Overcoming Satan’s greatest tool

There is an old story that Satan had a yard sale. The devil was selling many things. One person said to him, “I want to buy that tool.” The devil said, “Oh, that tool is not for sale. That is my best tool. It’s the tool of discouragement.” Satan has two primary tools — doubt and discouragement. Discouragement is a loss of confidence or enthusiasm. It is a loss of hope. It is to be disheartened. Satan wants us to quit.

The apostle Paul faced great difficulties in his ministry. In the Book of 2 Corinthians he faced enemies both inside and outside the church. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 is the preeminent chapter in the Bible on overcoming discouragement. Paul said, “Therefore, since we have received this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart (verse 1).” Paul did not get discouraged. He persevered. He soldiered on. 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 contains three keys for overcoming discouragement.

The first key for overcoming discouragement is to leave the results in God’s hands (verses 1-6). Our responsibility is to be faithful, not successful. We are to make the truth known. Paul said, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord” (verse 5). A changed life is a supernatural work. The Bible says, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (verses 3-4). Satan has blinded people’s minds. Only God can change a person’s life.

In Genesis 1 God created light. In the same way, only God can open a person’s mind to the truth. “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (verse 6). The Holy Spirit must cause the truth to shine and for illumination to take place.

Always leave the results in God’s hands. Your responsibility is to teach and model the truth. Take the living seed of God’s Word and spread it everywhere you go.

The second key for overcoming discouragement is to die to self (verses 7-15). Verses 8-9 say, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” Paul was afflicted or under pressure. He was under tremendous pressure but not crushed. He was perplexed or at a loss. He was at the brink of defeat, but not defeated. He was persecuted or hunted but not abandoned. Paul was knocked down but not knocked out. He was blitzed but not sacked.

Verse 12 says, “For death works in us, but life in you.” A mother goes to the very brink of physical death to give birth to her children. A father spends the best years of his life providing and protecting his family. The Bible commands us to be tender mothers and gentle fathers (1 Thessalonians 2:8, 11). We are to lay our lives down for others.

Jesus on the night before He was betrayed, took upon Himself the clothing of a slave. He knelt down and washed the feet of His disciples. He demonstrated the importance of dying to self. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.” Jesus died for our sins that we might become alive to God. Jesus took the sins of God’s people upon Himself. He lived a perfect life, went to the cross, made the ultimate sacrifice and offers us perfect righteousness. The ultimate example of dying to self is the Lord Jesus.

The third key for overcoming discouragement is to live for eternity (verses 16-18). “Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (verses 16-17). Our outer person is decaying. We are getting older! Our inner person is being renewed through daily communion with God. Always focus on eternity.

Vince Lombardi said, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” One of Satan’s greatest tools is discouragement. The apostle Paul was overwhelmed by the tremendous privilege of ministry. How do we overcome discouragement? Leave the results to God. Die to self. Live for eternity.

Ethan Hansen is the pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.