SATAN’S SCHEMES
SATAN’S SCHEMES
The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. —Revelation 13:5-8
What or who do the unsaved worship? They worship the satanically aligned and empowered. They worship those who “utter proud words.” They are against God and blaspheme His holy Name. They do this by their words and deeds. They are against God and speak against God, against heaven and those who live there. They love power and to fight against God’s people to subdue them. They are against the church which is all those who have “called on the Name of the Lord” (Romans 10:13). This is the desire of the evil one and those snared “of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will” (II Timothy 2:26).
But Satan’s time is limited and so also for those who follow him. God is the Sovereign Ruler of all and nothing is out of His control. Only those whose names have not been written down “in the Lamb’s book of life” worship the satanically aligned and empowered. On earth they may seem to be winning, but that is not the case. Jesus has already won the war and Satan was utterly defeated, but God allows him to be active for a little while to carry out God’s purposes. That time will come to an end.
We can see Satan’s hatred today for those who follower Jesus. Brothers and sisters are persecuted and killed all around the world just for following Jesus. Here in the United States Satan has been working incrementally to push believers out of the public arena. Even things that are connected with Christmas like trees and other decorations are being forced out of the public.
A brother and I had briefly discussed this yesterday. And when I left him there was an e-mail that came in that dealt with this very thing. Now I had been at a senior’s luncheon that the town puts on and had handed out invitations to a Christmas Eve candlelight. Here’s what it said—
“Hi Ted,
It was brought to my attention the other day that fliers were being passed out at the senior lunch. I need to ask you to please stop soliciting the church at our events. I try to make these lunches about gathering and getting out of the house for this group and I do not want it to be a place where anyone could feel uncomfortable. I refrain from having presenters specifically for that reason as well. You are more than welcome to come on in and join us for conversation, but the Town Hall has strict rules on what is being passed out to program participants of any kind.
Thank you for understanding and happy holidays to you and your family!”
Really? So now you cannot even hand someone an invitation? But this is how Satan works— seeking to limit those who follow Jesus. He uses all kinds of schemes! Don’t be intimidated!
Dear Father, help us to be faithful to whatever You call us to and not to be intimidated by the schemes of the adversary. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fiK9sq7lhE