2 Corinthians 4.4 describes Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

‘The devil made me do it’ is a euphemism for describing why I choose to do the wrong or naughty thing. When the world is askew, when all kinds of bad things are occurring, it isn’t the devil we blame but God.

The Bible describes God as good and loving and the devil as a destructive liar bent on killing. When we see man doing evil to man we should be blaming the devil. When we see man having compassion for man we should be validating that God is good.

The destiny of the devil is hell itself and he knows it. God has already written his sentence, God has just not arrested him and placed him in his eternal confinement. The goal of the devil is to take as many people with him to hell as he can.

The means for accomplishing his goal is ignorance, confusion and misinformation. Christianity is the only declaration from the One True God.

The Bible records Who God is and His good plans for humanity. This is why we tolerate every other religion except Christianity. It is why Christianity alone is maligned and hated.

The devil himself opposes Truth and convinces the unbeliever to do the same. The antidote to Satan’s means is for Christian’s to speak about Jesus and to live life as He did.

The reality of Who God is and His appearance in Jesus is the message of the Christian that begins to unstop the ears of the unbeliever. It is the proclamation of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that removes the fog in the minds of unbelievers. When the message is Jesus the mind is opened to truth and life.

This is why Christians must stay focused on Jesus; what He did, who He was and His promise to return. Any other message than Jesus adds to the confusion and distortion that keeps people deceived.

Second, the Christian must live as Jesus lived. This means a life of sacrificial service for the good of others.

Jesus described Himself as a Servant and invites His people into greatness by becoming the servant of all. Serving others while serving God makes visible the message about Jesus. Suffering as Jesus suffered, living the life of surrendered submission to God, is how Christians will most effectively testify to the resurrection of the Suffering Servant Who gave His life a ransom for all.

Jesus came to set the prisoner free, to restore the sight of the blind and to unstop the ears of the deaf. He accomplishes this purpose when His people embrace His cross by declaring His Name and serving people selflessly.