3 Reasons Why Satan Loves Video Games, Movies, and Fiction Books

Let me start by making it very clear that I play video games, I love movies, and I write fiction books. I don’t think any of these are inherently bad or evil, but they are a tool. Just like any tool, they can be used for good or bad. Unfortunately, I think for many of us, these tools are being used for evil rather than good. Here are three reasons why I believe Satan loves all of these.

Fiction and Media Disarms Believers

If Satan can’t destroy you because of your eternal relationship with God, then the next best thing he can do is keep you from making a difference. One of our primary goals in this life is to share the good news of the gospel. We are called to reach out to the lost and point them back to Christ so that they can be saved from their sins and reconnected to the true source of life.

Satan loves it when Christians are too occupied playing video games, watching movies or shows, and reading books to reach out to the lost. How much time have we spent engaging in these activities that we could’ve spent reaching out to and loving non-Christians?

I’m guilty of this too.

It breaks my heart to think of all the beautiful people God created who are walking toward eternal separation from our loving God. Yet instead of pleading with them to turn back to God, I sat and spent hours staring at a screen or a book.

If Satan can’t destroy you because of your eternal relationship with God, then the next best thing he can do is keep you from making a difference.

Is this not equivalent to seeing a baby crawl toward a highway, yet—instead of helping—we continue watching our favorite TV show? Sure our situation is a bit more abstract, but isn’t this exactly what we do?

Satan Loves to Distract God’s Warriors

Now, there’s nothing wrong with taking a few breaks. God wants us to rest our souls. He created sleep and the sabbath day’s rest for that exact purpose. However, we sometimes go much further than this.

We often decline going to or helping out at a youth group. Some times we pass on attending a Bible study or prayer and worship night. Instead, we spend that time consuming media.

On a weekly basis, we refrain from volunteering because we don’t think we have the time. However, if we tally up all the time we spend watching TV shows, we’d discover that we spent at least two times the amount of time watching something than we would’ve had to commit to that volunteering opportunity.

Satan Uses Media to Keep Us From Caring

It happens to me all the time, and I’m guessing it happens to you too. When we spend time reading a book, watching a movie, or playing a video game, we daydream about it. Even when we might follow God into ministry, our minds are always switching back to that video game.

Our hearts desire the game, not God. We want more of the game, not God’s word. We long for the game and lose our vision for the great commission. Satan loves this.

At this moment, I’d rather stop writing this blog post and start watching a recent sci-fi show I’ve been getting into. Why does that show feel like it will satisfy my heart more than reading God’s word and more than helping weary souls?

The more time we spend in prayer, in God’s word, and in conversations focused on God and his great commission, the more we will care about it.

This is exactly what Jesus says in Matthew 6:9-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

How Do We Shake Off Satan’s Leash?

Satan uses video games, movies, TV shows, books, board games, and so many other things to disarm, distract, and divert our heart’s desires. He does this all to chain us up and keep us from living out the rewarding and meaningful lives of adventure that God has called us to. Satan wants to tame us and make us like the rest of the world.

This is why we must live wilder.

I know it may sound terrible, but we need to spend more time in prayer, reading God’s word, and reaching out to the lost with love and with the Gospel. The more we do this, the more we’ll want to do it. The more meaningful and rewarding it will become.

But it starts like that grueling first run after weeks of inactivity. It’s hard. Sometimes it’s painful. And oftentimes it will drain all our energy out of us.

But, if we press on, it will be easier. We’ll get more excited to continue drawing close to God. And, soon enough, we will start daydreaming about following God and walking in his presence. We’ll long for heaven and long for more opportunities to witness to others.

It’s hard work, but it’s the hard things we do that we remember in our old age and look back on with satisfaction. When was the last time you looked back on an entire day you spent consuming some media and wished you could do that every day?

Friends, it’s time to break free of Satan’s leash and live wilder.

 

If you liked this post, you should check out my post 3 Reasons Why I’m Mad at the American Church

If you want to start living wilder, but don’t know what steps to take, check out my book Discovering God’s Calling