Is Your God Too Nice?Sample

We need Christians who are a threat to Satan as much as certain terrorists are to the West. I wish I were that. We are too much like the sons of Sceva who were intrigued with the supernatural underworld but no threat to Satan. Indeed, the devil didn’t even know them! When trying to cast out devils in Jesus’ name, claiming to know Paul and promoting themselves to the level of their incompetence, they were utterly overcome by demonic powers (Acts 19:16). They tried using Jesus’ name, but the evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” (v. 15).

In other words, Paul was a real threat to Satan; he was well known by the devil. But are we? I don’t mean to be unfair, but do you really think you are a threat to the devil? A commitment to Christ inspires action that Satan can’t help but notice. Is Satan aware of you? Is he working overtime to keep you and your eternal love of Christ from threatening his interests? Ask yourself some of these questions:

• How much do you talk to the lost at a personal level and try to win them to Jesus Christ?
• How far are you prepared to go in your commitment to Him?
• How willing are you to be led outside your comfort zone—or do you privately resent that this could be asked of you?

I sometimes fear that I am not a threat to Satan. Do I want to be? Yes. Think of those people who are a threat to the whole world! I want to be a threat to all that is evil. Our reward administered at the judgment seat of Christ will not be based on whether we were liked or admired by other Christians, or even whether we built up a good reputation among the saints. We won’t be recognized because we are famous. Instead, I wonder if our reward will be given on the basis of whether we were known in hell and served as a constant threat to Satan and his fallen angels.