Unknown to some who claim to be true Christians, they have inadvertently become champions and vessels of Satan’s course on earth. They are serving the devil without knowing it! This phenomenon is not only harmful to their victims but to them also. You may need to solemnly ask yourself, ‘To what extent have I been used by the devil without realizing it?’ We can have peace and true freedom as we know the truth.

What are the characteristic manifestations of SATAN’S MINISTRY?

THE DECEIVER THE WHOLE WORLD
Do you simply enjoy deceiving others? Does your work thrive on hypocrisy or deceit? Do you believe you cannot ‘make it’ unless you involve yourself in deceit and shady deals? Have you not been deceiving yourself? Rev.11:9 has this to say:
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth,and his angels were cast out with him.

THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN
How much have you been doing to destroy, bring down and demean fellow brethren in Christ? How much have you succeeded in the task of slandering and backbiting. While you claim to be a child of God, have you not turned yourself to judge and a law-giver among men?
Rev. 11:9-11
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

3. A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth …..
1John 3:15:
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
So what makes a person a murderer? Hatred of a fellow brother. Hate is accounted by God as murder.It can be manifested in racism, violence against fellow human beings, genocide, sadism, sectarianism and all forms of perversions. BEWARE!

4.A LIAR AND FATHER OF LIES
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (Joh.8:44)

So Satan’s lust includes both murder and lying. We see SATAN’S LUST AMONG MEN EVERYDAY. God calls all moral perverts children of Satan.-he becomes their father. We see men promoting the counsel of hell, even in the modern Church today. It is very pathetic that men have carelessly left their first love and have given Satan a cheap edge over their destiny. It is simply tragic.

Now all doctrines of men that seem to make God a liar are lies, every compromise and deal we make with sin and flesh are also lies. Lies will not prosper before God and liars are in trouble. Do you enjoy or promote lies? Do you pretend as if God’s truth is no more? Are you not moved by the certainty of God’s judgment upon all liars anymore? Rev.22:15 has this to say:
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Everyone who thrives in lies is involved in SATAN'S MINISTRY, NO MATTER WHOM HE CLAIMS TO BE.
Every step we take in believing and accepting SATAN’S LIES IS A BETRAYAL OF HEAVEN. But if we will boldly come out and take a sure stand for Jesus in such a perverted generation as ours, we will be eternally rewarded and the heavens will rejoice. 1Cor. 13:8 says:
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

5. WEAKENER OF THE NATIONS- He is ever an agent of discouragement and depression. Satan or Lucifer did weaken the nations of old and he still very much does the same today. He sows the seed of depression in people.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!(Isa.14:12)

In like manner a person can become an agent of weakness to a fellow believer. Some people are simply gifted in creating fear, unbelief, and unedifying negative sentiments in others: they discourage the weak, the confuse those who are on the right way. Some people simply make God’s Word to look difficult to obey. Such Pharisees are hopeless hypocrites who have neither understood nor tasted the beauty of God’s grace. While pretending to be on the Lord’s side, they running errands for Satan!
But grace is truly beautiful: it saves sinners and it gives all ability to overcome even sins that cling so close. Halleluyah!

HOW DOES SATAN WEAKEN THE NATIONS?
The nations love sin. They are filled with their own ways and SATAN HELPS THEM TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR FAILED ENTERPRISE. The nations are filled with hatred for their MAKER and Satan helps them to remain so. Do you also belong to the nations of those who hate God?
As the who weakens the nations has fallen, so also will every nation that forget God fall.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.(Psa.9:17)
Ask yourself: Does my lifestyle strengthen or weaken fellow believers? How much have I contributed to draw other men to hell? Do my habits, dressing, relationships, daily occupation and speech commend others to God?

6.BLINDER AND HARDENER OF MEN’S HEARTS- Satan makes sure he hinders more people from knowing the reality of life. He blindfolds and also out-rightly steals men’s ability to see God’s will.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.(1Cor 4:3,4)

It is really saddening that some people have been doing Satan’s job by making sure they blind others to the truth of the gospel. What shall we say of the modern day ‘preachers’ who specialize in the hedonistic gospel of materialism? Are they doing God’s business? They only labour for their belly. Let everyone who claims to have been called into the ministry of Christ go back and check what we are preaching.

If as a leader who wields some influence in the Body of Christ, all one builds is a selfish empire, what will be the lot of the blind followers? May we not be held responsible for the eternal doom of the poor souls. Let us commit our life to the preaching of God’s undiluted truth and so our ministry be approved before God. If what I preach is not the truth, even though it resembles the truth, I will only succeed in hardening men’s heart to the real truth. Heresy is more grievous than ignorance.

7.A DEVOURER AND SLANDERER- He walks about seeking for whom to devour. He’s always on the look-out for a vulnerable prey.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1Pet.5:8).

Satan does not build up lives, he only devours them. He looks for man’s weakness and uses it to get him destroyed. Are you given to certain carnal appetites? Are you cognizant of your personal, consistent areas of weakness? Or do you pretender as if it doesn’t really matter? Now, if you have taken note of your personal weakness, what sincere steps are you taking to have victory?
On the other hand, do you delight in seeing others fall and not rise again. Are you happy to see others’ estate devoured? Do you enjoy talking and boasting yourself in the apparent downfall of others? If so, you are a servant of SATAN.

8. AN OPPORTUNIST- One interesting thing about Satan is that he does not waste opportunity to do his evil work. He seeks carefully for one and utilizes it. He needs man’s failure as a substrate for his achievement. We are to not let him take advantage of us, neither should we be ignorant of his devices.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.(2Cor.2:11).
Satan himself is ever conscious that his time is short, so he seizes every available opportunity to do His evil work(Rev. 12:12). Let every serious Christian learn from this truth.
We must however, not seek opportunity to do evil. Let us not seek evil (by any means) towards anybody. Let us be mindful of our thought, actions and utterances. Give no room to Satan in your life.

9.THE TEMPTER- This simply another name for Satan or the devil (Gk. Diabolos). He tries to tempt anybody who gives him room, no matter how long you have been in the Lord or how much you are doing in the Kingdom of God. Beware!
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that SATAN TEMPT YOU NOT for your incontinency(1Cor.7:5)

Satan is a tempter. He was not ashamed to even tempt Jesus Christ, the Living Word! He came to tempt Him, first of all in the wilderness and on several other times in the days of His flesh!

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread(Matt.4:1-3).

Now do not give in to satan'stemptation for it will surely come. On the other hand, do not make yourself an instrument of temptation to a fellow brother or sister. For instance a so-called Christian lady who dresses in an enticing, suggestive manner is making herself available for the devil’s use. Everybody who gives him or herself away to Satan in such a manner will surely be hurt at the end. Do not tempt a weak brother or sister to be drawn away from the righteous path. You will inherit shame thereby.
If Satan could come and tempt our Master who are we not to be tempted in life. The only danger is that stumbling block or offence (Gk. Skandalia- scandal) shall come but woe is unto anyone who falls into it.

10. A PRESERVER OF THINGS THAT ARE OF THE FLESH- One of the key things the devil promotes and preserves are things of the flesh. No wonder evil works are also referred to as ‘the works of the flesh’ (Gal.5:19-21).
Satan was rebuked indirectly by Jesus as He rebuked Peter, the Apostle! So SATAN could be using this beloved Apostle too. In fact SATAN used him shortly after the Holy Ghost used Him to speak of Christ(Matt.16:16-19).

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(Matt 16:23).

Things of the flesh are those things that will not last. Let us rather labour for the food that does not perish. The reward is going to be eternal. Now you need to sincerely check your motives at all times. Do you do things just for selfish gain or in order to receive men’s praise? Are you serving God so as to achieve some inordinate ambition? Or do you have some secret agenda which only the heavens can reveal?
Let the Holy Ghost find you out today. Stop lying against the truth and it will be well with you.

I Love you so much and I appreciate your patient waiting on the truth. Let us all be doers of the Word. Shalom
OLUFUNSO J. OMIDIRAN

Rev (Dr.) Olufunso Joseph Omidiran is a humble servant of God with a unique passion for the global soul evangelisation. He graduated from the University of Ibadan, Western Nigeria with a B.Sc. Hons in Animal Science. He is a teacher, dynamic evangelist with apostolic passion and prominent speaker in national conferences and seminars. He is President of Living sword Ministries International based in Ibadan Nigeria fro where he launches out to the nations. He is married to Bukola and they are blessed with four children