The Enemy’s #2 Weapon
The title of this blog begs the question, “What’s the Enemy’s #1 weapon?” That’s easy – it’s the first one he ever used against humans, the BIG lure:
“You will be like God.” Gen. 3:4
Whether in the form of seduction, wealth, athletic prowess, physical strength, whatever. We see it every day: TV personalities; Ph.Ds., attorneys, pro-sports jocks, doctors, superstars, billionaires -- for a moment or two, they’re all “gods,” at least in their own minds. POWER!
Satan’s second most effective tool is FEAR. Fear is the enemy of faith. Fear turns Christian warriors into keepers of the status quo. Fear is a primary reason the Gospel is not being proclaimed to all nations.
Here are ten common statements based upon fear:
1. If I’m too open about my faith at work, I’ll get fired, or at least never promoted.
2. If I’m too obvious about my faith, my friends will take a step back from me.
3. My life is too button-down to risk it all by becoming one of those “overt Christians.”
4. Too busy. My job, house, cars, wife, kids, and investments take up every minute I have.
5. The Bible is a great book, but I live in the “real world.”
6. OK, there are millions with no access to the Gospel. Let someone who cares go to them.
7. I can’t possibly “share Christ” with anyone – I’ve never been to seminary.
8. Weekends are my only time to chill. I don’t have the energy to do “Christian stuff.”
9. I’ve earned every penny I have; God didn’t give a thing to me. What do I owe Him?”
10. Do-gooders are great, but in the end, they never really change anything.
In America, comfort and security are two of Satan’s most effective tools for reducing would-be Christian warriors into perfumed posers. Listen to some internal messaging.
Oh, sure, picture me living in a grass hut and eating crickets.
I’m lousy with language learning; got a D in 6th grade Spanish.
There is no way I’m going to move 15,000 miles from my family.
Missions just makes brown-skinned people dependent on white-skinned people.
This whole “God thing” is nice, but there are so many ways to do it.
I’m not good enough to be a missionary.
If someone dares to ask, “OK, so then what’s your solution for three billion people who have zero access to hearing about Jesus?” the response is often something like, “I don’t know. Shut up. Hey, how about them Cowboys this season!
People have a fear of leaving their comfort zone. Fear of looking odd. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of being separated from family. Fear of falling behind one’s peers in the climb to corporate suites. Fear of being poor.
So when you think about fear, where are you vulnerable? What excuse is keeping you from becoming a missionary, What is your reason for not taking the Good News to all nations?
John S serves on the staff of GlobalGrace