An Unseen Enemy

By Fred Wikoff

It happens to all Christians. After months of thoughtful meditation and indecision we finally take the big plunge . . . we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and are baptized.

Wow! What a victorious feeling! We can’t help but share the joy and excitement of having our sins washed away and names written in the book of life. But eventually that top of the world feeling ebbs and our halo loses some of its luster; and we discover that accepting Christ is not the end, but the beginning of a long, difficult, and often painful process of spiritual growth.

We also learn that spiritual growth is not automatic. We have to want to grow spiritually. And while most of us want to grow in this direction, we often underestimate or lack the burning desire and relentless willpower necessary to overcome the many pitfalls and ensuing struggles with Satan.

Satan? He’s convinced many that he doesn’t exist, even though his evil purpose and role as a tempter are clearly revealed throughout the scriptures. I even know active ministers of the Gospel that have been duped into thinking he is not real.

That Satan deceives so many, despite Christ’s clear warning of his presence, should cause us all to setup and take notice. He’s a major obstacle to our spiritual growth and clearly must be dealt with if we are to advance spiritually. However, this is often more difficult than might be suspected.

Satan knows that few would do his bidding if they thought they were being tempted or manipulated by him. So he works undetected under a cloak of secrecy, convincing us that we are making our own decisions.

“Resist the devil and he will flee from you,” is always good advice but we can’t resist what we don’t see; and we’ll never see Satan clearly unless Christ illuminates him for us. It’s the light of Christ “shining in the darkness” that gives us the power to see Satan and defy him. (See John 1:5) Even then our power to resist is only in direct proportion to our willingness to let Christ work through us.

That’s why it’s so important to become “like children” and humbly yield our self-centered egos and all right to ourselves to Christ. (See Matthew 18:3-4) If we don’t trust Christ with our lives in this way, we leave the door open for Satan to continually control us; and risk blocking our spiritual growth, and ultimately losing faith in Christ.

It all comes down to who we trust . . . Satan’s half truths and lies . . . (See Matthew 6:12) . . . or “the Spirit of truth,” Jesus Christ. (John 16:13)

“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:31)

Fred Wikoff writes from Eugene, Oregon. EugeneSpud@msn.com