Un-Follow Satan

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” [Acts 14.11] 

Human nature has a constant inclination to turn to idols. Even when a preacher or teacher declares the truth of God that sets people free, people are inclined to idolize the preacher or teacher. 

This inclination to idolatry is the nature of the sin that originated in the Garden of Eden starting with the question, "Has God really said...?" Instead of taking God literally at His Word, it was reasoned with human thinking what God really meant based on Satan's lie.

Satan's lie to the people of Lystra was that Zeus and Hermes were indeed gods. When the crippled man there was healed, instead of turning only to the living God as Paul and Barnabas declared, the people based their estimation of the miracle they witnessed on the lies they had believed about Zeus and Hermes.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. [Acts 14.14-15]

Man's first experience with Satan in the Garden of Eden set the precedent for man's every experience with Satan that would ever follow: Satan plants a seed of doubt causing God's people to turn away from the living God and turn to worthless things.

THINK! Why, when God established the Law through Moses, are the first three of the Ten Commandments all about this very issue? Because idolatry is at the root of sin; sin is at the root of self; and, self is at the root of Satan's lies. Satan's lies always lead people, through the avenue of self, away from God and thus into sin, which is idolatry.

By the lies of Satan, the people of Lystra were predisposed to attribute the miracle they had seen to the gods Zeus and Hermes. They had no quarrel about God's involvement, but the glory went to Zeus and Hermes. In their deception, they violated the 1st Commandment, which led to their violation of the 2nd Commandment, and which led to their violation of the 3rd Commandment (confusing the work of God with the work of idols - misuse of God's name).

Sound familiar? It should because it happens every day all around us.

By the lies of Satan appealing to human reason, people today are predisposed to attribute God's provisions of money, protection, health and conveniences to the idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology. They have no quarrel (at least, among God's people) about God's involvement, but the glory goes to these idols. In this deception today, the 1st Commandment (only God is God) is violated, which leads to violation of the 2nd Commandment (make/have no idols), and which leads to violation of the 3rd Commandment (attributing the work of idols to God and the work of God to idols - misuse of God's name).

Is it any wonder then that the Church today is powerless in comparison to the Early Church? All the while, the Church today reasons they have indeed "taken up their cross and followed Jesus" when, from the very beginning, they are in violation of the 1st Commandment because God is not God alone in their lives. They reason to the point of demanding that God uses debt, insurance, medicine and technology.

AND THEN, religious people today, just like the Jews at Lystra then, are also deceived by Satan ignoring the fact that Jesus Himself demanded singular devotion to Him alone (even clearly stating "all these things" would subsequently be taken care of - Matthew 6.33), ignoring not only Jesus' demands, but also God's first three Commandments, and decrying the one declaring "God alone!" as out of touch with the way God works today. The one today who declares, "God alone!", like Paul at Lystra, is unsurprisingly ostracized and persecuted.

Jesus' call to singular faith in Him alone however stands. It is incumbent upon the genuine follower of Jesus to un-follow any and everything else - especially as human reason (our own way) becomes involved. Jesus said it:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

The true follower of Jesus must un-follow Satan and his confusing, damning lies.

Father, help us to recognize and un-follow Satan and his lies so that we might singularly follow Jesus. So be it.