Storm Warnings (Part Three)

This week we have been considering the storms that can challenge us in ministry. We have seen the church dictator and the church troublemaker—but the reality is that our greatest opposition may come from our true spiritual enemy, Satan.

Warren Wiersbe writes in his book The Strategy of Satan:

“It comes as a shock to some people to discover that Satan goes to church. Through his demonic forces, he is actually running some churches! Our Lord cast out demons in the synagogue, and Paul wrote to believers to warn them about Satan and his devices. Nobody outside the local church can really hinder the ministry of the church; this is why Satan wants to get on the inside, as he did with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)” (p.117).

So, how does Satan show up in our churches?

He launches a direct attack on believers.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 esv).

This warning is especially powerful because it comes from the apostle Peter. He had a firsthand experience with the “roaring lion”: “ ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know Me’ ” (Luke 22:31-34 esv).

Two lessons stand out from the above text. (1) We can overestimate our spiritual strength and underestimate Satan’s power. (2) We ought to continually thank God for the intercessory prayers of Jesus on our behalf!

He fosters an unforgiving attitude in the congregation.

“Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV).

It is important to focus on this word devices. It is the Greek word noemata. The word is translated as devices, thoughts, schemes, plans, or strategies. Paul is reminding us of the cleverness of the devil. We are aware of his devices because there are accounts in the Bible revealing the devil at work. I am indebted to Warren Wiersbe and his book The Strategy of Satan for pointing out some of the multidirectional targets of Satan:

• Eve—The target was her mind. The devil placed doubts in her mind about the integrity of God (Genesis 3).
• Paul—The target was his body. He suffered a thorn in the flesh that was identified as “a messenger of Satan” (2 Corinthians 12).
• David—The target was his will. “Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. . . . And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he struck Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1,7).
• Believers—The target is the heart and conscience. “I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God’ ” (Revelation 12:10 esv).

The application to the 2 Corinthians 2 account is this: Satan is after this man who has sinned grievously. If he is not put out of the church for his sin, he is put out because of the failure of a church family to embrace forgiveness. The devil is clever!
The outreach program of the church is resisted.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

How often I have heard these words: “I have shared the gospel over and over again. Why can’t they see it?” The answer: We’re in a spiritual battle with Satan.

In Acts 13, Paul shared the gospel with Sergius Paulus, deputy governor of Cyprus. Sergius Paulus was interested, but an enemy named Elymas tried to dissuade the governor. Paul saw who was behind the resistance: “Then Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘O full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil” (13:10). Paul knew he was being resisted by the devil.
There’s hypocrisy in stewardship.

“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?’ ” (Acts 5:3).

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is often misunderstood. Their sin was not in refusing to give all of their money. It was the sins of hypocrisy and lying! Satan is behind all hypocrisy.

We need to watch for the storm warnings of the church boss or troublemaker. And we always need to be on guard for a satanic hurricane!