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He That Has Ears To Hear, Let Him Hear
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Matthew 11:15-30
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Satan, Hell, Envy & Pride
Jesus said of Satan: "The thief
comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
And Hell: "Where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:46-47
Satan knows the Word of God as he proved in tempting Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11)
as
he quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 and Psalm 91:11-12.
Pride
and Envy was why Lucifer fell. (Ezekiel
28)
Who is the "thief" Jesus typified in John 10:10? Jesus in addressing the scribes and Pharisees said: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44) - - The "thief" is an offspring of Satan (Genesis 3), false teachers and prophets, who in the same manner wish to cause evil. Jesus was also concurring with Ezekiel 34. Also see all of John 8.) Jesus wants you to have the (abundant) life God wants you to have.
He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:37-42
Who is Jesus to you? Liar, lunatic, or Lord?
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it
cannot save;
See
Salvation: Iniquity
to Repentance
Architect of Evil: Spiritual Murder and Deception Is Satan’s Game
- By Ed Vitagliano - ...The Bible treats Satan as a real being, not a fairy
tale. He is filled with undying hatred for God and humanity, and there is
nothing but wickedness inside his evil heart. Still, Satan is a created being.
He is not like God, who is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful),
and omnipresent (everywhere at once). Satan only appears to be omni because he
has a demonic army assisting him in his war against God and His people.
Biblically speaking, our adversary’s power is not unlimited but controlled (Job 1:12; 2:6);
it’s not lawful, but it is permitted (Romans 13:1), and it is not
triumphant but doomed (Revelation 20:2-3). ...We must start with the assumption
that because God did not create anything evil, the being we now call Satan was
created good and later –– although how much later, we cannot know
– became evil.
Revelation 20:7-15 - The Defeat of Satan 7. Then when the
thousand years are completed, Satan will be loosed from his prison 8. and he
will come out to deceive the heathens who are in the four corners of the earth,
(Ezek. 7:2) Gog and Magog, (Ezek. 38:2-39:10) to gather them for the war, whose
number is as the sand of the sea. 9. And they went up upon the breadth of the
earth and they surrounded the army of the saints and the beloved city, and fire
descended from the sky and consumed them. (2 Ki. 1:10, Ezek. 38:22; 39:6) 10.
Then the devil, the one who was deceiving them, was thrown violently into the
lake of fire and brimstone (Isa. 30:33, Gen. 19:24, Ezek. 38:22, Ps. 11:6) in
which place also the beast and the false prophet had been cast, and they will be
tormented day and night forever and ever. The Judgment at the Great White Throne
11. Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who sits upon it, from Whose
presence the earth (Ps. 114:3, 7) and the sky fled and a place was not found for
them. 12. Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the
throne. And scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is of
life, (Exod. 32:32, 33, Ps. 69:29, Dan. 12:1) and the dead were judged according
to their deeds, (Isa. 59:18, Jer. 17:10, Ps. 28:4; 62:13, Pro. 24:12, Rom. 2:6,
1 Cor. 3:8) by what had been written in the scrolls. (Dan. 7:9, 10) 13. Then the
sea gave up the dead that were in it and Death and Hades gave up the dead, those
in them, and each was judged according to his works. 14. Then Death and Hades
were thrown violently into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake
of fire. 15. And if someone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was
cast into the lake of fire. (Isa. 30:33)
Why Hell is so Horrible
(Must see video) Bill Wiese - All the good we enjoy in this life comes from God.
Bill Wiese says that the reason hell is so horrible is because God has removed
all of His goodness from hell. If a person says, "I don't want anything to do
with God," then there is a place prepared that has nothing to do with Him. What
would it look like to never experience anything good again? In this video, Bill
shares what God revealed to him.
Revelation 21:6-8 - And he said unto me, It
is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him
that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes
shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death.
Hell - "everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels"
(Matthew 25:41, Revelation 19:20, 20:10),
2 Peter 2:4-9 - For if God spared not the
angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains
of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but
saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood
upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into
ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that
after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in
seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful
deeds;) The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Matthew 13:41-43 - The Son of man
shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things
that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of
fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous
shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let
him hear. (See also Matthew 13:47-50)
What Is Spiritual Warfare?: An Interview with
Sam Storms - The Bible frequently speaks of
Satan and demons. Yet many Christians today are unaware
of the open battle between the kingdom of God and the
kingdom of Satan. What is the biblical teaching on
spiritual warfare? How can we extinguish the “flaming
darts” (Eph. 6:16) of the “cosmic powers” and “spiritual
forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12) that bombard us?
The Satanic Bible's "Golden Rule" - By
Matt Barber - In his fantastic
new book, "Gay Awareness: Discovering the Heart of the Father and the Mind
of Christ On Sexuality," author and minister Landon Schott devotes an entire
chapter to this "gay"-affirming "Bible." ..."[O]ut of the 31,102 verses in the
Bible," he writes, "not one supports a homosexual lifestyle in any way, not one.
If you are still looking for a scripture that supports homosexuality you need to
close your Holy Bible and open The Satanic Bible!" Christ depicts hell
There was a certain
rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously
every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the
rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to
pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being
in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried
and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are
tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:
so that they which would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to
us, that would come from there. Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that
you would send him to my father's house: For I have five brothers; that he may
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said
unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, No,
father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And
Abraham said unto him, If they didn't hear Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Luke 16:19-31 For
whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong
to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever
shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him
that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And
if your hand offends you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life
maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall
be quenched: Where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched. And
if your foot offends you, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter life lame,
than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be
quenched: Where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched. And if
your eye offends you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the
kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall
be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is
good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, how will you season sacrifice?
You have salt in yourselves, and you must have peace one with another.
Mark 9:41-50 Blessed
and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second
death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan
shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which
are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the se. And they went up on the
breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the
beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And
the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where
the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for
ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from
whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for
them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead
were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:6-15 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all
things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of
the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will
be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:5-8
(Recommended: A Devine Revelation of Hell
Baxter, Mary)
French poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867)
wrote, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist." Satan knows the Word of God as he
proved in tempting Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11) as he quotes Deuteronomy 8:3
and Psalm 91:11-12. Jesus said: "The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 The "thief" smiles when we blame the Lord when the
"thief" steals, kills, and
destroys. Who is the "thief" Jesus typified in
John 10:10?
Jesus
in addressing the scribes and Pharisees said: "Ye are of your father the devil,
and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a
lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44)
- - The "thief" is an offspring of Satan (Genesis 3),
false teachers and prophets, who in the same manner wish to cause evil. Jesus was also
concurring with Ezekiel 34. Also see all of
John 8.) Jesus wants you to have
the (abundant) life God wants you to have. "For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8b
Jesus called Satan the prince or ruler of this world. (John 12:31) Paul called him the
prince or the power of the air. "And you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time
past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: Among whom
also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when
we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians
2:1-5
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power
of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15 With diabolical cunning the devil came into the garden and persuaded Eve that the Word
Of God was not true. That was the blackest lie the devil ever told and he has never
invented a blacker one from that day to this. No matter where the story is told; in the
heart of the infidel, or in the pulpit of a church, the devil is always satisfied. If he
can get you to believe that the Word of God is not true his work is done and done well.
"Whenever and where ever the devil can get you to doubt the Word of God the result is
always the same: an ultimate shipwreck of your faith and heart oppressed by doubts and
fears." Charles S. Price (And Signs Followed)
Also see "The
Question of Evil" Ephesians 6:12 -
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
1 John 3:8b - For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil. Luke 18:1-8 - And he spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a
judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that
city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would
not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God,
nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubles, I will avenge her, lest by her
continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge
said And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him,
though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man comes shall he find faith on the earth? The "thief" breaks into your
"home" to steal and/or destroy. Jesus,
knocks and asks if He can come in and share, and keep you from the "evil
one." John 3:19-21
-
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil
hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he
that is truthful comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are
wrought in God."
Joshua 24:15 - And
if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will
serve;
whether the gods which your fathers served that
were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land
you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Proverbs 27:1 - Boast not to yourself of tomorrow; for you do
not know what a day may bring forth. James 4:14 - Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is
even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Luke 12:2-21 -
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed;
neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever you have spoken in
darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear
in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you my
friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more
that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which
after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten
before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not
therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you,
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the
Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies me
before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a
word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that
blasphemes against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring
you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take no thought how
or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall
teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. And one of the company said
unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he
said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists
not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. And he spoke a parable
unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room
where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my
barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years;
take ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, You fool, this night
your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you
hast provided? So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God. Don't let pride allow the
thief steal
what God has to offer "Pride slays thanksgiving,
but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man
is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves."
--Henry Ward Beecher "Pride
goes before destruction" - sin - and will rob you of God's gifts.
Pride was why Lucifer fell. God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the
humble. Seek not your own glory because of pride, in humility seek
only His glory. Our glory must be His glory. Our wisdom must be His wisdom. Seek
not the glory and pride of man, seek to please God alone. "But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the
proud, but gives grace unto the humble." James 4:6 "By humility and the
fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life." Proverbs 22:4 "The fear of
the Lord is to hate evil." Proverbs 8:13
1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
2 Peter 3:1-18 - That you may be mindful of the
words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of
us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise
of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation.
For this they willingly are ignorant
of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing
out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being
overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now,
by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of
judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years
as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as
a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day
of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look
for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
Wherefore,
beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found
of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering
of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the
wisdom given unto him has written unto you; As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be
understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also
the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, seeing
you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the
error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and
for ever. Amen.
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,
and your
sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1-2 (as opposed to John 17:3)
The Bible addresses these issues far more frequently than many
believe. The title “Satan” (the adversary) is used some
52 times in the Bible, most in reference to the enemy of
our souls. “Devil” is used 35 times, and there are, of
course, numerous other names and titles predicated of
Satan: the god of this age, the evil one, the prince or
ruler of demons, the destroyer, the tempter, the
deceiver, the old serpent, the great dragon, the ruler
or prince of this world, just to mention a few. Jesus
himself referred to “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Demons are mentioned numerous times, either as evil or unclean
spirits, or with the distinctly Pauline terminology of
principalities or rulers, authorities, powers,
dominions, thrones, and world rulers. It’s important we
know who our enemy is because Paul tells us that our
fundamental battle is not with human beings (“flesh and
blood”) but with Satan and the demonic forces that do
his bidding (Ephesians 6:10-17).
They [people] scoff for several reasons, such as: the caricatures
of Satan in modern culture (the result being that only
uneducated simpletons and religious fanatics would
believe in a devil), insulated lifestyles of the western
world in which few believe they’re under demonic attack,
a materialistic worldview that minimizes, if not denies,
the reality of the spiritual realm, and widespread
ignorance of what the Bible says.
I take the existence and activity of Satan and his demons quite
seriously because Jesus did (Matthew 4, 12, 25, etc.). I
also take Paul seriously in such texts as 2 Corinthians
2:11; Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:10ff.; Col. 2:13-15;
1Thess. 2:18; 2 Thess. 2:9-10; as well as what we see
from Peter (1 Peter 5:8; cf. James 4:7) and especially
John who reminds us that “the whole world lies in the
power of the evil one” (1 John 5:18).
Satan is a fallen, rebellious angelic being. When he fell and how
are not described explicitly in Scripture (there is
considerable doubt as to whether Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28
are talking about Satan and his fall). He is a liar,
a murderer, a deceiver, a tempter, and has as his
primary goal resistance to and the thwarting of God’s
primary goal (namely, the spread of the glory of God in
all the earth), a goal he will never achieve.
He’s not the opposite and equal of God, who alone is all powerful
and all knowing, but is, perhaps, the opposite and equal
of Michael, the Archangel. That being said, Michael
prevails over Satan, by virtue of the redemptive work
and resurrection of Jesus (Revelation 12:7-12). He’s
dedicated to promulgating evil because he’s the essence
of evil. He hates God and works tirelessly to thwart
God’s work in the earth, an effort that will ultimately
fail and result in his being cast eternally into the
lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
Territorial spirits are demons who were assigned by Satan to
influence specific national, geo-political entities on
earth. We find explicit evidence for this in Daniel 10.
Spiritual warfare exists on several levels. First of all, it’s the
rebellion and opposition of Satan and his demons to God.
Second, it’s the conflict that’s ongoing between Satan
and his demons and the holy angels who do God’s bidding.
Third, it’s the conflict between Satan and his demons
and Christians individually or the church corporately.
It’s this third dimension of spiritual warfare that’s
most relevant to believers, as Paul makes clear in
Ephesians 6:10-17.
The aim of the enemy is to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of
believers concerning God’s goodness and faithfulness. He
works to bring disunity to local churches (2 Cor. 2:11),
blinds the minds of the unbelieving lest they should
believe the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4-6), and seeks to deceive
Christians into believing that sin and idolatry can do
for their souls what God either cannot or will not do.
We know we’re not automatically immune because of the multiple
warnings in Scripture to be on our guard, such as John
17:15 - 2 Cor. 2:11 - 11:13-15 - Eph. 6:10-17 - James 4:7
- 1 Peter 5:8 - 1 John 4:1-4 and 5:18. These warning would
not be relevant if Christians were insulated against
attack and demonic deception. We should not respond with
fear, for as John tells us, “he who is in you is greater
than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). But neither
should we respond with arrogance and presumption. We
must avail ourselves of the armor of God and be on the
alert to Satan’s schemes.
Warfare prayer is prayer specifically directed to God for
extraordinary power, insight, wisdom, and strength to
resist Satan’s schemes. It’s also that expression of
prayer called for when dealing with someone who is
demonized and in need of deliverance. This is clearly
what Jesus had in mind in Mark 9:25-29 (esp. v. 29).
Favorite Bible passages: Two texts compete in my heart (in a good
way!) for being my favorites: Psalm 16:11 and Zephaniah
3:17. The former is precious to me because it gives me
the reason why pursuing God rather than the world, the
flesh, and the devil, is the wisest approach to life, an
approach that brings the greatest degree of spiritual
joy and satisfaction. The latter is precious to me
because it awakens me to the truth of God’s delight in
me as his child, a delight so intense that God quite
literally sings over me! Why What You Know About Satan Might Be Mostly Myth - By
KYLE WINKLER - Make me a profile of Satan. What does he look like? What does
he do? From where does he do it? The classic image, the one you likely
envisio, is a red guy with horns and a pitchfork, orchestrating all the evil in
the world from his command center in hell. I'm not sure where it came from, but
this pervasive image of Satan is nothing more than myth. The devil is not red
with horns and pitchfork. And while he does orchestrate evil, he doesn't do it
from hell.
Where in the World is Satan? Surprising to most people, the Bible
doesn't say Satan's home is in hell or that he's ever been there at all. Quite
the opposite, actually. Jesus revealed that hell is the place prepared to
destroy Satan, not his home (Matt. 25:41). The Bible also claims the devil will
not see hell until after his final rebellion at the end of time when he's thrown
into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:7,10).
This obviously begs the question: If the devil isn't in hell, where
is he, and what is he doing? Well, accordingly to Scripture, he's in one of two
places doing one of two things: on earth or in heaven, opposing or accusing.
It's true: Peter revealed that as an adversary, Satan prowls like a lion,
seeking someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). And John divulged that the devil
continues to go between heaven and earth to bring accusations about you and me
before the Lord (Rev. 12:10).
Why Does This Matter? As I detail in my book, Silence
Satan, this all matters so you are aware of the source of your struggles and
how to handle them. Rather than blame these on the weather or a chemical in your
brain, many of the temptations and obstacles you face are the result of a devil
trying to get you to slip up or trip up in order to report to God about how you
messed up.
But here's great news: If you're a Christian, when the devil
attempts to report your mistakes to God, it falls on deaf ears. An incredible
word of victory that John proclaimed just after he revealed Satan's whereabouts
is that "They [Christians] overcame him [the accuser] by the blood of the Lamb"
(Rev. 12:11a). Yes, because you're covered by the pure, spotless DNA of Jesus,
God sends Satan away, giving no ear to his accusations. But too often, when the
devil returns to earth, we become his audience. Accordingly, many of the mind
games and much of the guilt and shame you experience are the result of giving
ear to the things God doesn't.
So next time you hear the voice that nags "Look what you've done"
or "You're too much of this" or "You're not enough of that" silence it with the
truth: "Shut up, devil! You are defeated by the blood of Jesus!"
Kyle Winkler equips people to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut
Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence
Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and
accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity in biblical studies from Regent
University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.
..."Satan's existence is consumed with a mission," continues Schott,
"to
defy and mock God, to defy His order of creation, and to mock His governing
orders." The Church of Satan reverses the order of the Lord's Prayer, saying it
backwards as they begin their services, to defy God. God says love; the Church
of Satan says hate. God says heterosexual relationships; the Church of Satan
says homosexual relationships. God says monogamous marriage between a man and
woman; the Church of Satan says polygamous and sexually open relationships. God
gave the Ten Commandments; the Church of Satan established their version, called
the Nine Tenets, shown below:"
1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!
2. Satan represents vital existence instead of spiritual pipe
dreams!
3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical
self-deceit!
4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of
love wasted!
5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!
6. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better,
more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his "divine
spiritual and intellectual development," has become the most vicious animal of
all!
7. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to
physical, mental, or emotional gratification!
8. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He
has kept it in business all these years!
9. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone
bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.
Consider The Satanic Bible's following sex-centric passages. They
read like the mission statements of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) or GLSEN:
Each person must decide for himself what form of sexual activity best suits his
individual needs. Satanism ENCOURAGES any form of sexual expression you may
desire so long as it hurts no one else. If all parties involved are mature
adults who willingly take full responsibility for their actions and voluntarily
engages in a given form of sexual expression, even if it is generally
considered taboo, then there is no reason for them to repress their sexual
inclinations, you have no cause to suppress your sexual preferences.
It is important to point out here that spiritual love and sexual
love can, but do not necessarily, go hand in hand. The Satanist realizes that if
he is to be a sexual connoisseur (and free from sexual guilt) he cannot be
stifled by the so-called sexual revolutionist any more than he can by the
prudery of his guilt-ridden society.
"That last verse from The Satanic Bible," observes Schott, "reminds
me of a powerful proverb on the adulterous woman. Proverbs 30:20 says, "This is
the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've
done nothing wrong." Again and again The Satanic Bible tells its readers that
there is nothing wrong with giving in to your natural sexual desires. The Bible
tells us to resist the sexual desires of the flesh, he concludes.
And I say
unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that
have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear
him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto
you, Fear him. Luke 12:4-5
Christ depicts Satan
"Pride goes before
destruction"
Proverbs 16:18
He that is of God, hears God's
words
you therefore hear them not,
because you are not of God.
John 8:47
2 Corinthians 4:1-4 - Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-11 - And now you know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
A warning from Jesus - Matthew 11:23 - And thou, Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
John 17:3 - And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
John the Baptist - Matthew 3:11-12 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Most vacations include an itinerary. You have an idea what you will see and do before you arrive at your destination. The Bible has enough information to project an itinerary for those whose destination is hell. Let's look at the first 6 days.
DAY 1 The trip originates at the gate of death. Since departures are made daily, you are called upon to begin your trip on short notice. Since the journey is only one way, there is no need to concern yourself with return plans.
Click here for complete 6-day description and Scripture references.
Luke 12:4-7 - "But I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after these things they do not have anything more they can do. But I shall show you something you should fear: you must now fear the One Who after He kills has authority to throw you into Gehenna. Indeed I say to you, you must now fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two assarions? And not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. You must not be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows."
Gehenna is the Greek spelling of the Hebrew term, Ge Hinnom, for valley of Hinnom, the place outside Jerusalem where garbage, trash, dead animals, and even executed criminals were disposed of. Fires burned continuously to get rid of the trash and also the bodies. Worms lived in whatever had not been consumed by the fires. The smoke, fires, and worms were a constant reminder to the residents and visitors to Jerusalem of the description of Sheol, so Gehenna was used as a synonym for Sheol. From early in the history of Israel this valley was used for human sacrifices, offerings of babies to the heathen god, Moloch. Jsh. 15:8 is the earliest reference, then Jsh. 18:16, Jer. 7:32; 19:2, 6; 32:35, and 2 Chr. 28:3. 2 Ki. 23:10 uses the full name of the valley, Valley of the Sons of Hinnom. Hinnom means wailing, lamentation. (One New Man Bible: Revealing Jewish Root and Power)
o But Lord my pastor said...
o God, my friends did it too!...
o I went to church every Sunday....
o I gave to charity and tried to live a good
life....
o I taught Sunday school....
o I never hurt nobody....
o I thought I would have more time...
o I thought you were supposed to be all loving
and forgiving?...
o But Lord the pope said...
o No one ever told me this!...
o I was so busy Lord...
o I should of, I should of, but I didn't...
And about a million more excuses you can think
of. The Bible even gives us an example in
Matthew 7:22-23 as to what some will say.
"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in the name? And in Thy
name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess
onto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye
that work iniquity."
Did you know that the word "iniquity" can
literally be translated into lawlessness or the
transgression of God's Law (I John 3:4)?
I'm sure there are many nice people in Hell
today. I'm sure there are many people who had
good intentions in Hell today. I am sure
everyone there would give anything to go back
and do it all over again, but they can't. Just
ask the rich man who went to Hell (Read Luke
16:19-31). Their sin has made a separation between them and
the goodness of God. Their punishment is
everlasting torment in the lake that burns with
fire and brimstone, and they can never go back.
It's too late for them, but as you are reading
this right now, it's not too late for you!
The Bible says in Revelation 21:8,
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
What will be your end? Are you a part of the
list that you just read? Or did you find
yourself repeating the same excuses mentioned
above as to why you did not perform God's will
on earth and love and serve the Lord sincerely
with all your heart, mind, soul and strength?
Are you just too busy? Is the football
game that important? Is it the love of the
world and your flesh that will bring you down
(literally) and be your destruction in the end?
As a side note, let me be perfectly clear. We
do not serve God because we are afraid that we
will go to Hell if we don't. We serve God
because we see ourselves as violators of His
Holy Law (the 10 Commandments, Exodus 20) and
criminals in His sight.
We see that we are unworthy, sinful, and
undeserving of God's mercy in Christ. However,
by God's amazing grace, we have a Savior who
stepped in to pay our fine (as criminals in the
court room before the ultimate Judge), and now
God can lawfully dismiss our case because of
what Jesus did for us on the cross!
Through Godly sorrow and repentance (2
Corinthians 7:10, which means to turn from our
sins) of our sins and through the precious blood
of Christ, we have been washed in His blood
(Revelation 1:5), forgiven, and made clean
through the power of the cross.
Now that we have been saved, what have we been
saved for? It is to do God's will!
Matthew 7:21 says,
"Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he
that doeth the will of My Father which is in
Heaven."
Not your will, not your friend's will, not your
spouse's will, but my will says the Lord in
Scripture. Let this be a wakeup call for some
of you! Let this be an encouragement for some of
you who are traveling this hard and lonely road
on the path to Heaven. But most importantly, let
this be the day that you say as Jesus said in
Luke 22:42, "not My will, but Thine, be done."
Your life is much better in His hands, than your
own. The bottom line is that Hell is for real
and Heaven is for real and where you will spend
your eternity depends upon the path you have
chosen to walk.
God Gives Freewill - Satan Mandates "Force" - By Rob Pue - ...Recently, I discussed the story from the book of Daniel, of Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego, thrown into the fiery furnace in Babylon, because they refused to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's false god when the music played. He could TRY to force the young men to bow down and worship the idol, but worship isn't something you can force, these men could not deny the true God of Heaven, and for their faithfulness, they earned the wrath of the evil king.
...He (God) has given us the gift of freewill, and He offers us the wisdom and guidance to make righteous choices. He doesn't want slaves or robots. He wants children. And so, if something is of God, there's no need to use force. If something is naturally good and desirable, God's children will flock to it peacefully, easily and naturally. It is only when things are wicked and evil that they must be forced upon us under some threat or intimidation, compelling us to submit and obey.
...It's worth mentioning, too, that those who choose to follow after Satan also exhibit one of his other key traits: hypocrisy. How often have we heard the accusation, "You Christians just want to force your morality on the rest of the world. What gives you the right to force me to accept your
God?" But this is a lie! God doesn't force people to accept Him. He gives us every opportunity to choose Him, but He doesn't force Himself upon us. And as Christians, we don't force our faith on others either. We lovingly share our faith, but we don't force it.
...Look at the examples all around us. Our wicked government has chosen to turn the natural laws of God upside down and declare homosexuality and "transgenderism" and pedophilia "normal," even to the point of redefining marriage itself. Nature says this is impossible. Yet man, following the temptations of Satan, has chosen to force the issue. What's more, the militant homosexuals, like their father, the devil, don't just want equality. They want superiority, and the submission of everyone else. But now these wicked ones are using the power of the godless State to force others to not just accept but participate in their wickedness too. Don't believe me? Look at the Christian photographers, the bakers, the owners of reception halls, the florists, the county clerks who have been forced by government to participate in homosexual celebrations or lose everything. We either bow down to the abomination, bless it, celebrate it and agree that this evil is actually good, or we suffer their wrath.
...Note that if "Obamacare," as it was called, was so very wonderful, people would have flocked to it, lining up to sign up for all the great benefits. But since it was truly horrific, the government had force it upon us, and if we tried to object, we were forced to pay even more, as a penalty on our taxes. Never before has the use of force been so blatant as in the last two years. The wicked have forced the closure of churches and businesses, they've mandated the wearing of useless and harmful masks and forced people to be locked down in their homes.
...They also force truth-tellers out of the public arena. Truth is banned from the internet and the public square. Persecution follows if you dissent. Evil public officials are calling for criminal prosecution of those who express viewpoints that oppose the government narrative, even if those viewpoints are absolutely, and provably true. Consider also, the Satanic system of Islam, which the father of lies calls "a religion of peace." Like the ancient false religion of Babylon, you either bow down and worship Satan, here known as "Allah" or you die. There's no freewill, no option to freely come to "god" in the system of Islam. You go by force, or you die.
...See, the one true God of heaven doesn't rule like this. Only Satan rules like this. Forcing us to accept and celebrate our own destruction through obvious lies and deceit. Satan always tries to force us to accept and participate in lies. True Christ-followers cannot do that. Though we face punishment and persecution, though we be made outcasts, not allowed to buy or sell or travel without our "vaccine passports," we seek only the Way, the Truth and the Life. Understand: God never forces things on us. God gives us the freedom of freewill, along with power, love and a sound mind. And that's a terrible thing to waste.
Prayer Proclamations
By This I Overcome the Devil
- By Derek Prince
I testify to Satan personally as to what the word says
That the blood does for me.
Through the blood of Jesus,
I am redeemed out of the hand of the devil
Through the blood of Jesus, all my sins are forgiven
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son,
Continually cleanses me from all sin
Through the blood of Jesus I am sanctified,
Made holy, set apart to God
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
Redeemed, cleansed, by the blood of Jesus Christ
Satan has no place in me, no power over me
Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Let Us Cleanse Ourselves with the Blood of Jesus
Father, we cleanse our hands
With the blood of Jesus.
We apply the blood of Jesus to our eyes, Lord,
So that we might see into the Spirit realm
Clearly and with clarity.
We apply the blood of Jesus to our ears,
To cleanse our ears out of any defilement,
Wickedness, garbage, gossip or slander
That has been poured into our ears,
So that we might hear clearly
What You are speaking to us.
We apply the blood of Jesus
To our lips and to our tongue,
So that You would be able to cleanse us
Of those things that we have spoken
That really haven't been of You at all.
Father, we apply the blood of Jesus
To our hearts and our minds -
The heart being the production center of the soul
That produces all the emotions and thoughts.
So Father, we ask You to put the blood of Jesus
On our hearts, our thoughts, and our emotions
And to cleanse our minds from the dead works
So that we might serve the living God.
Father, we apply the blood of Jesus to our feet.
Cleanse us from the corruption in this world
And from the dust of the world.
Father, cleanse us of those places
In which we have walked
That really haven't been ordered of You.
Lord, we receive the words of the Bible that say,
The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.
We will have holy steps
Walking on that highway of holiness.