In the novel Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis exposes the nature of both evil and good. The setting is training from a senior demon to an apprentice demon. The senior demon's general approach is to conceal, obfuscate, evangel and trick the human subject into behavior that will lead to destruction. This is consistent with the Biblical titles for Satan as "Father of Lies," "Accuser," "Adaddon (destroyer), "Prince of Demons," and "Tempter." Lewis understood the nature and purpose of Satan.
In our series where we seek to become a church that acts like a church plant, I will take a moment to expose some ways that Satan will attempt to take us off course and away from God. You only have to look as far as the Acts Church to find examples. First, Acts 1 sees the disciples seeking to spend time, energy and effort on knowing when Jesus will restore the kingdom of Israel. Maybe we want to know when Christ will bring our church back to its "glory days." Maybe we want to know when Jesus will restore our nation to its heyday. Maybe we are seeking to know when Jesus will return, and we crave some prophetic clue. I think all of these desires are quelled by Jesus' answer to the disciples in Acts 1 ... "It is not for you to know the times and dates the Father has set by his own authority (Acts 1:7)." Jesus, instead, turns the disciples toward the more important and relevant matters ... 1) receiving the power of the Holy Spirit and 2) being Jesus' witnesses everywhere (both of these things destroy Satan's hold on them).
Acts 4 brings the religious authorities into the mix. Evil always tries to discredit and suppress truth and God's message. Peter and John are healing and witnessing in the name of Jesus. Satan, and those with religious authority, oppose Jesus' message, and Peter and John are jailed and brought before the authorities. Peter and John proclaim the Gospel message to the leaders and we find one of the greatest compliments in Scripture ... "they took note that these men had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)." The leaders warn Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus' name. Peter and John respond, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
Acts 5 brings us another part of Satan's message to people. In Acts 2 and 4 we read that the believers share their possessions. In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira become examples of what happens when our possessions own us. They lie to God about their possessions and they lie to the Bride of Christ, the Church. Their very lives are demanded for their deception.
So ... how do these examples expose Satan and reveal the nature of the Church? Satan wants us to expend life and energy seeking knowledge that won't benefit us or others ... God wants us to seek His Spirit and the lost. Satan wants us to seek religion ... God wants us to seek Him and His kingdom. Satan wants to place God's message in the box of our comfort and control ... Jesus wants us to follow Him and tell everyone the truth of the Gospel.
As we seek to be a church that lives out our faith like a church-plant, let's remember that Satan will oppose us. He will divert us to non-essential things. He will tell us to be religious instead of faithful. He will tell us to be focused on our stuff, not the needs of others. He will disguise these things as virtues. But God's Spirit will reveal them and lead us into truth (John 16:13 says ... "all truth"). Now that is a promise I will claim! How about you?
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