Is Satan Working In Your Life?

     I received the following email from a friend when I wrote on busyness this week. I think it is great points to ponder and do some self reflecting. Read the following words with an open heart. Let God speak to you!


Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.
     In his opening address he said, "We can't keep 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 forming an intimate relationship with Their SAVIOR. Once they gain that connection with JESUS, our power over them is broken. So, let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with JESUS CHRIST."
     "This is what I want you to do, said the devil: Distract them from gaining hold of their SAVIOR and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day! How shall we do this?” his demons shouted. “Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds. Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours 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 families fragment, soon, their homes 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 I-Pod whenever they drive...to keep the TV, DVDs, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music ...constantly. Before they know it, they will have memorized the words to songs that socialize things like drugs, alcohol, promiscuity and suicide. Their little children will be singing these songs with glee! They will have no idea about the damming words they are speaking into their lives!”
     “It will seer their conscience and will harden their hearts. This will sow seeds of doubt and CONFUSION. They will rebel against Christian morals and values, declaring them ‘Old Testament’ ...inappropriate ... unrelated and irrelevant for their day and age. It will jam their minds and break their union with CHRIST. Fill their 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. Ooh FALSE HOPE...that’s good! Fill their thoughts with winning millions at the Casinos or playing the Lottery instead of seeing HIM as their source. Entice them to use the money they can’t afford to spend and leave them struggling to cover essentials. This will cause strife in their families and sow seeds of bitterness and resentment!”
     "Keep beautiful well-built females and handsome muscled-up males on the magazines, movies, internet and TV so they will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their husband/wife or feel inadequate themselves. Plaster the internet with pornography so ALL can view it and be enticed at the click of their mouse.”
     "Keep them too tired to spend intimate time together with their husband/wife to nurture their marriage relationships. It will make them feel unloved, lonely and neglected and they will begin to look elsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly!"
     “The enhanced and airbrushed images will make the young girls think they have to dress provocatively and have cosmetic surgeries. Young boys will believe they must use steroids. Both sexes will think they need suggestive and seductively placed tattoos or piercings to be appealing. They will waste their time and money, and jeopardize their health, in a futile effort to achieve an unrealistic image of perfection. This is great because they can never be satisfied with their aging human bodies! They will become increasingly self-centered and oblivious to the human needs around them.”
     “They will never achieve the REAL satisfaction that comes from loving their neighbor as they love themselves. Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about HIS resurrection and power over sin and death..."
     “Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their vacations and free-time exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on GOD'S creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
     "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. For those that do try to be selfless and help others, crowd their lives with so many good and worthy causes they have no time to seek power from JESUS. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
     The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier; more rushed, going here and there ... Having little time for their GOD or their families ... Having no time to tell others about the power of JESUS to change lives.

Let’s make this more personal!
Am I distracted from growing in my intimate relationship with the Lord?
How much time did I spend thinking of my work versus thinking of the Lord?
How much time did you spend thinking about new stuff you want to buy or do?
How much time did you spend with your children (quality time)!
Is your home a haven from the world?
How much quiet have you had today?
Did you sing more Christian songs or worldly songs this week?
Have you had thoughts of doubt in the goodness of God recently?
Do you live by what the world says or by what God says?
Where is your hope? On your job? Or with Jesus?
Do you live within your means?
Does your home, walls, bookshelves, coffee table show you are a child of God?
Is there bitterness, anger, hurt, and resentment in your homes?
Do you take every advantage to teach your children about God?
Do you lust over other people other than you spouse?
Have you spent time growing your intimacy with your spouse today?
When was the last time you reached out to someone in love?
Are you tired?
Are you busy all the time?
When was the last time you rested?
The last time you went to church, did you talk to someone about how great God is?
Are you working in your own strength?
Is Satan’s scheme working in your life?

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12