Good morning. Happy Friday! How has Satan been trying to get in your way of sharing God this week?
A bit strong to start off with? Yeah, probably. But after hearing a message from the past Sunday from Ephesians 6 on the frank reality of spiritual warfare, that question has been shaping my perception of some of my usual behaviors and actions. And in reading Acts 13, I think this chapter gives a clear warning of what we’re up against sharing the word of God, but how much that pales to the empowerment and encouragement Christ blesses upon those who heed His command.
Acts 13 is an important turning point in the mission of spreading the Gospel, when Paul and Barnabas are first sent by God into the Gentile world to grow the church, and Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28 begins springing to action. Not surprisingly, they encounter literal practitioners of evil opposing them in cities built around sin and temptation. More surprisingly, when sharing the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles who rush in to hear and accept the spirit, certain Synagogue members grow jealous of their influence, trash the Gospel and their Savior these men spoke of, and drive them out of town. I’m sure these roadblocks would have been insurmountable for men of weaker faith, but these two quite literally shake it off and soldier on.
It should not surprise us that from the very beginning of the church sharing Jesus’s name to the outside world, Satan has been closely behind, spreading doubt, jealousy, anger, and all sorts of guilty reactions to man’s own sin, both in the hearts of unbelievers, and in those of unprepared or unwary believers. If you’ve ever felt nervous in a situation where you’re able to share the Gospel with someone who may react very poorly; if you’ve felt embarrassment or shame at the outcome or method of sharing the Gospel; maybe even envy or jealousy of the works of other Christians: then maybe you’ve experienced firsthand how Satan tries to discourage & tear down believers. He has to, because there’s nothing more dangerous to Satan’s power than the name and the message of Jesus Christ.
How do we combat this? Well, circling back to Ephesians 6:10: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Paul and Barnabas were blessed with this strength through whole-hearted learning, genuine devotion & commitment to the Word, and sharing in prayer (James 5:16: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”). Thanks to the armor and strength of God, Paul was able to share an amazing message to the Gentiles in Antioch in this passage, sharing in the hope of salvation and promise of eternal life with many who hadn’t known of it. In our daily life, this rings true as well: we have so many opportunities to share an incredible message with the world. But if we have not spiritually prepared and lifted the sword and shield of the Lord’s word beforehand, Satan can and will try to keep that from happening with all his might.
I am thankful today that despite all Satan’s best attempts, Scripture has already ordained and God has already guaranteed His victory for us over death. I pray for vigilance and deliverance from the very immediate threat of the Deceiver attempting to separate us from God’s love and doubt our ability to do good works in His name; to find strength in Christ to overcome any obstacle in sharing this love with others; and for wisdom to discern truth from lies, good from evil, and Godly things from wicked traps. And most of all, I pray for haste for the day when Satan is cast aside and nothing keeps us from our dwelling place with God.