DEMONS

Get this: I run into “veteran” Christians all the time that believe that Satan and his demons can inhabit inanimate objects.  Satan has you fooled my friend.  Does the Bible say that Jesus or his disciples cast out evil spirits from a bucket or a broom or even a house. I haven’t run across that one.

For Satan and his demons to do this, it is a no-brainer. Have you lived for millenniums?  They have.  And don’t you think that they, by now, know that actions speak louder than words?

What about ghosts? That is a trick of the mind that demons love to play on us because we are so open to that one. Remember, Satan can only get into your head as much as you let him. He can cause you to hear and see things that are not real. 

A very good friend of mine told me her daughter and family witnessed apparitions, therefore her house was haunted. I asked my friend if she believed it and she said, yes.” I laughed, then got serious. We cannot imagine what these supernatural  beings are, in reality. She also said, in her own defense, “I have a bad feeling when I walk into the house, I don’t feel comfortable.” Well, she proved the Bible’s point that the Holy Spirit is not as active, when foolish hearts are tricked into aiming for the”friendly” ghosts.

Satan and his demons are supernatural creatures with restraints put on them from God.  Now, with that said, I told her she was believing a lie.  Sound familiar? Do not give into him, you are allowing these wicked supernatural creatures in your head.   Her daughter also says some are friendly.  Another trick.  That is the time to say, “Get behind me Satan.”

(Isaiah 8:19) “And when they shall say to you, Seek to the mediums and to wizards who peep and mutter; should not a people seek to their God, than for the living to the dead?”

(Isaiah 8:20) “To the Law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because no light is in them.
(Isaiah 8:21) And they shall pass through it, hard-pressed and hungry; and it shall be, they shall be hungry; They shall rave and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
(Isaiah 8:22) And they shall look to the land; and behold, trouble and darkness and gloom of anguish! And they are driven away into darkness.”

These are called  “lying spirits.”

1 Kings 22: 21-23  MKJV says “And there came forth a spirit and stood before Jehovah and said, I will entice him  vs. 22: And Jehovah said to him, With what? And he said, I will go forth and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.  And He said, You shall entice him and succeed also.  Go forth and do so  vs. 23:  And now, behold , Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and Jehovah, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning you”

Wait a second, aren’t mediums supposedly talking to ghosts? Dead people. So it follows that in Isaiah, Deuteronomy, Matthew, etc. we are supposed to stay away from mediums, what are you doing believing in ghosts?  These practices, are warned against throughout the Bible.

In short, this is not to say God willed, but rather allowed the evil spirit to do its work.  The Bible reveals also that all pagan worship is a fountainhead of demon activity.

So, do not be afraid, for you are surrounded by God’s angels, by His grace.  Do not give Satan a reason to get into your head.  He cannot read our minds, only our actions.  That is why, the Holy Spirit in us is to protect our hearts and minds from such things. Now I am finished preaching, lol!

Have you ever said, “Satan get behind me?”  Why?  Because you realized he was giving you his thoughts and you recognized that it was not you. Right?  How many times did Satan get by you?  Ghosts and demonized inanimate objects. “Oh, but the DVD said”….back in my day, around the 70’s, there was a cassette reported to be Satan when you played it backwards, saying horrible things. It was eerie, but they found out later that it was a hoax.  And the perpetrators were smarter than the “average bear.”

This picture was taken and overlaid to make it look like a ghost. Have we seen too many horror movies? If a photographer can make this image, why can’t Satan put this in our minds? He just has to “insert” it like I did. Think. We will see what the Bible says about this.

In Rev. 12:4 MKJV it says that “A dragon a symbol of Satan) “drew a third of the stars of heaven”, ( a symbol of fallen angels) and threw them to the earth.” Thus, Satan has his own “angels;” who most students see as demons of this era.

Demons are another name for fallen angels who joined the kingdom of Satan in rebellion against God.  These are a few surprising scriptures regarding the beginning:

In Genesis 6:1-8 from the MKJV says: “And it happened , when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and when daughters were born to them, vs. 2:  the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were good.  And they took wives for themselves from all whom they chose,  vs. 3:  And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, in his erring, he is flesh.  Yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years vs. 4:  There were giants in the earth in those days.  And after that , when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men who existed of old, men of renown vs. 5:  Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually vs. 6:  And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His Heart. vs.7:  So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” vs. 8:  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Job 1:6 MKJV says ,” into the presence of the Lord for an audience with His majesty.”  And a day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah.  And Satan also came among them.”

When the “sons of God” took the daughters of men, their off-spring were wicked and tyrants. There were the real half-breeds and it messed up God’s creation.

Jude 1:6 MKJV says, ” and those angels not having kept their first place, but having deserted their dwelling place, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of a great Day;”

And whose sin led to a special divine judgement.

2 Peter 2:1-11
DOOM AND DELIVERANCE
Already the early Church was threatened with destructive heresies introduced by men who desired only their self-aggrandizement. All the Apostles give warning against such, and point to character as the one supreme test of doctrine. The real drift of the heresies is to deny the Master, who bought us as slaves in the market of the world. Of all the bidders, there is none who has bidden so high as he.
Many instances are quoted from the past to prove the fearful judgments which must overtake such false teachers. The angels who placed their self-will in antagonism to their Maker were cast down to Tartarus-a Greek word used only here in the New Testament. The people who lived previous to the Flood, and they who afterward at Sodom disregarded the laws of purity and self-restraint, dictated alike by nature and conscience, were overwhelmed in destruction. But even amid such judgments, God discriminates His Noah’s and His Lots, preserves and delivers them, and numbers them among His jewels, Mal 3:17. God has His eye on you and will succor you.

Copyright Rick Meyers ©

2 Peter 2:4 MKJV says, ” For if God did not spare sinning angels, but thrust them down into Tartarus, and delivered them into chains of darkness, being reserved to judgement.” 

It may be in this isolated case, fallen angels did assume human form and marry human women, this was a breach of God’s order of such monumental proportion that it indeed provoked God’s judgement on the world through the Flood.

The group that participated in this, apparently followed one of their own number, Satan.  The fall occurred before God’s creation of the world. In retaliatory hatred 1 Samuel 16:16  Satan and his angels tirelessly seek to contaminate humans with wickedness.

Matthew 25:41 says, ” Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.”

Rev. 12:9 MKJV says, ” And the great dragon cast out , the old serpent called Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world.  He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

(Leviticus 17:7) “And they shall no more offer their sacrifices to goats, after whom they have gone whoring. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.”

(Psalms 106:37) “Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons,”

Demons function with greater freedom to work their bondage wherever human activities open to their “worship”- that is,  participate in carnal activities that disobey God’s Word, indulge in the flesh, and cooperate with hell’s agenda of sin, lust, and self-indulgence.

The New Testament accepts the Old Testament teaching about evil spirit and advances the doctrine significantly.  Demons are designated in a number of different ways in the New Testament. 

These are called “unclean spirits.”

(Matthew 10:1) “And when He had called to Him His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”

(Mark 6:7) “And He called the Twelve and began to send them out by two and two. And He gave them authority over unclean spirits,”

One of the attributes of Satan and his demons is “deceiving spirits.”

1 Timothy 4: 1-8

REJECT FALSE AND FOOLISH TEACHING

We have here the Apostle’s forecast of the last times, i.e., the condition in which men will find themselves as the age draws to a close. Notwithstanding all the that Christ has done, the prevalence of evil will be enormous, not because of any failure in God but because the Church has failed to be the organ through which His saving help could reach mankind. The symptoms are set forth with great clearness, such as demon spirits dwelling and working in men, error taught under the guise of excessive religious devotion, consciences seared, natural instincts thwarted and outraged. 

See John 6:1-71. The minister of Christ must be daily nourished by the words of Christian truth.  If he is not fed on Christ’s body and blood, his teaching will soon deteriorate. He must also exercise himself in godliness with as much care as the gymnast, who is continually exercising his joints and muscles so as to keep supple and alert. This is also God’s purpose in the spiritual trials and discipline which He sends.

Commentary  provided by e-sword, Copyright Rick Meyers ©

and the “spirit of error”

(1 John 4:6) “We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

The Bible warns against occult involvements, showing demon activity proliferates in such an evil spiritual environment.

The “spirit of divination”

(Acts 16:16)” And as we went to prayer, it happened that a certain girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by divining.”

(Isaiah 47:9)” But these two things shall come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come on you in their fullness for the multitude of your sorceries, and for the great power of your enchantments.
(Isaiah 47:10) For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, No one sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge, it has perverted you; and you have said in your heart, I am, and there is no one else.
(Isaiah 47:11) But evil shall come on you; you shall not know its origin. And mischief shall fall on you; you shall not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come on you suddenly, you shall not know.
(Isaiah 47:12) Stand now with your spells, and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have wearied yourself since your youth. Perhaps you will be able to profit; perhaps you may bring terror.
(Isaiah 47:13) You are exhausted by your many plans; now let the astrologers stand up and save you, the star-gazers, making known what is coming on you into the new moons.
(Isaiah 47:14) Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; there shall not be a coal to warm them; nor fire, to sit before it.
(Isaiah 47:15) So they are to you with whom you labored, your merchants from your youth. Each one wanders to his own way; none shall save you.”

Clearly reinforce the danger-avoiding direction of Lev.17:7, in the spirit of the truth inherent in Deuteronomy. This part of the Law that Jehovah gave to His people, Israel regarding devil worship in the nations surrounding them and to stay away. 

(Deuteronomy 18:9) “When you come to the land which Jehovah your God gives you, you shall not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations.
(Deuteronomy 18:10) There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, an observer of clouds, or a fortune-teller, or a witch,
(Deuteronomy 18:11) or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or one who calls to the dead.
(Deuteronomy 18:12) For all that do these things are an abomination to Jehovah. And because of these abominations Jehovah your God drives them out from before you.”

You can see that God has detailed what NOT to do with these demons. Perhaps you do not realize you are doing it.

(Deuteronomy 32:15) “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. You grew fat, thick, and satisfied. Then he forsook God who made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
(Deuteronomy 32:16) They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger.
(Deuteronomy 32:17) They sacrificed to devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new ones newly come up, whom your fathers did not fear.
(Deuteronomy 32:18) You forgot the Rock who brought you forth, and ceased to care for God who formed you.”

Paul clearly held this understanding

(1 Corinthians 10:20) But I say that the things which the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not desire that you should have fellowship with demons.
(1 Corinthians 10:21) You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of a table of demons.

And he warns against believers conceding any territory in their souls to the devil and his cohorts. 

(Ephesians 4:25) “Therefore putting away lying, let each man speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
(Ephesians 4:26) Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath,
(Ephesians 4:27) neither give place to the Devil.
(Ephesians 4:28) Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have something to give to him who needs.
(Ephesians 4:29) Let not any filthy word go out of your mouth, but if any is good to building up in respect of need, that it may give grace to the ones hearing.
(Ephesians 4:30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption.
(Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and tumult and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
(Ephesians 4:32) And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”

A prime purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry was to overcome the power of Satan.  This included His conquest of the demonic realm. Do not give into it!

(John 12:31)” Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”

(1 John 3:8) “He who practices sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that He might undo the works of the Devil.”

This explains the fierce conflict between Jesus and these evil spirits while He was on earth, and why Jesus promises his people the redeemed-authority over the power to cast out demons.

(Matthew 10:8) “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.”

(Mark 16:17) “And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues;”

Following the resurrection of Jesus and His return to heaven, these demonic principalities and powers have continued their warfare against those who are His followers.

(Romans 8:38) “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
(Romans 8:39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(Ephesians 6:12) “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world’s rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Yet Satan and his allies will finally be overthrown by God.  After Christ returns, the devil and his angels will be defeated and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone.

God will achieve the ultimate victory in this conflict which has been going on since the beginning of time. Whose side will you be on?

My next blog will be “Angels.”

Some of this information comes from Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.