Recently, a Facebook friend of mine shared a video exposing Beyoncé as a worshipper of Satan. Yep, they say Beyoncé worships the devil. The video goes into great depth on the occult practices and symbols she uses in her music performances. I’ve seen videos like this all of my Christian life. Whoever the entertainer du jour is, they are exposed to be godless and deluded, leading the masses into worship of Satan. Now, I am not going to go into this beyond what I just said. If you’re interested, you can search YouTube for these exposé videos on artist like Beyoncé. I would rather focus on something closer to home.
I can rail and fume about the music industry and Hollywood promoting the prince of the power of this world, but is it any wonder they do? Is anyone truly shocked by this? Of course the world is going to promote its master. What’s more stunning is when it’s in my personal life. Far more heinous than Hollywood and Beyoncé is any part of my life not in line with the Lord of All. Yep, more! I expect gang bangers and celebrities to exhibit and exalt godlessness, but the clean-cut father of five sitting next to me in the pew? This is where it shocks. I expect a self-proclaimed Christian to be just that; I don’t expect them to be godless in their choices. An occult dance by Beyoncé is typical, but where a Christian sister let’s Satan rule—that is the shocker.
Beyond Beyoncé
There are only two powers in this world: the power of Satan and the Power of God. It’s never Satan’s power, God’s Power, or my power. My only power is to choose between the two actual forces, God or Satan. And most of the time these choices are done in secret. These choices are made moment by moment, every day, and usually in secret. (For more on powers at work in the world, I recommend Eternal Power and Towering Canopies.)
As a born-again believer, I can stop saber-rattling at the world. They are lost, so of course the world acts up. As a disciple of Christ, let me instead flex my strength for personal choice. Let me focus on prayer for my brothers and sisters, tempted by things common to man. I know crusading against the obvious sources of evil empowers me and makes me feel like I’m actually doing something, but it’s hollow.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
Mark 8:36 NLT
In saying this, I’m not trashing the producers of these videos. Perhaps God is calling them to warn the sheep. But for the disciple, our daily focus cannot be on how the world celebrates the world; our focus must be the King of Glory. Our purpose must be surrendering our entire beings to the life and Lordship of Christ. It’s my moment-by-moment choices made against serving Satan by serving myself. I have to do this daily . . . because I am ungodly? No, because I am fallen in a fallen world. The Lordship of Christ is brought into the home of my heart as I exercise my right to choose Him over Satan. Not good vs. evil, but God over Satan.
Christ Himself never fought against the world’s system. The only thing He ever fought was FOR not against. His motive was zeal not opposition. As Martha says, “You can’t focus on evil without becoming the evil you fight!”
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
He who hates Me hates My Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both Me and My Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’”
John 15:18-25 NIV
Katy Perry like Beyoncé did a Superbowl show, read what I said about Katy.
This is bang on, Brother John. Thanks for saying it like it is!
“You can’t focus on evil without becoming the evil you fight!” — What a sobering statement that is! Any time I pick up a ’cause,’ it only reveals my desire for the approval of man and keeps Christ in a corner. It’s humiliating to believe that God doesn’t need me but, no doubt, God could wipe every human off the face of the earth and He’d still be happy because He has His Son.
“…’deeds’ not as actions but as title or ownership.” WOW! Thank you Josh for the new perspective. Much food for thought.
Yes, indeed that “deeds of ownership” is quite an amazing word.
John 3:19-21 19“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20“For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21“But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” I wanted to share a perspective that His Spirit has recently been revealing to me. In the above scripture, read the word “deeds” not as actions but as title… Read more »
“I know crusading against the obvious sources of evil empowers me and makes me feel like I’m actually doing something, but it’s hollow.”
And it is one way that we stay blind to our own need and sin. It is a huge tool of the enemy in a way that seems right to man but brings death. It is focusing on social evils and like Martha said, becoming just like that very evil we hate. We must go lower in brokenness and higher in dependency, surrender, surrender, surrender…open my eyes, change my heart…
“I know crusading against the obvious sources of evil empowers me and makes me feel like I’m actually doing something, but it’s hollow.”
Yes… and following Tina’s comment, for me it is quite surprising how deluded I can get when fighting evil “outside there” and not paying attention to His patient hand on MY evil deeds inside.
Weeeeell….
This is right on point John. Thank you 🙂