The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. —2 Thessalonians 2:9–11
One of my favorite preachers, Leonard Ravenhill, once said in a sermon, “Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for joy.” What a profound truth in our day! Just look at today’s TV offerings and you can see that many people derive pleasure from watching unrighteousness. But Paul warns that this practice is a deceptive delusion.
It is no secret in this modern age of neurobiology that the human brain receives a stimulus from the transmission of dopamine into the pleasure center of the brain (basal ganglia) when we do something we deem pleasurable. If we understand that the devil substitutes entertainment for joy, we can see that society is being set up for the coming lawless one. If humans allow their brains to be programmed for pleasure derived from unrighteousness, then lying signs and wonders will be pleasing to them, and a deception that leads to perishing will be the end result.
I am not saying that watching TV is a sin, but I am saying it can be. I am not saying that listening to secular music is a sin, but I am saying it can be. We have enough of a battle against the fleshly nature already, so why, as people who walk in the Spirit, feed ourselves with that which tantalizes and tempts the flesh? Far too many Christians today seem to have the “ostrich syndrome,” stubbornly denying the battle that rages. They refuse to believe that the devil uses the things of this world to lure people into his lair. There is a conspiracy today to promote this view, but that is nothing new. But the truth is, the devil will do anything to hurt, hinder, and harass believers. He knows full well the power of pleasure and the lulling to sleep it brings. He capitalizes on the fact that people feel cheated when their pleasure centers are without stimulation.
One statement that summarizes all I am trying to say is this: should we entertain ourselves with sins that Christ died for? Whether from things heard, seen, or done, how can we derive pleasure from something that sent Christ to the cross? Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for joy. So let’s put a God filter on all that we watch and listen to today!
Excerpt from “Body Builders” now available on Amazon.
