| SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Satanic Realities H.A. Maxwell Whyte HIS GLORY REIGNS B. Childress Jul 25 2008 08:00AM All forms of the occult are expressly forbidden in the Scriptures. "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:31 "And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people." Leviticus 20:6 "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:19-20 ******* Weird Demonic Powers Those who practice spiritism and the occult have produced amazing, verifiable signs and wonders. To deny their power is foolishness. Things can be made to appear and disappear. Levitation of inanimate objects is a reality. Articles such as vases and drinking glasses can sail across a room and be dashed in pieces against a wall. Tables can be made to walk up walls, and voices, including "other tongues" can be heard through trumpets and other objects. How are inanimate objects levitated, defying the natural laws of gravity? Are all these lying signs and wonders so much "hocus pocus," or are they real? The answer is that they are real, but they are not of God. They are brought about through demon powers. The demons, being invisible, carry the glasses, support the walking tables upon the wall, and transport such things as fish out of the sea into a room. They have laws that we do not know and understand. Anyone who opens their lives, through disobedience to God's Holy Word, can become the servants of these same demon powers. The two magicians in Pharoah's court, Jannes and Jambres, like modern African witch doctors, had limited power - but power nonetheless. Moses' rod turned into a serpent, and theirs appeared to do likewise (Exodus 7:10-12). But we must remember that Satan has no power to create. Only God can and does create by His Word. Satan can create nothing except confusion and havoc by taking the things of God and prostituting them to his own ends. We do not believe that Jannes and Jambres created serpents; we believe they merely used demon powers to transport them from the forests into Pharaoh's court. The serpent created by God then ate up the natural-born serpents, showing that God is greater than the devil and his demon powers. Good and Bad Spirits? Man communicates with demons, and he thinks it's merely a parlor game or harmless fun. Many people believe in "white magic" and "black magic" and distinguish between "good spirits" and "bad spirits." The truth is that many bad spirits pretend to be good in order to deceive. All demons are bad, even if they transform themselves into angels of light (see II Corinthians 11:14). In the Bible, men who dabble int he occult are called wizards. Both male and female witches are possessed by a "familiar spirit" which is expressly forbidden by Scripture.
that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD; and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Deuteronomy 18: 10-12 People have many misconceptions regarding spiritist mediums and what actually happens at seances. Regardless of what they claim, spiritist mediums do not communicate with the dead. Instead, they communicate with demon spirits who imitate those who have died. Imagine a person being inhabited by a demon for years. On his death, this demon roams around in a disembodied state looking for another person who will not resist his efforts to gain entrance. This demon know, many intimate things that happened in the life of the departed person. If some medium is willing to communicate with this familiar spirit, naturally the spirit can simulate the dead person and fool the assembled gullible gathering. Many people also have misconceptions about haunted houses. Some think that the ghosts of departed people live in such houses, but this is not true. Demons haunt houses and can cause thumps and bangs at any time of the night or day. These happenings are real, but a Christian need not fear them because he has the name of Jesus and His shed blood with which to expel these demon powers. In Need of Deliverance The accounts of the habitation of demons may shock those "who are at ease in Zion" (Amos 6:1). While the bridegroom delayed, the church slumbered,slept, and lost many of these great truths (see Matthew 25:5). Today, however, God is bringing deliverance. Precious secrets that were unknown for years are being revealed by the Spirit of God. How many Christians are indeed wrestling against demon powers? How many are arrayed in their gospel armor? Our churches look more like social clubs than military barracks! We neither know our enemy, nor the weapons that God gives us to fight him. We don't want to fight the forces that oppose the kingdom of God; we prefer to dream about going to heaven. Many people attending our churches today are themselves in need of deliverance. Many are bound and oppressed, and some of their peculiar mannerisms may be due to demonic influence. The ministry of deliverance, or casting out demons, has been neglected by the Christian church for a number of reasons. Many ministers and churches shy away from it because they fear the unknown. God is restoring scriptural teaching on deliverance to equip people for this ministry in the latter days. Many people lack knowledge of the nature and operation of demons. Most Christians know that angels are ministering spirits sent to those who are the heirs of salvation (see Hebrews 1:14; Psalms 91:11). Unfortunately, we often forget about the opposing spiritual forces in the world. Evil angels - those who fell from their previous high estate as the trusted servants of Jehovah - were defeated in their rebellion and cast out of heaven with Lucifer, the son of the morning, or Satan himself.
he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:9 The Bible also teaches that the Lord used these fallen angels to visit suffering upon those who deliberately disobeyed Him.
among them." Psalm 78:49 The next verse implies that these evil angels caused a deadly plague that brought God's judgment. These fallen angels are "...reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6). At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Satan himself will be bound for one thousand years and cast into the bottomless pit (see Revelation 20:1-3). When Satan was cast out of heaven with his legions, he was given authority over mankind and all creation. In fact, he is able to influence everything that has life. And he has a very definite effect on the very atmosphere that surround the earth. The apostle Paul called him the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:20). This beautiful, created being was at one time called Lucifer, which means "shining one" (see Isaiah 14:12). He held the greatest position among the created angelic hosts but tried to usurp God's throne. Lucifer proudly made a five-fold declaration:
also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Isaiah 14:13-14 Lucifer did not lose his power or authority when he was cast out of heaven. By divine permission he uses it today among the earthly creation. His power, therefore, is second only to Jesus Christ and is infinitely greater than many people imagine. In the end, however, Satan will meet a resounding defeat. That same passage of Scripture goes on to describe the judgment of Lucifer.
upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?" Isaiah 14:15-17 Wicked Spirits Christians must remember that Satan is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. His power is limited. In order to carry on his insidious work of maintaining curses upon the world, he uses a great company of wicked spirits, or fallen angels, to do his bidding. Without a doubt these wicked spirits are governed by well-disciplined angelic orders of generals and captains. We do not know the number of these wicked spirits. There seems little doubt that they are far more numerous than mankind. The poor demoniac of Gadara had a legion in him. We read in Smith's Standard Bible Dictionary that a legion consists of about 6,000 men and expresses any large number with the accessory ideas of order and subordination (see Matthew 26:53; Mark 5:9). There seems little doubt that many accidents, misfortunes, quarrels, sicknesses, diseases, and unhappiness are the direct result of the individual work of one or more wicked spirits. Spirits are just as much beings as humans, except that they have no physical form. This is why they seek to indwell humans or animals (as in the case of the swine into which the Lord cast the legion from the demoniac of Gadara). They may even seek to re-enter a body when the spirit of that person ceases to resist their forces (Matthew 12:43, 45). Who Fills the Empty Space? Dr. Lawrence Hammond, a born-again nuclear scientist, tells of an experience that changed his thinking about demonic power.
Halloween mask, her teeth fangs, her fingers clutching claws. Nobody had to tell me that she was oppressed by demons. Through the power of the blood of Jesus, and the authority of His name, the Holy Spirit enabled me to cast the demons out of her.
rejected the existence of demons. But face to face with the satanic power expressed through this violent woman, I learned - much to my amazement - that a Christian who believes he has received power over the enemy can cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus.
atomic volume is occupied. I also know that the human body is composed of such "empty" atoms, and that you and I are actually 999,999,999,999 parts empty space!
pointed out that this emptiness must be filled with something: either the Spirit of God or the spirit of Satan. As he said, "You and I must decide between Satan and the Lord Jesus Christ, and which is to occupy and fill our lives." Oppressed, Obsessed, or Afflicted When evil spirits gain entrance into a person's body, we speak of demon oppression. These demons use the body of the afflicted person to work their wicked acts. Demons delight in actually controlling humans and speaking through them. Demons can worry, tempt, or distract believers. This would be another example of demon oppression. They might cause us to get "out of victory," or lose our temper, a condition in which no Christian need ever be. If evil spirits control a person's mind, this is called demon obsession. Someone who thinks he has committed the unpardonable sin is plagued by demon obsession. Upon questioning, however, he is unable to tell you what constitutes the unpardonable sin! Demons also cause many afflictions from which mankind suffers. The spirits described in the Scriptures are foul, wicked, evil, deaf, dumb, infirm, unclean, and seducing. Many believe that cancer is nothing more than a work of evil spirits which, when cast out in the mighty name of Jesus, shrivel up and die. Who disputes the possibility that arthritis, tumors, deafness, and dumbness may not be the actual work of demons in portions of the body? We do not say that such a person is "demon possessed," but we do suggest that they are sorely afflicted by demons. We believe that the primary cause of all sickness is spiritual. Symptoms may be treated by natural means, yet if we use the name of Jesus Christ and His shed blood as a weapon again Satan in faith, then certainly we will see manifestations of divine healing because the sickness is destroyed at the root. Deal with Demons First Are healing and deliverance the same? Jesus didn't think so. He distinctly differentiated between divine healing and deliverance from demons. Let's look at His last discourse to His disciples. He taught them to expect five signs to prove the ministry of the Word of God.
tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17-18 The first sign was casting out demons in His name. This particular sign is mentioned before the sign of physical healing. We do not know whether this order is accidental, but we suspect that Jesus had a reason for listing deliverance first because He always dealt with primary issues first. If we first cast out demons, we would frequently have no need to pray for the sick; deliverance from the demon would bring all the healing needed. It is interesting to note that the very first recorded act of public ministry by Jesus was to cast out a devil.
we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him." And when the unclean spirit had torn [convulsed] him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey." Mark 1:23-27 Many in the church today are asking these same questions. What is deliverance? Is this some new doctrine? Is every believer called to deliver people from evil spirits? Are there dangers in getting involved in deliverance? This ministry raises many questions in the minds of Christians. Can a born-again Christian be oppressed by demon powers? Are physical and mental sicknesses caused by demons? Where has this ministry of deliverance been throughout the ages? Can a Christian cast demons out of himself? How does a person come under demon influence? The time has come to answer the questions Christians are asking today. Not so we can formulate more doctrine and theology, but so we can start setting people free! If this ministry was so important to Jesus, should it be any less important to us? Source: Demons & Deliverance, by H.A. Maxwell Whyte, Copyright 1989, Whitaker House. |
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