Throughout our lives, a great number of “voices” compete for our attention. Family, friends, co-workers, marketers, technology, and even your pets are vying for your undivided attention.
Christians yearn to hear the voice of God in their lives and succeed because we have his words written down for all to read and hear, as well as the Holy Spirit reminding us of those words constantly.
But the enemy of our soul and life is also attempting to sway us to his way of thinking.
Cartoon depictions of a person (or animals like Sylvester, Brutus or Bugs Bunny) with a chubby little angelic figure on one shoulder and a scowling little fellow in a red suit and pitchfork on the other attempts to depict the conflict we all feel at one time or another.
Whether we pay attention to him or not, we certainly hear him calling. So, I figured, what would Satan say to a Christian author?
Regular readers of this blog know that we often have fun, get a little snarky at times and attempt some wry humor. Not today.
While I would never put words in God’s mouth other than what we find in scripture, I have no problem doing it for Satan. He lies all the time anyway, so it’s not hard to come up with material. So here they are:
Satan’s words for Christian authors
“The most important person in the world is you. No one else matters.”
“The only things holding you back are other people.”
“Only those who exalt themselves will be exalted.”
“Humility is for losers.”
“I appreciate that you are on some sort of mission or something. If you feel deeply about the goal, you might need to step on someone to push yourself higher. I have no problem with this. Neither should you.”
“You are the master of your own destiny.”
“I’ll be honest with you. If you fail at writing, it will be because other people have intentionally destroyed you. Other people are incompetent. Their weak attempts at their stupid jobs do nothing to help you achieve your goals.”
“I love the way you blew up at that editor. You really put them in their place. I am proud of you.”
“Here’s an idea…buy your own books from places who report sales to best-seller lists and you’ll appear on the lists as a best-seller. Then it will sell because of the publicity. Trust me, it works every time.”
“Publishing companies are filled with lying, greedy people who want to take advantage of you and then toss you aside.”
“If you have a problem with anyone at a publisher, try to get them fired.”
“Triangulation is the best kind of communication. Better yet, use social media to express your displeasure with someone. It’s one of my favorite things.”
“If you are afraid to fight for what you want, don’t be an author.”
“Ignore critics. They are just trying to bring you down.”
“It is about the money. The amount you make is the only true measure of success. Make sure you tell people how much money you make.”
“Give it up. You are a failure.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ “ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:10-11, NIV)
Hope to See You at a Conference This Year
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Thank you Mr. Balow for this post.
True, Satan does speak. I recently had a fleeting thought of buying books to get to bestseller when and if I get published. Thank God I discarded it immediately.
A question sits beneath my mind. Can Satan speak to authors about their work? Maybe put in something that shouldn’t be typical of a Christian character. Should Christian novels have boundaries?
Can Satan speak to authors about their work?
He tries and tries. He works through discouragement, anger, distraction and many more angles. Whatever it takes.
Should Christian novels have boundaries?
Of course. The interesting conversation is where they are placed!
Thank you, Dan Barlow, for this clear eyed view of the enemy. Satan’s lies are sometimes effective because they are just one degree off the truth. But if you follow them for any distance, you wind up far from your goal. The enemy is alive and well. He’s just toothless – unless we let him gum us to death, defeat, and failure. (Yes, the Oxford comma is deliberate.)
I love this post so much! In fact, several of the lies of satan resonated, and I was able to see those lies at work in the lives of writers I know.
That’s an interesting and thought provoking graphic. Do you know you did it?
It is a stock photo image.
Dan,
Thank you so much for this. It is very good for us to keep these things in mind so that we can recognize the enemy’s voice and agenda.
Thanks Dan, this is a good reminder. Here’s one I hear, “This takes so much time. Aren’t there better things you can do with your time?”
Great post, Dan. I hadn’t thought about some of these lies. The one about defining success by the numbers? Yeah, that’s one I would have to be on the alert for.
Other lies I believe he tells writers have to do with getting our thoughts on comparing ourselves with others (our worst to their best), how we are less-than, and other tearing-down messages that defeat us. Those are the ones I hear most often.
Very thought provoking!
Thank you! An awesome, accurate, and timely piece. Great day for me to get this. We are in a battle, and these comments that Satan might make are pretty real. As well as the reply about doing other things with our time as more important. It is a battle for our minds and hearts, and he likes to mess with them. Good stuff here.
Love this post, Dan. A lot of these lies are new to me since I self-publish, but they were interesting to read! I definitely don’t have a shortage of lies I hear though. Here are a few of them: You need to check your Amazon rankings (podcast and blog stats, etc) to see if people still like you. It will be terrible if people don’t like you. You need to be successful so people don’t think you’re a loser. Success equals lots of book sales, blog visitors, podcast listens.
I think I’ve read all your books, Barb. I love the focus on renewing the mind. Maybe you need to do one especially for writers! 😉
Thanks, Jan. I actually wrote all of the starting a habit/pursuing a goal questions in the Renewing of the Mind Project to use for all of my own struggles with writing but I’d love to write a book specifically for writers. I’ve actually played around with it a bit already so maybe one of these days I’ll finish it!
When I tried to open this post from my email, I received a warning that said “Deceptive Site Ahead” against a red background. Found it curious that I would see that when the post was about Satan. Is Satan trying to mess with your readership?
Instead, I went through the internet to your website to post this. I agree with you. Satan does want to rob and steal our writer’s heart for sharing God’s hope with those who need it.
That is very odd, Christine. Who is your service provider? You might want to report this. Have you been otherwise hacked? I would be very concerned.
Great post. The biggest lies I hear whispered are always appeals to my ego. I have to remind myself over and over again that I write for God’s glory and not my own.
Thanks Dan. This post speaks volumes. Bless you.
Dan, you have provided need-to-hear reminders for many writers this day. Blessings to you, brother!
How about questioning the source of your inspiration? “God didn’t really call you to write. He doesn’t really guide your plots and nonfiction content. It’s really all from you, and God hasn’t given you a message He wants you to share for the sake of His Kingdom. To think otherwise is arrogant or delusional.”
Added to that, “If you can’t convince enough people to follow you personally, then you should forget about the whole thing.” This kind of thinking could make a person give up, especially when one looks at the prerequisite of platform before product that holds doors shut in the traditional publishing world.
Oh yes, that is what I’m hearing!
Along with, There’s no reason to try, you’ll just fail.
Last year was tough because I listened to him far too long.
Great exposure on covert thoughts suggested by satanic forces. Additionally, of increasing alarm are outright overt actions being blatantly taken today that are ANTI-CHRISTian.
Who would have ever thought that murder (abortion) and the hijacking and desecration of a blessed sacrament (marriage) could have occurred with the sponsorship and complicity of the highest offices in the land.
Manipulation/influence of the human mind against Our Fathers direction started as long ago as Eve and has continued unabated ever since. One of the most successful techniques is to first “normalize” a blasphemous action or travesty which then makes wide acceptance a much easier task. Both profanities mentioned above directly attack two of our ten commandants as well as scripture. There are more.
Many Christians may not know it yet but there is a new television series that looks like it MAY be beginning the normalization process to pave the way for acceptance of the very character that Dan is warning us of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4bF_quwNtw
As for me, I will continue to bear witness (through writing, speaking, conversation etc.) , “clutch my bible and gun” and listen for the sound of the trumpets.
Effective reminder. Thanks.
The Bible reminds us that our enemy seeks to kill, steal, and destroy.
I so believe this to be true. Other kinda of lies:
I’ll never be good enough….
I’ll never get this done…
I’ll. Ever be able
To write like ___
Satan feeds despair and doubts, and sets up stumbling blocks. Great post!
Well, Satan has been crafty since he attempted to be like God. His sweet lies cause confusion among humanity. You may think he is right but at the end, it leads to destruction. Allow God to speak to you and protect you from the crafty devices of Satan. Read the Bible, pray and obey his word. As a Christian, your weapon is the Bible!.