THE BATTLE.
DEFEATING THE ENEMIES OF YOUR SOUL.
Thomas L Trask & Wayde L Goodall.
PART ONE.
OUR POWERFUL ADVERSARY.
One.
The Enemy of Our Souls.
Even though the young man was the leader of the coven of witches, he didn"t believe Satan or his demons would ever possess him. He thought he could play with the occult without fear of danger.
One night as he tried to sleep, he saw horrible, demonic faces swirling on the ceiling of his bedroom and leering down at him. They began to gather like a cloud and soon formed a funnel. The young man realized they were about to come into his heart!1 He felt paralyzed in his bed. Panic overwhelmed him. He remembered that when he was a small boy he loved Jesus. He even went to the woods behind his house and pretended that he was a preacher of the gospel. The memory stirred the thought, "I"ll cry out to Jesus." He forced the words out: "In Jesus" name, go!" And the demons vanished.
The next night was worse. Even more demonic forces seemed to be present. As he tried to sleep, he heard a roaring sound. When he looked up, the whole room was full of ugly, horrible creatures. Again, they formed a funnel. This time, the young man stood on his bed and shouted, "I claim the blood of Jesus!" Once again, the demons fled.
The young man knew it would get worse and soon he would not be able to withstand what was happening to him. He understood that his life was not one that would be pleasing to G.o.d. He now knew that he was toying with something that could harm and possess him. The young man called a Christian he knew and asked him to attend a crusade meeting that he had heard of.
As David Wilkerson preached, the young witch felt convicted by the Holy Spirit and surrendered his life to Christ. The next night he brought a suitcase of demon paraphernalia to the meeting. He testified that his family had had a background in the occult. Now he was free from it. He proclaimed that the occult is not a game, that Satan is very much alive and real, that spiritual warfare is a lifelong battle.
To some, "Satan" is a fictional name created a long time ago to depict evil. To others, Satan is seen in every hurtful experience-fear, sickness, tragedy, and abuse. Many have read about Satan in the Bible but have little understanding about him or what to do to avoid an onslaught. C. S. Lewis said, "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors."2 J. I. Packer has said something similar: On one hand, we can take Satan too seriously, as some in the early church and the Middle Ages did. This will cause us to fall out of the peace of G.o.d into morbid fears and fancies ... and we shall take up a negative view of the Christian life as primarily a course of devil-dodging exercises and anti-Satanic maneuvers.... On the other hand, we can err by not taking the devil seriously enough.... Unwillingness to take the devil seriously has two bad effects; it fools men, by keeping them from the knowledge of their danger as objects of the devils attacks, and it dishonors Christ by robbing the cross of its significance as a conquest of Satan and his hosts.3 There is much naivete about this being called Satan, yet there is no question that the Scripture clearly a.s.serts his existence and defines his character. The Bible calls Satan the "father of lies." He is a subtle deceiver who will do anything he can to keep people from a personal experience with Christ.
Beginning with Adam and Eve, Satan has endeavored to distract people from taking G.o.d seriously and trusting in his goodness. Satan does not show up in our lives in obvious ways like the cartoon character that depicts him in a red suit with a pitch fork and tail-nor does he introduce himself as the devil, who has been a murderer from the beginning. Satan"s character is subtle and manipulative, and he is better at deception than any other being. He has made this his vocation for thousands of years.
Helmut Thielicke speaks of Satan"s deception of Eve in this way: The overture of this dialogue is thoroughly pious, and the serpent introduces himself as a completely serious and religious beast. He does not say: "I am an atheistic monster and now I am going to take your paradise, your innocence and loyalty, and turn it all upside down." Instead he says, "Children, today we"re going to talk about religion, we"re going to discuss the ultimate things."
... the Tempter always operates in disguise. He hides behind a mask of harmless indeed pious benevolence. All temptations in life begin in sugared form.4 Beware of Lions.
THE SCRIPTURE TELLS us a great deal about how and why Satan wants to invade people"s lives. We are important to G.o.d. Everyone has been created by G.o.d to have a relationship with Him. We have incredible potential as children of G.o.d, and the enemy of our souls knows that. What is precious to G.o.d is a mark for Satan. The eye of G.o.d is on our lives, with the intention to bless us. The eye of Satan is also on our lives, except that he wants to destroy us and our G.o.d-given potential.
Simon Peter was a man who loved to fish. He fished for his livelihood and for his leisure. He understood that fish are caught in many different ways. Sometimes fishermen will try a different time of the day or another location. One bait will work well today but won"t cause the fish to turn their heads the next day. Some fish run in schools, and some fish are loners. Simon had fish figured out. Anyone who feeds his family by catching fish has to know his occupation.
Jesus saw something in Simon besides his career choice. In fact, Jesus changed Simon"s name to Peter, which means "rock." Perhaps it was Peter"s persistence that prompted the change, or his ability to find new ways to catch fish. It might have been his work ethic. Most certainly, Jesus saw Simon"s hungry heart. Professional fishermen often work long hours and endure sleepless nights because they are unwilling to give up. Simon had little education, and he was not very goal oriented, besides taking care of the needs of his family. But he and his brother, Andrew, were good at that.
""Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men"" (Matt. 4:19). Immediately Simon and his brother changed occupations. With even more diligence they would learn how to "catch" people who needed to know Christ.
Satan saw something in Simon as well. Jesus warned Simon that Satan wanted to sift him as wheat (Luke 22:31). Satan wanted to strain or filter him out. He wanted to wear Simon down, weaken him, and burn him out. Simon"s enemy actually asked G.o.d for permission to attack him.
Jesus told Simon of Satan"s desire and added, "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32). At that time, Simon had nary an inkling of Satan"s tactics or abilities. But Simon grew in his understanding of Satan and developed his spiritual insight to a point where he became keenly aware of the enemy"s tactics. Simon Peter wrote to the early church, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
It is interesting that Peter compared the devil to a lion. Lions prey on the weak, the wounded, the naive, and the innocent. When they are hungry, whatever flesh is easiest to get to becomes their dinner. Mike Taliaferro, a pastor in South Africa, writes in his book The Lion Never Sleeps, I have seen lions hunting. They are territorial and will not follow the migrating herds. Rather, they hunt a specific area. When a herd moves near their region, they will approach slowly. They are keenly aware of wind direction and know how to stay downwind from their prey. But often they don"t care if the herd is alerted-such is their confidence.
Frequently the lion will run at a herd. Not sprinting but just jogging, the lion will frighten the herd. His aim is to get them to move. He wants to see them run. To the human eye, the herds retreat seems normal enough. To the lion"s sharp eye, dinner becomes very obvious. He notices who is old, who is tired or who is injured. A slight limp or any mannerism imperceptible to the human eye is obvious to the lion. He frightens the herd in order to spot the weak ones. Once he decides on his target, he will run past the others to get to his chosen prey.5 Peter informs us that an invisible, camouflaged being is hunting for Christians to devour. Satan and his demons constantly keep looking for those who are weak in their faith and trying to control those without faith. Satan never plays fair. He could care less about ethics, feelings, or the tactics he uses to trap his prey. He is an expert at guerrilla warfare, and he will be the sniper that will shoot when we least expect it. The devil doesn"t care whether people believe in him; indeed, he might be able to deceive people with greater ease if they do not.
In his cla.s.sic book Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis writes: My Dear Wormwood,.
I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves. Of course this has not always been so. We are really faced with a cruel dilemma. When the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism and we make no magicians. On the other hand, when they believe in us, we cannot make them materialists and skeptics. At least, not yet. I have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalize and mythologize their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, a belief in us (though not under that name), will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the Enemy. The "Life Force," the worship of s.e.x, and some aspects of Psychoa.n.a.lysis may here prove useful. If once we can produce our perfect work-the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls "Forces" while denying the existence of "spirits"-then the end of the war will be in sight. But in the meantime we must obey our orders. I do not think you will have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that "devils" are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he cannot believe in that (it is an old text book method of confusing them) he therefore cannot believe in you.6 Satan only wants to control, to tear people apart, and to satisfy his hunger by blinding people to prevent them from having faith in G.o.d. His deceptive, dark, evil world operates by a different set of rules from those of our righteous, merciful G.o.d. Satan"s goal is to "steal, and kill and destroy," whereas Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).
One day while I was working at my desk, I received a phone call from a woman in our community who sounded very upset. She was fearful that her teenage sister might take her own life. This woman, whom I will call Becky, explained, "Karen is so anxious that she can"t eat, sleep, or sit still. Often she talks about killing herself in order to get some peace."
I asked, "Becky, how long has Karen been feeling this way?"
She said, "I began to notice this kind of behavior about a year ago."
I immediately thought that Karen was struggling with some kind of depression or anxiety disorder. Several Christian professionals in our community came to mind to whom I could refer Karen for help. Then Becky said, "Karen has been involved in some kind of occultic activity for a couple of years."
I responded, "What kind of activity are you talking about?" Becky explained that Karen had used a Ouija board and was consulting a witch over the telephone whenever she had problems or concerns. Karen had also experimented with communicating [with "the spirit world" because the witch had promised that she would receive power and insight in doing so. Karen had devel-loped a dependence on this paranormal telephone counselor, and the phone calls seemed to calm her down temporarily. But when the torment became more intense, Karen began crying out for help elsewhere.
As Becky talked, I began to wonder whether there was demonic activity in Karens life. At my invitation, Becky brought Karen to my office a couple of hours later.
Becky was a neatly dressed woman in her early twenties who politely introduced herself, explaining that she attended our church occasionally. Then she introduced her sister.
Karen looked like a frightened child. Her face was pale, her I eyes full of fear. She was unable to speak except to say yes or no in a very weak voice. Realizing that Karen would not be able to tell her story, I asked Becky to relate the problems once again. In greater detail this time, Becky described Karens emotional state and her involvement in the occult.
While Becky was speaking, Karen seemed to stare right through the door of my office. She was emotionless, lethargic, and silent. When Becky finished speaking, I said, "Karen, I believe that I can offer you some help. Would you like that?" Karen responded, "Yes, I need you to help me." I stood up and moved to Karen. Her eyes appeared full of fear as I knelt down next to her chair. I said, "Karen, I want to pray for you right now before I offer you any counsel. Would you permit me to do that?" She nodded her head. I stated that I would pray in the name of Jesus, as He was ready to help her if she wanted Him to.
Suddenly she emitted a blood curdling scream: "Ahhh!!"
I was shocked that when I mentioned the name of Jesus, Karen screamed. Chills went up and down my spine, and I was so startled that I didn"t know how to respond. Becky sat stunned and looked hopelessly at her little sister. The secretaries in the outer office reported later that the sound had frightened them. They thought someone was hurt.
It was a horrified scream, as if Karen had seen the most frightening thing she could imagine.
I regained my composure and said, "Karen, can you say, "Jesus is Lord"?" She didn"t respond. I said, "Karen, can you say, "Jesus help me"?"
With her eyes closed, she whispered, "Jesus, help me."
I then told Karen, "I am going to pray for you. Father, in the name of Jesus I come to You, asking You to set Karen free from any demonic activity or control. By the authority of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I command the devil to set Karen free! Amen!"
Karen opened her eyes. Her face looked calm and even had a small smile. She turned her face and looked into my eyes for the first time.
"Karen, do you feel any different?" I asked.
"I do. What did you do?"
"Jesus has helped you with your problem," I explained, "and we should thank Him for freeing you from your fear. Now it is important that you stop your involvement with any occultic activity and give your life to Jesus Christ. Karen, will you give your life to Jesus?"
Karen knew that Jesus had helped her, and she said, "Yes, I want Jesus in my life."
Becky was amazed at what was going on. She was feeling both grateful and confused.
Karen unconditionally gave her life to Christ that day. She began attending our church faithfully and a few years later met a young Christian man and married him. Today this couple has two beautiful children. Karen was once a blinded victim of the devil; now she is a beautiful Christian wife and mother. She has no doubts that Jesus set her free. On that day in my office she walked away from all occultic practices and began serving the Lord, who set her free from the roaring lion. There is no question in Karen"s mind that Satan is real and that Jesus Christ is the answer to his attack.
Fighting for Control.
THE EFFECTS OF SATAN"S work are evident in various degrees in every country, city, town, and home on this planet. He is the creator of all evil, the father of lies, the master of deception and intrigue, and the originator of suffering. Through his demonic hosts he does all he can to keep people from acknowledging and serving the creator G.o.d. John Milton wrote, The infernal serpent; he it was, whose guile, Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind.7 Since the time of his catastrophic rebellion in heaven, Satan has progressively devised and implemented ways to influence, injure, and control G.o.d"s most precious creation-people. In his unique, sick way the devil will try virtually anything to persuade a human being to choose to serve him (or anything) rather than G.o.d. His techniques are numerous, and he works endlessly, restlessly, overseeing his battle strategy to control the people of this earth. As time goes on and the day approaches when Jesus Christ will return, Satan is stepping up his activity. He knows his time is short, and he is aware that he will once again confront his creator. The reality of Satan is not proved just by sensational stories that human imaginations have thought up. Rather, Scripture reveals his existence and defines his personality. We find him both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. As mentioned ear-lirr, he first shows up in the Bible as the serpent that deceived Eve into disobeying G.o.d (Gen. 3:15). Satan is found in the book of Job, when he actually asked G.o.d for permission to a.s.sault the ighteous man named Job (Job 2). He tempted and persuaded David to disobey G.o.d by causing him to take a census of the Israelite community (1 Chron. 21:2). Zechariah records how Satan opposed Joshua the high priest: "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him" (Zech. 3:1). Isaiah describes how Satan, who was originally named Lucifer ("daystar"), fell from the original position that G.o.d had created for him (Isa. 14:12-17). Ezekiel gives us insight about his original state and his subsequent fall (Ezek. 28:11-19). The prophet recounts, "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you" (v. 15). "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty" (v. 17). "You have come to a horrible end" (v. 19).
All the New Testament writers make reference to Satan, and he is referred to in nineteen of the twenty-seven books. Jesus Christ himself speaks of him twenty-five times. The gospel writers-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John-speak descriptively of Satan"s various activities.
So the Bible clearly reveals that there is an unseen spiritual being called Satan. It is critical that we understand that the Satan of the Bible is alive and well today. He has a strategy to control this world, and you are a part of his overall plan.
In his book Demons in the World Today, the late Merrill F. Unger writes that the history of various religions from the earliest times shows belief in Satan and demons to be universal. According to the Bible, degeneration from monotheism resulted in the blinding of men by Satan and the most degrading forms of idolatry (Rom. 1:21-32; 2 Cor. 4:4). By the time of Abraham (c. 2000 B.C.), men had sunk into a cra.s.s polytheism that swarmed with evil spirits. Spells, incantations, magical texts, exorcisms, and various forms of demonological phenomena abound in archeological discoveries from Samaria and Babylon. Egyptian, a.s.syrian, Chaldean, Greek, and Roman antiquity are rich in demonic phenomena. The deities worshipped were invisible demons represented by material idols and images.8 Unger then states that "early Christianity rescued its converts from the shackles of Satan and demons" (Eph. 2:2; Col. 1:13). To an amazing degree, the history of religion is an account of demon-controlled religion, particularly in its clash with the Hebrew faith and later with Christianity.9 The Great Rebellion.
Two Pa.s.sAGES OF SCRIPTURE help us understand where Satan came from and why he is the way he is. Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-15 describe the fall of an angel named Lucifer, and it is clear that this angel is Satan.
Why did G.o.d create Lucifer? What caused Lucifer"s fall? Why would countless other created angels decide to follow Lucifer?
We can only imagine how rebellion and sin could originate in the sinless kingdom of G.o.d. What persuaded sinless angels to rebel against a perfect, merciful, and holy G.o.d? What made them think they could be better off following the one who thought himself to be as powerful as the creator G.o.d? The deception that persuaded them to even think of opposing G.o.d is beyond comprehension. We can only a.s.sume that the timing of Lucifer"s revolt was sometime after the birth of creation and his appearance in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3).
The poet Dante reckoned that the fall of the rebellious angels took place within twenty seconds of their creation and originated in the pride that made Lucifer unwilling to await the time when he would have perfect knowledge. Others, such as Milton, put the angelic creation and fall immediately prior to the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.10 It would seem that a considerable amount of time would need to pa.s.s since creation before Lucifer could think through such a plan and, in turn, persuade a host of angels to follow his lead. The Bible does not try to explain in detail how or exactly when Satan"s rebellion occurred; we only know that it did happen. There was a rebellion, a judgment, and a banishment from heaven.
Ezekiel 28 relates that Lucifer was a created angel who had incredible gifts and was perhaps one of the most powerful and talented angels of all. In describing Lucifer"s original state, Ezekiel writes, "You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden,
the garden of G.o.d;... You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of G.o.d;
you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you" (vv. 12-15).
From this pa.s.sage we know that G.o.d gave this cherub angel wonderful gifts of wisdom and power. This being was created to be "perfect in beauty" and had the freedom to go to and fro in G.o.d"s flawless kingdom. He might have been the wisest and most beautiful of all G.o.d"s created beings who was originally placed in a position of authority over the other cherubim surrounding the throne of G.o.d.11 Cherubim are of the highest order or cla.s.s, created with indescribable powers and beauty.... their main purpose and activity might be summarized in this way: they are proclaimers and protectors of G.o.d"s glorious presence, His sovereignty, and His holiness.17 Lucifer was to oversee the heavenly realm and ensure that G.o.d"s presence, holiness, and sovereignty were constantly declared and defended. Instead, he did the unthinkable. He took advantage of the G.o.d who created him and thought that he could be as perfect as the Creator. What he was to protect his G.o.d from, he became a self-inflicted victim of. Isaiah gives some description of how this transpired.
You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne
above the stars of G.o.d; I will sit enthroned on the mount of a.s.sembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14:13-14).
Pride entered Lucifer"s heart, and he thought he could be as good as G.o.d. The five "I wills" became his ruin and will cause his eventual demise.
Lucifer"s great responsibility and the respect he must have drawn give us a hint as to why a mult.i.tude of angels rebelled against G.o.d and His perfect kingdom. The influences of sin are contagious. Paul refers to the "secret power [hidden truth] of lawlessness" (2 Thess. 2:7). Peter informs us that "G.o.d did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to h.e.l.l, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment" (2 Peter 2:4). Jude 6 speaks of "the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home...."
Lucifer must have meditated on his tremendous abilities and beauty because he permitted himself to think that he could be as the One who created him. He expressed and demonstrated this att.i.tude to numerous other angels, and they accepted it. Because of his high position-perhaps second only to G.o.d Himself-many came to the conclusion that he had something to say on the subject of "Who is the greatest?" Pride had entered those angels" hearts just as it had Satan"s.
Pride is possibly the most wicked of all sins. It was through pride that Lucifer fell, and it was through pride that a mult.i.tude of angels decided to listen to and follow him. C. S. Lewis goes so far as to say, "The essential sin, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchast.i.ty, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil."13 Lucifer became proud of his beauty and abilities. His wisdom became corrupt (Ezek. 28:17). He did not feel that G.o.ds will was good enough. He wanted to be like the "Most High."
At that time the original "war" began in heaven. Lucifer started a battle that has continued to this day. His war on this earth is the fight for the souls of mankind. Because of his mutiny he was thrown from heaven. He was no match for the "Most High," then or now, nor will he be so in the future. But Satan does not believe he will ultimately lose. The "father of lies" has been deceived by his own lies.
Although self-deception on such a grand scale seems unthinkable, Satan constantly seeks to persuade mankind to oppose G.o.d as well.
We are not told exactly how many angels decided to follow Satan"s lead. Perhaps a third of them. Scripture sometimes refers to angels as stars. This explains why, prior to his fall, Satan was called the "star of the morning." The apostle John enlarges the metaphor: "His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth" (Rev. 12:4).14 The apostle Paul calls Satan "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Eph. 2:2). Paul further explains that our struggle is not limited to what we can see, hear, or touch: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
The war that began in heaven has spread to Earth. G.o.d"s people are in a battle, and the more they advance G.o.d"s kingdom, the more intense the battle becomes. The world wars, civil wars, and continuing threats of war are "little league" compared with the "major league" battle that is being fought in the unseen, spiritual world.
This battle rages continually. When Christians pray, Satan"s forces try to discourage and bring doubt. When G.o.d"s people plan and implement ways to bring more people to Christ, the enemy does all he can to stop or slow down the process. When angels carry out the directives of G.o.d, Satan"s angels are infuriated, and they attack.
Satan is also on the offensive. He can be seen trying to deceive the "curious" through psychic hot lines, Hollywood movies and videos, television programs, and other conditions in the media. Malcom Muggeridge said, "The media have, indeed, provided the devil with perhaps the greatest opportunity accorded him since Adam and Eve were turned out of the Garden of Eden."15 The devil"s battle plan can be subtle and very difficult to detect, although at times it becomes obvious, as in satanic worship. This enemy will attack at any location and at any time, and he will use whomever he can to persuade people to follow him. Billy Graham said, "Satan has great power. He is cunning and clever, having set himself against G.o.d and His people. He will do everything in his power to hold people captive in sin and to drag them down to the prison of eternal separation from G.o.d."16 Disobedience and rebellion toward G.o.d originated with Lucifer and his angels. He has devised countless unique plans to persuade people to follow his lead. But even though he has great G.o.d-given gifts and understands human behavior better than any psychologist, he cannot have power over Christians. John writes, "You, dear children, are from G.o.d and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Nothing to Fear.
A FRIEND, JOHN BUENO, who was the pastor of a church in El Salvador, tells of an incredible experience. The church had grown to several thousand people. The sanctuary seats about two thousand people. When the Sunday service reached capacity, a second service was added, then a third and a fourth.
Returning from a trip late one Wednesday afternoon, John was tired and decided to stay home from the midweek service to get some much-needed rest. A deacon in his church called and said, "Pastor, you had better come to church tonight. A person needs deliverance. I believe he is demon possessed."
John decided that he had better attend the service after all. He relates, "I kept looking around for something strange to happen or some weird person, but I didn"t see anything unusual. After the service the deacon brought the so-called demon-possessed man to me. When the man saw me, he rushed at me to attack me. I had never had this kind of experience before. The deacons held him back by gripping his arms and shoulders. I instructed them, "Let him go. G.o.d will protect me.""