Sometimes it’s the little things that bring me back to reality.
This week, it was the Miley Cyrus video based on her song, “Can’t Be Tamed.”
I’m not on a crusade against Miley Cyrus or the choices she has made. I’m not griping at her parents for allowing such a sexualized video that cheapens her worth and makes her nothing more than a Madonna knock-off.
I’m on a rampage against something much larger—the enemy of girls.
Our enemy. Satan.
This video reminded me again that we are in a war.
We are in an knock-down, drag-out, endless (or seemingly) battle against the Father of Lies, the devil. His goal is simple: to kill, steal, and destroy the hearts, minds, and souls of girls (John 10:10). He wants nothing more than to destroy the life (and the potential) of every girl. History tells us this:
“The story of the treatment of women down through the ages is not a noble history. It has noble moments in it, to be sure, but taken as a whole, women have endured what seems to be a special hatred ever since we left Eden.” (John and Staci Eldredge, Captivating, p. 80)
And that special hatred continues to this day. The weapons may have become more vast and varied throughout history, but the goal is the same: destroy.
“It is simply to say that no explanation for the assault upon Eve and her daughters is sufficient unless it opens our eyes to the Prince of Darkness and his special hatred of femininity. Turn your attention…to the events that took place in the Garden of Eden. Notice—who does the Evil One go after? Who does Satan single out for his move against the human race? He could have chosen Adam…but he didn’t. Satan went after Eve. He set his sights on her. “ (Ibid, p. 82-83)
…Eve incarnates the Beauty of God and she gives life to the world. Satan’s bitter heart cannot bear it. He assaults her with a special hatred. History removes any doubt about this. (Ibid, p. 85)
It’s easy for me to become distracted in ministry to girls: Meetings. Budgets. Mean girls. Drama between moms. Disagreements with staff. If I’m not careful, I can get so distracted by this stuff that I make those the priority of ministry. I focus so much on junk at the fringes that I forget the mission:
To be an instrument that God can use to rescue girls. To stand in the gap with the Word of God in one hand while the other hand reaches out to a generation of girls desperate for help and hope. To offer girls love and grace and forgiveness and to encourage and challenge them to embrace the life God wants for them. We in girls' ministry are called to fight for the hearts of girls. We are called to stand on the front lines and proclaim that to the enemy that he cannot have them. We are called to fight with God's weapons and declare His victory.
Satan holds captive them by whatever weapon that works best: fear, confusion, alcohol, guilt, body image, generational sin, perfectionism, legalism, loneliness.
He is completely committed to their destruction.
The good news is that I serve a God who is completely committed to their rescue.
Leave a comment