When Satan Goes To Church

Did you know Satan goes to church?

Actually, he is more regular in attendance than some members. One might could argue that through his demonic forces that Satan is running some churches. As proof, I offer this. Any church that is not standing on God’s Word is being run, controlled, or whatever you want to call it by Satan.

Revelation Chap. 17 verses 1-5 talks about the destruction of the false church. It is the church that will be left after the Rapture; it is the church that has and will abandon God’s Word to pursue blasphemies and fornication.

Satan does his best work from the inside.

There is no outside force that can hinder the church. Rome and Satan discovered that during the persecution of Christians as the blood of martyrs splattered, a new church sprang forth. Satan, not being a dummy, knew that outside persecution would only make the church stronger, so he decided he would get inside the church.

A classic example is found in the New Testament.

Acts 5:1–4 “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

As the Bible says, without a doubt, where 2 or 3 are gathered in Christ’s name, Christ is present, and you better believe Satan is too.

I want us to answer this question about when Satan goes to church, and here is the question.

Where are you likely to find Satan at work in the church?

1. The Pulpit.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Would it surprise you to know that all across the world today behind the pulpit were preachers who were being influenced by Satan?

Just because a preacher professes to be a Christian, just because a preacher is a good moral person, and just because a preacher is a seminary graduate does not mean that preacher is truly saved.

Have you ever heard of Saul of Tarsus?

Saul of Tarsus thought he was doing the will of God by persecuting Christians, but he was actually working for the Devil.

Today, we have many preachers who think they are the star of the show, and I will just go ahead and say it. Any preacher that makes it more about himself than about Jesus is being controlled by Satan.

Can I say this? And I am going to go ahead and warn you that it is not politically correct or woke.

Any woman that preached from the pulpit this morning was not preaching from God’s authority.

Titus 1:6 “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”

1 Timothy 3:2 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”

1 Timothy 2:12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

The preacher or pastor is supposed to be the scriptural authority in the church. If a woman is not to usurp authority over the man, how can a woman be a preacher or pastor?

Any professing homosexual that preached from the pulpit this morning was not preaching from God’s authority either.

Romans 1:21–22 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,”

Romans 1:25–27 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

A man saved from homosexuality can preach but not a man enslaved by homosexuality because homosexuality springs from a heart that denies God if you believe the Bible.

By the way, before we get on our high horses, the Bible also says the preacher is supposed to be the husband of one wife and in control of his household. Amen or Oh, me?

Any church that sanctions a woman to preach or allows a practicing homosexual to preach is not being controlled by the Holy Spirit, and you can take that for what it is worth. Does the same apply to churches being led by men who have been divorced many times or one time in clear violation of the qualifications set forth by God’s Word?

Do you know how Jesus described churches that are not being led and controlled by the Holy Spirit?

Revelation 2:9 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”

There are churches today that are synagogues of Satan, and it becoming a synagogue of Satan more than likely began in the pulpit.

God holds the watchman responsible. Eze. 33:1-6.

Ezekiel 33:1–6 “Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.”

I really think that some of these squirrels we see today that brag about what they have and are doing instead of warning the people are going to have much blood on their hands.

Amen, preacher! Way to go! Way to get after those in the pulpit!

Where else are you likely to find Satan at work in the church?

2. The Pew.

2 Corinthians 11:26 “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;”

UH-OH!!!!! Slow-down Preacher!!!!

Just as there are false preachers, there are false brothers and sisters whose main purpose in a congregation is to disrupt the body and interfere with the work of the Holy Spirit.

Do you remember the parable of the wheat and tares? That parable teaches us that Satan has followers, and he sows them wherever God has true believers.

Do you remember what Jude said?

Jude 3–4 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It is the responsibility of every true believer in this assembly to guard this church from those slipping in unnoticed whose goal is to do the work of Satan. In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus says that he will separate the wheat from the tares in the final judgment, but the church must be on guard as Satan tries to slip in.

What has happened over time is that many who slipped in have assumed leadership in some churches, and Paul warned us about it, and I believe that is exactly what happened to the United Methodist Church.

1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

With some of the things going on in churches today, it is obvious that many have given heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils because those churches are being controlled by those seducing spirits and demons.

I can hear the Posse now. “That’s right Jimmy! You get onto those preachers and to those in the pew! AMEN!”

Where else are you likely to find Satan at work in the church?

3. The Posse.

We are fortunate to have such talented musicians and singers, and we have more than can participate as we might soon have a trombone, clarinet, and trumpet, but did you know Satan can work in the Posse by sowing seeds of jealousy and discontent?

Worship within a church is its most important ministry. When a visitor comes in, or someone watches online, that person should be amazed at how much we are worshipping God. When you come to church, you come to worship, and the Posse has a lot of pressure on them.

They are representing the attitude of worship of this church when they are front and center, and they are to reflect Jesus Christ in everything they do as for others to see Jesus.

Did you know that Satan can be present and at work in worship? What do I mean?

In many churches, worship is attached to theatrics, but if worship is focused on anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, that worship is being led by Satan and not the Holy Spirit.

Let me use the Posse again as an example, and for my example, the Posse includes all of our musicians and Marty.

If they are leading worship for their own glory, they are being controlled by Satan. In everything they do, they are to worship or lead us into worshipping Christ.

Now, I know there is a fine line. Some believe the church should be all about joviality and entertainment, but that is not true. I might as well say this.

Many of the charismatic churches are not being led by the Holy Spirit because of the theatrics attached to what they call the movement of the Holy Spirit. How do I know that?

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Let’s assume I am lost as a goose. I am being convicted, and I go to the first church I see. As I sit down, I hear a preacher babbling in some unknown tongue and see people running around the church, you better believe I am going to be confused and probably get out of Dodge.

Listen. I am not to be an entertainer, and neither is the posse. There is a lot of pressure on the posse. They are what the world sees on our streaming. They are to portray Christ in a spirit of worship and not be contentious with one another looking like they have been floating in an ocean of pickle juice for 6 months.

Satan will attack any part of the church. He will put thoughts in your mind during worship service.

1 Chronicles 21:1 “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”

John 13:2 “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;”

Matthew 16:21–23 “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying,

Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Jesus was not calling Peter Satan, but what He was doing was looking through Peter seeing that Satan was the one speaking through Peter, and he will through you too. That is why we must put on the whole armor of God as explained in Ephesians Chap. 6.

Satan is on the prowl like a devouring lion, and he is looking to devour Christians, and as Jude says, you and I are to be on guard.