The devil’s will is the opposite of God’s.  We know that God does not want any man to perish (2 Peter 3:9), so it is obvious that Satan wants as many people to perish as possible.

Since this is the devil’s will, the last thing he wants is for us to be active in helping others overcome sin and be saved.  He much rather that we keep the gospel to ourselves and ignore the lost.  Of course, while the devil is pleased when we fail to share the gospel with others, in doing so, we neglect the marching orders that Christ gave to us all.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
¹⁹  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, ²⁰  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

It is well within the power of God to spread the gospel miraculously, but that is not His will.  His will is for the gospel to be taken to the lost by earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7).  In every example of conversion we have, the converted heard the Word of God from another person.  Even Paul, who saw and heard Jesus on the road to Damascus, was not completely converted until he heard from Ananias in the city of Damascus and was baptized (Acts 9:10-19).

Because it is God’s will that people are saved by hearing and obeying the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; 2:13-14), we, as Christians, play a vital role in the expanding of the kingdom of God and saving of souls.  This is not to overplay our importance.  We know that God deserves the glory for anything that we do.  When it comes to the growth of the church, Paul reminds us that God is the power behind it.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (ESV)
⁶  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Still, in God’s arrangement, we must be planters and waterers.  If we do not plant the seed into the hearts of men by preaching the gospel, people will not have the opportunity to be saved by the power of God, and the devil will see his will coming to fruition.  Paul detailed this in his epistle to the saints in Rome.

Romans 10:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  

The devil is very much aware that God operates through us.  This is why he does not want us to do our jobs.  He loves it when Christians neglect the responsibility of evangelism.  Sadly, we seem to play into his hands far too often.  Too many in the church think that if they attend a few worship services, study the Word from time to time, and pray once in a while, it is not all that important that we preach to the lost.  The question is, are we going to do what the devil wants us to do, or what God has commanded us to do?

We sometimes sing a song entitled, “You Never Mentioned Him to Me.”  What a sad thought, but often true.  We do not have to be great at personal work or experts at evangelism.  All we have to do is care enough to take advantage of the opportunities we have to tell others the good news about Jesus.  The devil says, “DON’T DO IT!”  Are we listening to him?

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.