How Long Will It Take for an Evangelical to Blame the Colorado Shooting on Satan?

Too late! Greg Stier, of Dare 2 Share, already did:

This morning I got a text from my friend and fellow preacher Derwin Gray. He is a church planter and pastor in Charlotte, North Carolina but is best known for being “The Evangelism Linebacker.” Derwin traveled with Dare 2 Share for two years and we have grown a powerful friendship as a result.

Our text exchange was this,

“It’s crazy how shootings take place in Colorado”

“I don’t understand” (my response)

“I meant Columbine and now the shootings last night at the Batman movie.”

“I know. I just meant I don’t understand why this happens so much in Colorado.” (my response)

“I wonder if there is a demonic stronghold….”

My one word response was “probably.”

This little text exchange got me thinking. It got me thinking about another “Dark Knight” who ruled the heart of a gunman in Aurora last night. It got me thinking about Satan’s role in the Columbine massacre on April 20th, 1999 when he invaded the hearts of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. It got me thinking about Satan and the stranglehold he has in the souls of so many. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that this dark knight, “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” and he did just that last night. He used the trigger finger of this twisted madman to steal innocence, kill people and destroy hope.

Frankly, as broken hearted as I am for the victims I’m infuriated with Satan. I’m sick and tired of his twisted, anti-God, anti-life ways. Yeah, yeah, I know that James Holmes is the 24 year old suspect the police have in custody and the judge won’t buy “the devil made me do it” defense. But, according to Jesus, we can’t hate James. Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 that we are to love and pray for our enemies.

But, in times like this we have to hate someone, and the best person to hate is the worst…Satan himself. I hate him for the deception he unleashes in the hearts of so many. I hate him for the destruction he has been directly or indirectly involved with since the beginning of time. I hate him for his hatred of everything God and everything good.

So, it seems that Satan is the problem. Not lax gun laws, not mental illness, not even human sin. Nope, it’s the result of an evil supernatural creature who has the ability to control human actions, and even to murder people.

And, it would seem that there’s nothing God can do to stop it.

Seriously, at some point we’ve got to take away the name “evangelical” from those who don’t proclaim “good news.” Cuz, you know, that’s what it means.