In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them (2nd Corinthians 4:4). 

The gospel is the preaching of the Good News of Christ, the one who came to redeem man from the sins of the world. The Good News is open and revealed to everyone except those who refuse to believe. Someone can believe there is a God, and another can believe there is no God, but both are believers.

So when someone states he or she is a believer, we need to get an understanding of who they’re believing in God, Satan, or themselves, for many have made themselves god.  Satan’s work is to deceive and blind those who don’t believe in Christ as well as those who merely believe there is a God but haven’t committed themselves to the instructions of the Bible.

It’s good to believe in God; the devil believes, and they tremble (Thou believes that there is a one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble – James 2:19). One must believe, but they also have to get to know God. How can you worship a God you don’t know?

Everyone praising God isn’t praising the Creator God, but the god of this world. Satan has the power of influence; the same power he influenced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, he is using the same power to influence the world and some believers. He tried to use the power of influence with Jesus when he placed Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple, indicating the highest point of the temple

After he couldn’t influence Jesus to throw Himself off the building, Satan took Jesus to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, but Jesus was committed to the Father’s instructions: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” Jesus was also given every Christian an example of what our behavior should be as professing Christians.

Many professing to be Christians have made their spouse, children, finances, and education their god. Some have made worry, anxiety other emotions their god. They seek these gods daily but will not spend thirty minutes reading the Word of God or praying.

Satan influences the mind, will, and emotions of an individual who rejects salvation with sanctification and those who have fallen weak in the faith by not building themselves up by reading and studying the Word of God, fasting, and praying. You can do all this, and Satan will still try to influence you, but if you have your armor on, he can’t penetrate the armor when the individual has a consistent prayer life.

Reads and studies the Word of God, and is submissive to the instructions of the Bible, girded with the truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

If Satan can influence the mind, the will and the emotions will be subject to his influence. He uses the eyes and ears to influence the mind, will, and emotions. What we see and hear has an effect on what we will and will not do.

When the mind is blinded, it cannot comprehend the Word of God. This is why our mind has to be renewed from what the world has placed in it, so we will be able to discern what is right and wrong according to the will of God, which is His Word. His Word is His will, and His will is His Word.

When the mind, will, and emotions have been conformed to the world’s way, it rejects the Word of God, accepts wrong for right, and tries to make right wrong. How many have dug ditches for others to fall in so they can be promoted but don’t see anything wrong with what they have done because they felt like the promotion was due to them? How many homes and families have been destroyed because of an adulterous wife or husband, and the adulterous thinks there is nothing wrong with what they have done or are currently doing?

How about the child who was raped because of the lust of an individual who couldn’t restrain their sexual desires? Sex is a desire; it’s not a need! Even if it was a need, no one has the right to take advantage of another person’s will. Any action to harm someone mentally, physically, emotionally, or verbally is the influence of satanic spirits seducing the mind, will, and the emotions of an individual to harm another. Satan is the god of this world, and what he influences people to do is the opposite of God’s desire.

Satan is blinding nonbelievers and non-committed Christians, and they don’t have a clue they are spiritually blinded.  Blindness indicates darkness; in the dark, you stumble over things, and you can’t see what you’re stumbling over.

The individuals agree with the stumbling because they’re unaware they are in darkness. That’s what Satan’s influences do spiritually, and it makes the individual agree with the sin they’re committing because they don’t see anything wrong with what they are looking, listening, doing, and going to. When one is living in darkness, they don’t comprehend; if it’s the opposite of the Word of God, then it’s sin.

Many have stopped believing in prayer because they heard someone saying, “Prayer doesn’t work.” They may not have received an answer to their prayer instantly. The Bible instructs the believer that the Word of God is tried; tried means you have to try it to see if it works, and when you pray, you must have faith to believe what you’re praying for will be answered.

Don’t be influenced by what you hear; Satan needs people to use the same way God will use those who submit themselves to Him to be used by Him. We have to be more than a believer; we must be a doer of what we believe.

God’s Word is our instruction for Christian living.   Some believers haven’t taken it a step further than just believing’; a born-again Christian is more than a believer; they have experienced the power of God living within their being, and they have and are enduring the sacrifice to be a Christian. Being just a believer is one that attends church faithfully, volunteers in different auxiliaries, and carries a title but doesn’t function in what the title represents. They believe in God, but they don’t want to sacrifice to get to know the God they believe in.

In order to know God, you have to experience Him, and the only way one will be able to experience His power; we must go through different situations to experience the power of God. How would one know God will keep you from harm if you have never been in harm’s way?  How can one know God loves them for who they are if they haven’t experienced His love when others have rejected and persecuted them? If you have never had a need, how would you know that God will supply the need?

It’s time for professing Christians to take the blindfold off their eyes and dig into the Word of God as though they were looking for gold. Pray without being made to pray, fast without the pastor telling you too fast.

Purpose in your heart to do what the Word of God instructs, while others around you will reject what the Bible instructs. You will never experience the depths of God if you don’t seek Him. Satan will try to influence you; it does not take all that, well, it does, and more if you want to have a relationship with the Father.

Satan will influence you so that you don’t need to pray, fast, read, and study the Bible. If you attend church on Sunday, that’s enough. He will tell you it’s okay to do whatever you feel like doing.  Judgment is going to start at the house of God (For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God – 1st Peter 4:17). Jesus is on His way back for His church; no one knows the day, time, or hour He will appear, and when He appears, if we’re not in good standing with the Father, the wrath of Jesus will be upon us.

He must see the blood He shed for us on the doorpost of our hearts. Where He sees the blood, the death angel will pass over. Don’t allow Satan to continue to blind you; take the time to read and study the Word of God, and then ask the Father to help you to submit to His Word; remove the blinders.