In a recent video message, evangelist teacher Perry Stone warned that many Christians are unknowingly participating in Satan’s agenda, from within the church. Drawing parallels between the early church’s compromise under persecution and the present-day church’s spiritual condition, Stone said, “If there’s one thing that concerns me the most, it is the carnality that is in the body of Christ in the form of tale bearing, backbiting and gossip.”
“It’s just so entrenched, especially in the West.”
Stone cited historical accounts from the early centuries of Christianity where believers, out of fear of persecution and death, denied Christ, only to later return to the church after the danger had passed. But his main concern was how Satan still finds inroads into the modern church, not always through persecution, but through internal division, spiritual immaturity and deception.
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Satan’s Influence on Believers
Stone cited several New Testament examples of Satan’s influence on individuals who were part of the church:
- Peter: “One minute he is speaking a revelation from God… A couple verses later, Jesus says, ‘Get behind me, Satan.’”
- Judas: “Satan entered the heart of Judas… it meant that he inspired Judas, not in his head, now it’s in his heart to betray Jesus.”
- Ananias and Sapphira: “Why did Satan fill your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?”
Stone emphasized that “Satan is an accuser,” and when Christians act in similar ways, they are not operating under the Spirit of God. “He uses accusations to attack other people.”
Three Church Sins That Mirror Satan’s Devices
Stone laid out three behaviors prevalent in the church today that he says align with Satan’s plan:
- Double Talk
- “I love you, brother… and you walk right outside the car door… and you’re talking bad about them.”
- “A double-minded person is unstable in all their ways.”
- Secret Conspiracies
- “When somebody hates somebody, you find the other people who hate the same person. Then you’ve got your little conspiracy going on.”
- Sacred Lies
- “We kill people’s reputation without blinking because we’re going to do the right thing. I call it sacred lies.”
Citing Psalm 64, Stone warned that those who engage in such behavior may face judgment:
“God shall shoot at them with an arrow. Suddenly they shall be wounded.”
Understanding the Real Agenda of Satan
Stone explained that Satan’s three-fold mission in John 10:10 is often misunderstood. He offered a more spiritually focused interpretation:
- Kill: “To kill their reputation. And once a person’s reputation is damaged… people say, ‘I’m not listening and I’m not supporting.’”
- Steal: “He steals your joy, he steals your peace, and he tries to affect your righteousness.”
- Destroy: “He’s destroying families, he’s destroying homes and he’s destroying churches.”
Stone added, “You’re going to have to learn to discern the voices in your head,” emphasizing the importance of spiritual maturity and self-control. “You are never required to give your opinion on everything that you’re hearing.”
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Despite the warnings, Stone ended with a call to unity and love within the body of Christ.
“If you love somebody, you will stand with them through thick and thin. It doesn’t mean they did right, but you’ll still love them.”
His message was a clear exhortation to avoid division, recognize the voice of the enemy and uphold the righteousness and unity of the church.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
