16 & 17 Aug 2025 (Pastoral Page) WE ARE CALLED TO THRIVE AND NOT JUST SURVIVE

by Dn Yvonne Chong

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8

Teaching the foundations of God’s truth to the church congregation, especially the young ones, is of utmost importance. I have decided to write this week's pastoral page from a different perspective, a strategic view from the opposing side. My hope is that when Satan's scheme is exposed and the Word of God is engaged—not merely as content but as connection—my prayer is that many will decisively return to God.

The Dark Council’s Decree

Long ago, in the shadowy depths of a realm unseen, a dark spirit reigned as the dark lord of a kingdom steeped in wickedness.

One night, he summoned his chief demons — tempters of souls and architects of ruin — to a secret council. Their mission was simple yet deadly: to corrupt and destroy the next generation without them even realising it.

The dark lord leaned forward, his voice low but sharp.

“We will not come with open claws or blazing fire. No, we will dress poison in sweetness and bind chains with silk. They will thank us for the very things that destroy them.”

And with that, he laid out six dark strategies:

First, exalt pleasure above all. Flood their lives with entertainment — movies, music, games. Not all must be evil, only distracting enough to keep their hearts numb. A constantly amused mind will never pause to ask why it feels so empty.

Second, erase absolute Biblical truth. Make them allergic to certainty. Undermine the Scriptures. Whisper that the Bible is outdated, oppressive, irrelevant. Teach them that truth is whatever they feel in the moment. When truth becomes fluid, conviction drowns, and confusion reigns.

Third, redefine identity. Sever it from the image of God. Teach them to build their worth on appearance, sexuality, popularity, politics, achievements... even their wounds. If they forget Whose they are, they will never truly know who they are and who they belong to.

Fourth, glorify busyness and burnout. Fill every moment with noise, deadlines, and distractions until their souls have no space to breathe. Let them mistake exhaustion for purpose, and numbness for healing.

Fifth, corrupt the heroes. Elevate influencers who worship vanity and materialism. Spread moral failure among leaders of faith. Split the Church with scandal and division. Without trust in godly leadership, they will be leaderless, cynical, and easy to control.

Sixth, break the family. Divide parents, normalize divorce, trivialize fatherhood, and make motherhood a burden. Celebrate rebellion in children and fracture the home. A broken family is a broken foundation for generations.

(Above 6 points are referenced from Rev Edmund Chan’s sermon dated 22 May 2025.)

The evil council nodded, for they knew this truth: the sweetest lies destroy more souls than the ugliest threats.

But here is the warning to us: these strategies are not fantasy. They are alive and well in our time. The enemy rarely shouts; he whispers. Rarely forces; he flatters. Rarely takes in one blow. He erodes little by little, until truth feels strange and lies feel natural.

Pleasure becomes a prison when it replaces purpose.

Tolerance turns tyrannical when it demands the death of truth.

Busyness becomes bondage when it crowds out the voice of God.

And when the home falls, they lose their way home.

So what must we do?

The enemy’s schemes are not new throughout history, but so is the armour of God.

- Hold fast to truth. Fill your mind with Scripture, not just screens.

- Stand firm in your identity. Remember, you are made in the image of God.

- Protect your time. Make room for prayer, rest, and stillness.

- Honour godly leadership. Pray for them, support them, and keep your eyes on Christ.

- Strengthen your home. Teach God’s Truth, show love, and stay united.

We are not called to survive; we are called to thrive.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:21