The Devil's Bait
One of the oldest tactics in guerrilla warfare is to send "bait" to lure the enemy into a trap. Often this "bait" will take the most innocent, innocuous form possible: a victim in dire need of help. The intended outcome is that the advancing troops will see the "victim", and be lured by the compassionate desire to "help", only to be fall prey to merciless attack and slaughter. It's lowdown, dirty, and there is absolutely nothing fair about it--it's used because it's effective, swift, and it WORKS... usually without any survivors left to tell the tale.
Take a moment to transfer that concept to spiritual battle. Because in my lifetime, I have witnessed multiple battle-seasoned Christians--even outstanding pastors--fall prey to this dirty tactic of the Devil. Our enemy well knows our (God-given) desire to bring the lost into the fold, and into the safety of the arms of the Good Shepherd--and he is mercenary in using this desire against us, to our great downfall. A needy, broken woman in "desperate need" comes their way, imploring for help. And little by little, like a frog slowly boiling to death in stew pot, they take the bait. They might have started off very well intended--they saw a need, and they rose to the occasion to meet it. And then before they knew it, the "victim" had so consumed their lives, that they abandoned all else--even Christ. I have seen pastors abandon their wives and children, claiming that they felt "called" to go and "save" some woman, whom Satan had sent as bait into their congregation. I have seen others abandon God's plan for their life for a homosexual relationship, because they felt such great "compassion" and "love" for a hurting individual, who "desperately needed their help".
Last night I found myself having a very sober conversation with my teenage children:
"At some point in your lifetime," I told them, "You will meet someone who DESPERATELY needs your help... God has not sent them, and God has not called you to save them. That is a tactic of the Devil, designed to make you fall. There is a fine line between being 'Jesus with skin on', versus taking on the role of the Savior. We are called to POINT people TO Christ; we are NEVER called to BECOME Christ."
To take on the lofty role of the Savior is to exalt ourselves to the place of God Himself, and to foolishly stroke our own egos. It is idolatry, mixed with human pride and arrogance. To take such a sacred mantle upon myself is to ascribe weakness to the saving power of Jesus Christ, and in effect to say that He, Alone, is not able to save. That is blasphemy. And, in the same breath, to take on such a position, is also to say that I view myself as All-Powerful in "saving" others. That is also blasphemy.
Beware the pitfalls which the Enemy of your soul has laid. Beware the troubled "victims" in your path--some have been sent directly of Satan himself to make a victim fatality out of YOU.
--C.A. CLARK
Take a moment to transfer that concept to spiritual battle. Because in my lifetime, I have witnessed multiple battle-seasoned Christians--even outstanding pastors--fall prey to this dirty tactic of the Devil. Our enemy well knows our (God-given) desire to bring the lost into the fold, and into the safety of the arms of the Good Shepherd--and he is mercenary in using this desire against us, to our great downfall. A needy, broken woman in "desperate need" comes their way, imploring for help. And little by little, like a frog slowly boiling to death in stew pot, they take the bait. They might have started off very well intended--they saw a need, and they rose to the occasion to meet it. And then before they knew it, the "victim" had so consumed their lives, that they abandoned all else--even Christ. I have seen pastors abandon their wives and children, claiming that they felt "called" to go and "save" some woman, whom Satan had sent as bait into their congregation. I have seen others abandon God's plan for their life for a homosexual relationship, because they felt such great "compassion" and "love" for a hurting individual, who "desperately needed their help".
Last night I found myself having a very sober conversation with my teenage children:
"At some point in your lifetime," I told them, "You will meet someone who DESPERATELY needs your help... God has not sent them, and God has not called you to save them. That is a tactic of the Devil, designed to make you fall. There is a fine line between being 'Jesus with skin on', versus taking on the role of the Savior. We are called to POINT people TO Christ; we are NEVER called to BECOME Christ."
To take on the lofty role of the Savior is to exalt ourselves to the place of God Himself, and to foolishly stroke our own egos. It is idolatry, mixed with human pride and arrogance. To take such a sacred mantle upon myself is to ascribe weakness to the saving power of Jesus Christ, and in effect to say that He, Alone, is not able to save. That is blasphemy. And, in the same breath, to take on such a position, is also to say that I view myself as All-Powerful in "saving" others. That is also blasphemy.
Beware the pitfalls which the Enemy of your soul has laid. Beware the troubled "victims" in your path--some have been sent directly of Satan himself to make a victim fatality out of YOU.
--C.A. CLARK
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