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Stories & Blog
Why Satan Isn’t Laughing
BRAZIL — When someone dies in José’s village, people say that it happened because of a spirit or a curse. The family members must then take revenge by killing someone else.
So José had a difficult decision. His father had died from eating a poisonous root, and now, just a few months later, his mother and younger brother died in the same way. He knew how he was expected to respond as a member of his tribe. But he was also a follower of Jesus!
While José pondered his options, he attended a MICALI* course on the Old Testament, where he read the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lions’ den.
José looked around the group and continued. “I realized that it was Satan who wanted to harm me and try me — not God. I decided to thank God for His goodness. He had saved my family and they are now at home with Him. I will see them again there. Thanking God would really infuriate Satan, and that is what I really want to do. I do thank God. I am one of God’s people, and I will not turn back.”
As José spoke, a cloud seemed to lift from the other believers. Faces rose. Eyes brightened. One after another, people stood and shared how they, too, struggled with anger over the situation.
“I was so upset that I went looking for someone to kill in revenge,” one man said. “But God was good! He didn’t allow me to find the people I was looking for. If I had, that would only have made things worse, and Satan would be laughing at us. I’m so thankful to God.”
Together, they chose to believe that José was right — that God is good and they are His people. Regardless of tradition, they will follow Him.
The people in this story are real, but their names have been changed to protect their privacy.
So José had a difficult decision. His father had died from eating a poisonous root, and now, just a few months later, his mother and younger brother died in the same way. He knew how he was expected to respond as a member of his tribe. But he was also a follower of Jesus!
While José pondered his options, he attended a MICALI* course on the Old Testament, where he read the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lions’ den.
José looked around the group and continued. “I realized that it was Satan who wanted to harm me and try me — not God. I decided to thank God for His goodness. He had saved my family and they are now at home with Him. I will see them again there. Thanking God would really infuriate Satan, and that is what I really want to do. I do thank God. I am one of God’s people, and I will not turn back.”
As José spoke, a cloud seemed to lift from the other believers. Faces rose. Eyes brightened. One after another, people stood and shared how they, too, struggled with anger over the situation.
“I was so upset that I went looking for someone to kill in revenge,” one man said. “But God was good! He didn’t allow me to find the people I was looking for. If I had, that would only have made things worse, and Satan would be laughing at us. I’m so thankful to God.”
Together, they chose to believe that José was right — that God is good and they are His people. Regardless of tradition, they will follow Him.
Your part in this story...
Crossworld workers Dean and Marissa ask you to pray for these requests.
- Pray for these believers to be strong in the Lord amidst pressure from family to return to ungodly habits and beliefs.
- Pray that God would give them wisdom in applying His word to their culture.
- Pray for God’s continued provision for the indigenous Bible training program. These MICALI courses have vastly impacted the spiritual growth of indigenous believers, but flights into the remote villages are extremely costly. (Want to help? Give now.)
The people in this story are real, but their names have been changed to protect their privacy.
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