This story has floated around the internet for years, but I still find it convicting when it passes my way again.
Satan’s Convention
Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, “We can’t keep the Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else.
“We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to their churches; let them go to church and have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can’t gain that experience with Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!
“How shall we do this?” shouted his angels.
“Keep them busy in the non essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds. Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!
“Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or CD player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.
“Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.
“Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don’t let them go out in nature to reflect on God’s wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.
“Let them be involved in soul-winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health & family unity for the good of the cause.”
It was quite a convention in the end. The evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and more rushed, going here and there.
Has Satan been successful? You be the judge.
Susan
Unfortunately, I think we’ll all have to say, “Yes. That’s me. Somewhere in this story I see me.”
Jean
http://www.jeanmatthewhall.blogspot.com
Ouch!!!
This reminds me of an updated version of CS Lewis’ Screwtape letters. I forget how I came across your blog but I’ve been enjoying it.