Wednesday Bible Blurb Subliminal Seduction 8 19 2026
Sitting in a movie theater should be fun and enjoyable as you watch the movie you paid to see. As a kid, I loved cartoons. The Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Bugs Bunny, what’s up doc? Foghorn Leghorn. Yogi Bear and Booboo. We all have our favorites shows and cartoons. Soon a new movie will be released called Coyote vs. Acme. I honestly do not remember the last movie I watched in a movie theater. It might have been Star Trek while we were in Toronto about 15 years ago, but I think I will indulge my inner child and go see the new Coyote vs. Acme movie with my grandkids. Maybe this time Mr. Wile E. Coyote will get the road runner? I doubt it.
I was recently reminded of news from 40 plus years ago. I guess what goes around, comes around and there is nothing new under the sun. I was in college when I first heard of the term Subliminal Seduction. The concept was simple, during the theater movie the film would contain a few frames showing popcorn and a drink. The movie plays so fast that one cannot see the flash picture of popcorn or the drink, but it registers deep in your mind. Soon one would get a craving for popcorn and a drink. Subliminal seduction is so powerful that people will get up and miss a part of the movie they paid for to go spend more money and get popcorn and a drink. It was interesting marketing, but it apparently works. Popcorn and a drink, anyone?
The movie industry was giving the viewers a taste of temptation. Thoughts were and are being put into the minds of people every day. James, the Lord’s brother warns us of this, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15 [NKJV]). The tenth commandment is “Thou shalt not covet.” (Ex. 20:17 [KJV]). Temptation is the beginning of coveting, and the movie industry is great at it. James shows us the progression of how popcorn thinking works. Desire leads to sin and sin leads to death. It is death that Satan wishes for us.
Our nemesis, Satan the devil knows how well subliminal seduction works. As Christians living our daily lives, we are constantly bombarded with evil and awful thoughts all day long. Let’s look at how Satan tries to seduce us to sin. He plants the desire which leads to the sin which leads to our death, which is his goal for all mankind.
- “…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,” (Eph. 2:2 [NKJV]). Satan is in control of the airwaves sending out his own style of subliminal seduction. T.V., radio, internet, music, newspapers, magazines are all forms of communication where the “prince of the power of the air” tries to seduce us.
- “…whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (II Cor. 4:4). Satan is the “god” of this world. He has power and authority but is soon to be replaced at the return of Jesus. Apparently, Satan has the power to blind people to the truth of God. We must not allow our minds to wander into untold desire.
- “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). Our adversary is very good at attempting to seduce us to sin.
- “But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (II Cor. 11:12-15). Wow, Satan can make folks believe he is a righteous angel doing God’s bidding. He can even use false minsters to lie for him.
- “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8). Sometimes Satan is subtle in his seduction (Angel of light) and sometimes he is right in our face, roaring like a lion trying to get us to have the desire to sin which leads to our death.
- Jesus in speaking with the Jews of His day says, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44). Satan is the father of lies and all things evil and he is quite capable of deceiving people, even those who read the Bible daily.
- “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). Submit to God and the devil will find no place in us. He will flee and take his subliminal seduction with him.
We started with James telling us how desire leads to sin which leads to death. (James 1:14-15). James tells us we need to submit to God and to resist the devil and Satan will flee from us. James, brother of Jesus shows us a simple formula to beat back the subliminal seduction of Satan, 1) Submit to God and 2) Resist Satan and Satan will flee from us. It is a one, two punch pointed right at Satan’s chin. A knockout blow of spiritual fortitude!
Our adversary, the devil loves to put popcorn and drink pictures into our minds. We don’t have the cartoon fictional character Wile E. Coyote to contend with; we have the real god of this world; Wile. E. Devil who will do anything to slip sinful desires into our minds. Sometimes he does it as an angel of light and sometimes he is the roaring lion, and he will ram the not so subliminal seduction right down our throats. The next time your mind is starting to wander from desire to sin to death, remember submit to God and resist the devil and his subliminal seduction will flee from you.
Mike Wallace
