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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About the Tempter (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 022. Satan-Worship
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Satan-Worship
And the ambition underneath this aim is—himself. The self-passion burns so fiercely within him that all else is consumed in its flame. The shorter spelling of Satan is, s-e-l-f. The great passion of his heart is to be worshipped. And it is startling how far he has succeeded in having this passion satisfied. Devil-worship is very common in Africa, and in other heathen lands. There are said to be societies for devil-worship in Paris. But it concerns us to mark keenly that it is not needful to go either to heathendom or Paris to find Satan-worship.
For worship means the ascription of worth. And the Satan-spirit is simply the self-spirit, in some one of its numerous forms. And there is nothing commoner in all life than the self-spirit. Sometimes it is very cultured. It takes a very high polish. It sometimes wears saintly garb, and is skilled in the use of religious phraseology. Wherever that self-spirit, that self-seeking spirit rules the inner motive there is the thing Satan is after—the worship of himself. Imitation is the sincerest worship. It is not thought of in any such blunt fashion, of course. The very suggestion that any of us is indulging Satan-worship is repugnant.
And of course no one of us may say it of any other one. I am merely talking in this blunt way, and turning in this terrible searching light upon the Satan character, and the Satan characteristic, that you and I may go aside thoughtfully and prayerfully, alone with God, that we may see within what He sees. Satan really becomes a mirror for our use. As we talk over his characteristics, does there come up to our eyes anything of this same sort within? As his aim and ambition come out thus sharply, are you conscious, or maybe only half-conscious of something of the same sort within? Of course, not in such degree probably, and yet——The truth is that no one of us can look into this picture of the evil one without being aware of the distinct resemblances between him, and certain characteristics within ourselves.
In some degree we know the very common thing called selfishness can be found within. It is shocking to find that this is simply the Satan-spirit. It is painfully searching to think prayerfully of these Satan marks and traits. It is startling in the extreme to think that we may have been helping Satan in any way; that he has been depending much upon us in furthering; his ambitious aims. Yet every bit of selfishness in you or me spells out partnership with him. Selfishness, the self-spirit, the keeping for ourselves of anything that is not needful for strength, and that might be out in blessed service among men for our Master, that is the Satan-spirit. That is a footing for him in our lives. It not only means an emptying of our own lives of God's own presence and power, but vastly more and sadder than that—it is an active, positive help to Satan in achieving his aims. Satan is a mirror. He reflects to our eyes whatever there is of the same sort within ourselves.