opposition

There’s a telling story in Acts 6 that explains why a lot of people lose heart with ministry. Here it is, from verses 8-11: 

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia —who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

“Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.’”

When ministry succeeds, Satan takes notice, and when he takes notice he sends in his people. And since Satan is the father of lies, his people will use lies to take a ministry down.

I have a couple of thoughts about this. The first one is no-one that I know of has ever attacked me over anything I’ve done for God. Does that mean I haven’t been effective enough for Satan to care?

The other is, I wish I had back all the snarky things I’ve ever said about another Christian. I’d hate to think Satan was using me to help hold them back.

I read a saying once that went something like this: “Be the kind of Christian that, when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan says, ‘Oh crap, he’s up.’” I dismissed it as too simple at the time, but I think now whoever came up that might have been onto something. I’d rather scare the naysayers than be used by them.