But there are people who intend to do evil. They seem to lack the capacity to empathize with others and they have tunnel vision: it's literally all about them. They can be nice to people, even seem to be genuinely compassionate - but it's really a game, nothing more or less. Exploitation is the name of this game: as long as you are useful to me, I will flatter you, encourage you, and help you. When I've gotten what I want, I'm done and you are toast.
This is sad. This is a sad way to live - eventually people wise up and the abuser is left with a smaller and smaller group of people to use. I would go even further and say that since these people don't truly bond with others, they pretty much live with a sometimes surface triumph but an inner void within. If you've ever known the joy of true love and/or companionship, you know what these people don't understand - that while they may get their way (at the expense of others), they are missing out on the best that life has to offer.
So it can be tough to be run over by these emotionally deficient people but the truth is that the victims often have a much richer life than their abusers because they can pick up, go on, and find true friendship.
But what about the other victims - the newbies? The ones that you see currently falling into the spider's net?
Evil people, like their unrecognized Master, can appear as angels of light if not angels of mercy. When people first come under their influence, there isn't much of anything that a sadder but wiser person can do to break that spell over the newest victims.
As Christians, it's important (and, for me, hard) to recognize where my weaknesses kick in and God's strength begins to operate in might and power. Although it's not God's best and highest will for someone to fall into the hands of a conscienceless person, He has a sovereign purpose even for that and He is more than able to deal with it.
As the abuser's facade begins to crack, you might be able, at that point, to put in a timely word of advise here or a gentle word of caution there. But until the newest victim(s) are ready to listen, only God can do what must be done - only He can open blind eyes.
But the good news is that He is still in the business of giving sight and He still answers prayer.
In fact, prayer is the most powerful weapon the believer has.
So if your heart is touched as you watch others fall into the net you yourself once fell into, pray. Pray hard. Pray in faith.
Ask God to make the abuser's messages to become confusing. Ask God to begin to strip the facade away from the abuser and, at the same time, to begin to open the eyes of those who are still trusting, still unaware. And don't forget to ask God to deliver the abuser from evil.
Remember that our weapons are powerful.
12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Ephesians 6:12 A.V.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
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