“The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (I Jn 3:8). And I believe Jesus calls us to join Him in this work. So rather than throwing our hands up with insufficient or pat answers to the problem of “disappointment with God regarding personal and widespread suffering,” let’s lay a solid biblical foundation for our young people and then enlist them in the fight against Satan; against his works of evil, violence, disease, and corruption in this world. What might this effort look like in our everyday lives?
- Encouraging and assisting our friends who are experiencing marriage challenges to work through their problems and keep a household together that Satan would like to tear apart.
- Helping a friend find answers for their depression. Asking God to get out in front of this malady induced by Satan and heal our friend as well as helping them find treatment to alleviate this condition.
- Joining a ministry to drill wells for clean water in a country where the water supply is contaminated by Satan’s disease bearing pathogens.
- Building a house in Juarez Mexico for a family suffering in Satan’s poverty prison.
- Sponsoring a child in a third world country through Compassion International or a like-minded organization to help break the cycle of poverty in one community.
- Fighting disease at the prevention and treatment level such as the recent successful efforts against Guinea worm disease in Africa led by the Carter Center.
- Rescuing children from a life of exploitation at the hands of Satan and his intermediaries.
- Bringing simple western medicine and surgery to a specific group of suffering women in Africa.
The apostle Paul often used wartime language in describing our interaction with Satan (Eph 6). Satan has indeed declared war on not only the people of God, but the people of the whole world made in God’s image. And Paul entreats us – including our young people – to join the fight. “Suffer hardship with me as a worthy soldier of Christ Jesus” (I Tim 2:3). May we be found to be “worthy soldiers.”