The Bait of Satan
If you are a Christ follower, a believer in Jesus, and you work at a church or are heavily involved in one or more ministries, I encourage you to read the book "The Bait of Satan" by John Bevere. It is the BEST book I have read yet on how satan aka the PUNK will use just about ANYTHING to rip apart a church. This book is about how we, as a christian group, are an offended people. We are offended when the pastor talks about tithing. We are offended when someone else gets asked to do something or go somewhere that we weren't invited to. We are offended when someone looks at us a certain way or when someone says something that might hit too close to home.
Satan will use all of these offended feelings to make us resentful, proud, and haughty. Next thing you know, we're either talking negatively about the ministry we are in, or we leave our ministries completely. I have been in this very situation, and I shudder to think what the punk could have acheived if I had let him. But thank God, the veil was lifted from my eyes after reading this book. Now I can see where satan would use simple things to get me to feel offended. One time, I wasn't invited to something that would have meant a lot to me. So I got offended. And then satan backed away and let me run with my negative feelings, and we won't even go into how much sewage poured from my mouth about it all. What I didn't know is that I wasn't asked because school had just started and my church leaders knew I couldn't get out of school. And they didn't ask me for a second reason- HANNAH. They knew I wouldn't leave my little baby girl. Instead of realizing this from the start, I clung to my anger and allowed it to seap into my ministry and it affected everyone I work with.
Looking back now at the last four years that I've been in ministry, I see just how much satan had a grip on me through the use of the emotion of offense. I'm so glad I read this book. Now when I do things at church, I am working on seeing the good in al people so that I do not allow satan to get a foothold.
"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." ~ Ephesians 6:10
Thank God I don't have to depend on my own power!
Satan will use all of these offended feelings to make us resentful, proud, and haughty. Next thing you know, we're either talking negatively about the ministry we are in, or we leave our ministries completely. I have been in this very situation, and I shudder to think what the punk could have acheived if I had let him. But thank God, the veil was lifted from my eyes after reading this book. Now I can see where satan would use simple things to get me to feel offended. One time, I wasn't invited to something that would have meant a lot to me. So I got offended. And then satan backed away and let me run with my negative feelings, and we won't even go into how much sewage poured from my mouth about it all. What I didn't know is that I wasn't asked because school had just started and my church leaders knew I couldn't get out of school. And they didn't ask me for a second reason- HANNAH. They knew I wouldn't leave my little baby girl. Instead of realizing this from the start, I clung to my anger and allowed it to seap into my ministry and it affected everyone I work with.
Looking back now at the last four years that I've been in ministry, I see just how much satan had a grip on me through the use of the emotion of offense. I'm so glad I read this book. Now when I do things at church, I am working on seeing the good in al people so that I do not allow satan to get a foothold.
"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." ~ Ephesians 6:10
Thank God I don't have to depend on my own power!
posted by caryn at 2:42 PM
5 Comments:
Your words are like when a child sees a butterfly for the first time. You see that their eyes are opened to the reality of what is out there. You too through the words in this book have had your eyes opened and now you realize the reality of what is really in your world. This book must be something that everyone should read whether in ministry or not.
I want this book!! I think I'm going to go get it with my birthday money!
Seriously, Heather, I recommend this book to EVERYONE in ministry. It's such an eye-opener. You will get so much out of this book. I've also heard that "Under Cover" is an excellent choice too. I'm going to be reading that one over the Thanksgiving holidays. :)
thanks for the info! I'll get that one too! There are so many books I want to read....just to find the time to do it:-) I'm actually going write those 2 titles down right now:-) Who is Under Cover written by?
Both "The Bait of Satan" and "Under Cover" are by John Bevere. Linda Orr, my aunt, also recommends reading another one of his books, "Driven By Eternity" when you finish those two books!!! :)
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