The
other day I saw an interview in one of the Spanish Christian Channels on TV, to
a member of a Satanist church; the ones who worship Satan. The Christian interviewer
was asking him how they approached people for their group. I was a little
overwhelmed that anyone should like to be a follower of a mean mind. I guess
there are all kinds of people, and the way the interviewed one spoke about
Jesus and Christian people in general told me, precisely, he was simply
jealous. I felt that he wished the members of his particular church could be as
happy and grateful as we, Christians, singing praises to our Lord and Savior
who spared us from eternal damnation. That makes many people mad.
Of
course, one does not have to belong to such an organization to be one of
Satan’s followers. The devil has well infiltrated our air so that we might fall
in his trap easily. He is always ready to welcome a new supporter. Peter says
in his first letter that “your adversary, the devil, prowls around
like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (I Peter 5.8b) But who
in his right mind wants to be a prey of Satan? I think people fall easy when something
goes wrong and their hatred for what they think is God’s responsibility is so
big, that they make an alliance with His enemy to annoy Him, and do not realize
they are really hurting themselves instead. Others, perhaps, feel they are so engaged
with an enemy’s deal that can not get out. Others join Satan out of ignorance,
which is the majority of cases, and think there’s no way out either or simply
do not believe in the enemy. The “adversary” is always setting decorated in “justice”
traps in which many of us might fall, and what it might have seemed implausible,
even some “Christian” institutions have adapted to them, proclaiming all kinds
of out of contest theological excuses to bend rules to their favor and so
hurting many believers who might fall for it: Christian institutions working
for the enemy? Unbelievable! That is why we have to be very careful and hold on
to the truth to not fall. God may permit that we fall into some traps so our
faith strengthens (or to be altogether rejected) and like Peter keeps saying of
the devil: But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences
of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
After you have suffered for 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. To Him be dominium forever and ever. Amen. (I Peter5.9-11)
We
have to be certain who we give our trust to, because Satan does exist and he
wants to do away with the Church
of God as Jesus
established it when He came. Maybe this is the way God is separating “the sheep
from the goats” (Read Mathew 25)
I,
myself have been hurting and the devil has been trying me to fall, but I will
not, because I know in whom I have believed
and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until
that day.
(II Timothy 1.12) In my pain I have suffered much,
which only my closed ones know about. I have cried and I have prayed and God
has answered me by making me study more His Word. And to my peace, because I
know all of this must happen, He gave me this portion of the Scriptures which
Jesus Himself said: See that you are not frightened for all those things must take place,
but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom, and in various places there will be famine and
earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
Then they will deliver you to tribulation . . . At that time many will fall
away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will
arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow
cold, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Matthew 24.6b-13)
What
shall we do in the meanwhile? : Believe (Acts 16.31), study the Bible (John 5.39),
pray for guidance (I Thess. 5.17), try not to practice any of the deeds of the
flesh (Gal.5.16-21) and wait for His reward:
Behold I am
coming quickly and My reward is with Me to render to every man according to
what he has done. (Revelation 22.12)
