Satan, would like nothing more than to destroy Christianity in America. And while He is a defeated foe for the Christian, we must according to Scripture, be extremely vigilant of his schemes lest we fall prey to his arsenal of tricks. (I Peter 5:8) describes what our mindset should always be when we encounter our arch-enemy, as well as, what his goal is in the life of a believer: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Today, many Christians in America falsely believe that persecution of the church is the greatest challenge we face. However, I concur with – C. J. Mahaney, that the greatest challenge facing the American church is not persecution from without but seduction from within. Mahaney is spot-on when he said: “Today, the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world.”1
In fact, just the opposite effect often takes place when the church experiences persecution. Rather than fade away the church often grows bigger and stronger since persecution has a way of binding people together around its common enemy – Satan.
But with so much prosperity in the United States, American Christians often strive to live a life of ease and comfort and fall prey to the gods of comfort, entertainment, and bright lights. And while these things are not always inherently evil, they can take our main focus off of Christ and onto the creature comforts we have grown so accustomed to wanting.
Today, more than ever, we as American Christians, must become so laser focused on getting to know Jesus better and the world less, if we are to make an impact on our world for Christ. When Jesus becomes the true joy of our lives than the seduction from the world will become strangely less attractive.
My friends, the next time Satan flashes his seductive trinkets your way, arm yourself for battle with the joy of the Lord as your strength, and His amazing grace to say no to the desires of the flesh. I guarantee that the closer you get to Jesus the more delightful and bright your life will become since what can be more wonderful than to enter into an intimate relationship with the sovereign Lord of the universe!
1 Today, the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world. – Grace Quotes