The Enemy’s Magic Tricks

Joshua Crawford
Distraction is a powerful tool any good magician will employ to successfully execute a trick. With one hand, the illusionist will perform a movement that’s not part of the trick; its sole purpose is to draw your eye away from the real action. A moment later, the trick is done and you’re left baffled. “How did they do that right in front of me?” you may ask. Indeed, you were paying attention, but to the wrong thing.

In this world, as we speak, there are many distractions pulling our eye away from the real action of Jesus. Paul told the believing Corinthians, “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) In the case of unbelievers, he said “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Satan, who is the god of this world, is working hard to keep the hearts of believers and unbelievers away from Jesus Christ.

The devil is performing a tremendous sleight of hand in the area of race relations, politics, and church denominations. All over the world, people are being distracted by these superficial differences, ignoring the fact that God has already settled this. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) If we continue to be bedazzled by Satan’s trickery and let him fix our focus on hateful differences, we’ll miss the miraculous work God intends us to do through Jesus. What is that work? As Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)  

“Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” (Romans 16:17) In these times, there are many alluring causes, which seem good, but are ultimately a deceptive scheme of the enemy to divide us; seeking the Lord is the one thing which can unite us. “Put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:14-15) Don’t let any cheap tricks draw your attention; the only things worth your attention are the things of God.