You are not alone

Since the beginning, Satan has used a devastating two-prong approach to cripple his enemies.

He begins by putting an arm around your shoulder while seductively whispering, "You are alone." He goes on to tell you that you're not special. God doesn't care. Does God really love you and want what is best for you? Sadly, no. Just look around... is this what a loving, attentive God would do? You poor, sad creature... you are truly, completely alone...

Once that seed of doubt is planted, he goes on to lure you to a false "cure". As the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:1-2), Satan commands the world to welcome you. So the world obediently retracts its fangs, puts on a smile, throws its arms around you and says, "Welcome, friend, to a place where you need never be alone!"

This is a one-two punch that sends me reeling time after time, especially during fundraising. Though I know that I shouldn't listen to the lies, they feel so very true. Perhaps you can relate.

But don't believe it. Not for a second.

You are not alone. You were created by a loving, doting Father who watches you with keen interest day by day, moment by moment. He utterly delights in you, sovereignly setting up every situation so that you'll know His goodness and love for you. (Acts 17:26-27)

You are not alone. Your Creator has existed always in community. Being alone is completely foreign to the nature of the Trinity. You were created in the image of that Trinitarian God (Gen 1:26-27) and baptized into that Trinitarian God. (Matt 28:19)

You are not alone. It was God Himself who said, "it is not good for the man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18a). Then God Himself worked to fix it: "I will make him a helper fit for him." (Genesis 2:18b)

You are not alone. God is with us wherever we go, even in the darkest places (Ps 139:1-18). Jesus is called Immanuel, "God with us." (Matt 1:23). When Jesus commissioned us to missions work, He said, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matt 28:20). When Jesus returned to the Father, He went even further to assure us that we weren't alone by sending the Holy Spirit: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." (John 14:16, cf 14:26).

You are not alone. Satan desperately wants you to think that you are, because he hates that you will never be alone, now or in eternity:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:9-10)

Satan hates that. He hates that this future is sealed for you. He hates that you are fundraising so that still more will be added to that multitude. So he will tell you phone call after phone call and appointment after appointment that you are alone.

But don't believe it. Not for a second.

You are not alone.