talking about Jesus.

How comfortable are you in talking about your children or family?  You know those people better than anyone else, and you’re probably very comfortable telling people what you know about them.  It seems that the answer for our fear of talking about Christ is to know Him better.  If we know Christ well, then we have little trouble speaking with authority on what He is or isn’t, what He likes or doesn’t like, and what the Bible teaches us.  We know Him better when we spend more time in prayer, Bible reading, and under the guidance of Godly teachers.  You don’t have to know everything about the Bible to share your testimony of faith in Jesus Christ and what you know from God’s Word.  Knowledge won’t take away all our fear, but it will give us a foundation to know that we are able to have a knowledgeable conversation about Jesus Christ.

Along with distraction and fear, the third tool Satan uses to keep Christians ineffective in their witness is GUILT.  The enemy wields the weapon of guilt to make us feel unworthy to speak for the Lord, or read our Bibles, or even pray.  Guilt is a powerful tool that has cleaved many believers away from the Church and devastated their faith.  When we know we’ve done wrong, it can make picking up our Bibles, going to church, or talking to the Lord feel like torture… so we eventually pull back from our relationship with God.  But guilt is not God’s punishment for your sin, it is Satan’s weapon to keep you from being effective in your faith.  Jesus has endured all the punishment for your sin that God will ever mete out, so have confidence that God’s Word is true and that Christ Jesus has paid the full price for your sins.  To alleviate your guilt, simply confess your sin to the Lord.  He is faithful to cleanse you of it when you bring it to Him (I John 1:9). 

Conclusion:

Satan is no cartoon character.  He is real, he hates you, he wants to use you to dishonor God, and he is at work around you.  But you are not powerless before him.  If you belong to Christ, then you can rest assured that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (I John 4:4).  Now that you understand the enemy’s mission and his strategy, you can hopefully see behind the veil that he uses to blind many in the world. 

Along with the eternal and abundant life He offers, one of the great gifts of God is that we get to join Him in His eternal work.  He is in the process of building His family, reconciling the lost to Himself, and being glorified in this broken world.  We get to be a part of that wonderful work when we live in obedience to the Lord.  But Satan wants to stop or confound God’s work, and we are joining Satan in his sabotage when we refuse to live in obedience to our Lord.  The war is real. Whose side are you on?  Your faithfulness will tell the tale.