Over the last several years, I have noticed a significant shift in the collective thinking of American society. While it is true that a gradual shift has been taking place, it has moved at a more rapid pace over the last few years, and I believe that the American church is heading into a purifying season. No longer is it popular to be a Christian and believers are being attacked, mocked, “canceled” and persecuted for standing firm in their Biblical principles. As our culture moves further and further away from the Christian values we live by, we are going to start seeing a rift in the church as some will be enticed to go through the wide gate. In some cases, we have already begun to see it happen.
It is important to mention that this is nothing new, as we know about the persecution the early church faced and the wicked culture of the Roman Empire. We know about the millions of Christians around the world presently who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus, some to the point of death. While we are not being martyred like many of our brothers and sisters around the world, we are experiencing a different attitude from many toward our faith than we have before. For many of us, this is an unprecedented time. We have been living with a false sense of security regarding our right to religious freedom and have grown too comfortable. Comfortable enough to allow Satan to creep in and wreak havoc.
My friends, I am here to remind you that Satan is not a fairy tale. He is not a boogeyman figure to be used to scare people into submission and he is not a silly ghost story. He is real. He is real and he attacks everyone and everything that God loves and holds sacred. He attacks in ways that we will not see coming if we are not vigilant. Instead, we have become complacent, and we have allowed Satan to sneak in and create chaos. He has done this by disguising himself in seemingly godly people who misrepresent the truth of the Gospel. In speaking of false doctrines and teachers, 2 Peter 2:3 states “many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be maligned” and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 states “but realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied it’s power.”
Beloved, look around. We are living in those days. And just as the Scripture states in Ephesians 6, our struggle is not against flesh and blood people, but against the world forces of darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places where they are able to deceive the hearts of men.
Our fight is a spiritual battle, not a physical one and we need to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth that not one man is righteous and we all sin; that we must repent from our wicked ways and follow the Lord; that Jesus abandoned His heavenly throne and came as God in the flesh; that He lived a sinless life and took the punishment for our sin by being crucified to death and buried; that He was raised back to life on the third day; that by faith in this truth comes all of the salvation we need to escape the punishment of sin, which is death.
If you believe in this Gospel then understand this: you are saved. And because of this salvation, Satan WILL attack you. He may not be able to win the battle for your soul anymore, but he can most certainly hinder you and distract you from your work in the kingdom of God. He can paralyze you in fear. He can even use you to deter others from the truth – if you allow him. You must stand alert, loving God, loving others, reading your Bible, praying always, and sharing the true Gospel with the world.
Do not be led astray by the “goodness” this world has to offer, the lie that God is holding out on you or that you are enough without Him if you just follow your heart. Do not believe the lie that tolerance of sin equates to love. Speak the truth in love, gently rebuke what is wrong, do what is good for all people and pray for their salvation. Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. The Bible instructs us to do all these things.
I believe the suffering and oppression will only get worse and we all need to remember that the cause of our suffering is not due to people but is due to the presence of sin and the lies it has perpetuated since Eden. God has graciously and mercifully provided us with a way to be reconciled to Him. And while we are not exempt from experiencing hardships due to sin, we are exempt from the condemnation sin provides – no matter what this world has to say about us. I want to encourage you with these words from Peter: “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
Do not be conformed to this world, walk in the light, walk in the truth. Know that Satan is our only real enemy and fight against him.
Stand firm my friend.