They last thing that any ordinary christian who wants to live a powerful missional life that brightly shines the Light of Christ in their part of this dark world is to find out that they have allowed themselves to be used as a tool by Satan.  Missional Living means we want to be a tool of Christ that brings the Good News to the world.  In this post we are going to look at some indicators that Jesus gave His disciples to help them know what to look out for and not become a too of Satan.  Read and be on the look out!

The most difficult people that Jesus had to deal with during His ministry here on earth was the Jewish religious group known as the Pharisees.  He actually referred to them as one of the biggest tools of Satan for leading people astray from God.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are."  Matthew 23:15 (NIV)

In the beginning of this chapter Jesus warns the crowd and His disciples to not follow the example of the Pharisees. Why? Because to follow their example would make them become the tools that Satan uses to lead people to hell.  So, in this post we are going to talk about 4 specific indicators that will help you to recognize if you are becoming a tool of the devil.

Take a few moments and read Matthew 23:1-7

You Are Becoming A Tool Of Satan When You:

#1:  Don't Practice What You Preach!

"Therefore do whatever they tell you and observe it. But don't do what they do because they don't practice what they teach." (vs. 3 HCSB)

People love to tell others what they should and shouldn't do. It makes them feel better when they focus more attention on other peoples short comings than they do on our own.  It's interesting that Jesus said that the Pharisees taught the right things but just didn't live out themselves! The problem isn't what they taught as much as it was that they were unwilling or unable to live it out themselves but expected others to do it.  

The Pharisees pretended to be the perfect example on how to live out God's word but in reality they were hypocrites. They were just as much unable to live out the righteous requirements of the Law as anyone else.  

So, when you begin to preach one thing on how to live for God but you don't live it out yourself you're giving Satan a foothold to use you as His tool.

#2:  Demand Behaviors From Others Impossible To Live Out!

"They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people's shoulders, but they themselves aren't willing to lift a finger to move them." (v. 4 HCSB)

Do you love to tell others how they should live their lives?  Do you find yourself coming up with elaborate plans for how others should conduct their Christian life? Do the plans you have for living the Christian life tend to be more than what Christ expects? Do you put your religious traditions equal to what the Bible actually teaches? 

If so, then maybe you are being used by Satan.

 #3:  Do Religious Activities Just To Be Seen By People!

"They do everything to be observed by others; They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels." (v. 5 HCSB)

This verse goes to the very heart and motivation for why Christians do the religious things they do.  What's your motivation for teaching a Bible study class? Why are you wanting to become a deacon, pastor or missionary? Why do you dress the way you do when you go to church? Why do you pray the way you do when you pray in public?  

Could it be that these things, as well as others, are done in the way you do them just to be seen by other people?  Could it be that you are more interested in being noticed by others than you are by God?  

When we begin to do things in order to stand out in the eyes of people we maybe giving Satan a foothold to using us.

#4:  Seek To Be Honored And Praised By Men!

"They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people." (v. 6,7 HCSB)

Are you always looking to get verbal recognitions or acknowledgements for the things that you have done in the church?  Do you expect a "Thank You" before the congregation when you do something in service for the church? Do you get your feelings hurt when your service to God goes unnoticed by others? 

If so, then you are positioning yourself to be used by the devil.