As you all know, today is Election Day in Japan. We often forget to pray for our leaders, and this is no good. But, when we have a day to vote for them, we are pushed to prayer!

There are so many people around us who are in need of salvation. Not all of them have the time to listen to the Gospel, unfortunately. For example, the sick don't have enough time to listen to the words. They feel many aches and pain and sometimes it is not their will to listen to these words but the will of their families. At such times, I feel there is something negative opposing salvation.

II Corinthians 4:4. I do think this verse is so true! I often feel this way in visiting sick people - when I am seeking their salvation.

Acts 1:3. After Jesus rose from death, He remained with us for 40 days. During this time, He appeared to people, telling them about the Kingdom of God. This verse reminds me of St. Paul's stay in Rome - spreading the news about the Kingdom of God. He was under the surveillance of the Roman government though. See Acts 28.

Though the book of Acts, in the Bible, has only 28 chapters, Acts is a record of some of the Christian work that occurred with the Holy Spirit, so I think that we could say that this book has been added to, through history, up until this present day. All the Christians who have suffered for the Gospel have been adding more and more documents to the last chapter of Acts. We, who live in this time, are also adding on more news about people who have accepted Jesus through our working with God's Spirit.

I Corinthians 15:24-26, I John 5:19. Through these verses we know that we are living under the reign of the god of this age; Satan. (Refer to Eph. 2:2). There is no doubt that we are under the ruler of the air. The Bible says in the time of the Old Testament only a few people of Israel were of God's, but the rest belonged to the ruler of this world. All creatures should be God's, if only Adam and Eve had not disobeyed. The moment they committed sin, all human beings began to disobey God, whom we should be loving and waiting on.

Luke 4:5,6. At the moment of their disobedience, Satan's reign started. That's why Satan could do this kind of thing to Jesus.

Matthew 12:24-28. Here Jesus strongly said that there is a kingdom of Satan. There are so many evil things happening in this world; we wonder why that person did that evil thing - he was so nice to people living around him - but it's true. We can't deny it, for he is under Satan's control.

I John 3:8. This is the significant message of Christmas: Jesus came down to earth to break the reign of Satan in this world.

Luke 4:17-19. This is the purpose that Jesus came here. Jesus came to release people from every single kind of sin, or binding; giving us salvation, healing, peace and recovery. When Jesus was about to leave this world, He committed the precious and important job He had to all Christians. Those people were spread out even to the far corners of the world.

The harder believers try to spread out the word, the harder Satan tries to prevent it. This is why we feel difficulty in bringing people to Jesus. Whenever we try hard, Satan works to block us, for Satan knows there is only a little time left.

Acts 26:17,18. This is what we are to do in life. We are to keep it in mind. For this work, we need the Holy Spirit to help and strengthen us. See Acts 1:7,8.

I once read a book about missionaries that were sent to a primitive tribe in South America. They were all well-educated young men. If they had stayed in America, they could have obtained much fame and money. But, they left their own country, and were sent to that place. They were all killed by that tribe. It seemed as though Satan had won the battle, but he didn't. The wives of those men prayed much harder, and their children were also sent to that place. Later on, at a certain gathering of Billy Graham's, they found a man in a nice suit who came from that tribe. He happened to have been one of the people who had killed those missionaries, but now he was a Christian, and he, himself, was a missionary at that gathering.

There is a strong work of Satan in this world, and this is true, but we have overcome the battle with Jesus. By prayer, and with the Holy Spirit, we are to do God's work.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
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