Certainly is wonderful to be here with you today and we
appreciate the presence of all that have come to be with us.
And as always is the case, it is my privilege to be able to speak
concerning the word of God. We're continuing our lesson from
last time regarding the Christians Warfare and yes we
are in a battle. We don't wrestle against flesh
and blood as the great Apostle Paul would say, but we do have a
war and a battle that's going on every day that we live in
Christ. And I invite your attention to
these sixth chapter of the book of Ephesians and as an
introduction. We'll just read one verse there.
That's verse 12, Ephesians chapter 6, and verse 12.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.
But against principalities against Powers against the
rulers. Of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness, in Heavenly places
as we continue our study today. This morning, we're going to
talk a little bit more about the enemy.
We're going to talk about Satanism and the world of the
occult. And you remember last time we
talked about the idea of being in a spiritual battle.
By day, there's no reason why the child of God should ever
lose the battle. Those very encouraging things
that we talked about from God's word.
If a child of God would do three things, he would win the battle
over Satan. Number one, you got to prepare
yourself for the battle. How do you do that?
Be a faithful member of the body of Christ that draws his
strength from the Lord and not your own.
That's number one. Number two, to win the battle
against the devil, you Got to put on the armor and number
three. You got to identify the enemy
and resist him. And if we will do that, we can
defeat the Devil this morning though, I want to entitle our
remarks Satan's Army. He does have an army and that'll
be the last part of our lesson when we deal with that very
idea. The idea of the occult is on the
rise in our country. And believe it or not, many
young people are seeking their spiritual identity through
Satanism. In fact, Satanism has become an
issue of great concern. In our society today, it's a
phenomena that has crossed the city limits and it's made its
way into the rural areas of our nation.
In fact, Satanism, as one man, put it is not just a big city
problem. It is not just a problem that
you find in our larger cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco
or new, York or other, great big cities.
It's something that is finally found their way all over the
land. In fact news wires carry story.
After story about young children that are kidnapped only to be
found later as victims of some bizarre ritualistic crime.
You know to help us gain a very balanced perspective of the
subject author c.s. Lewis wrote this wrote a book
entitled, the screwtape letters and by the way I didn't know
what screwtape meant so I looked it up screwtape actually is a
fictitious name for the devil for Satan and so he wrote a book
called the screwtape letters and he said this regarding Satan and
his army. He said this and I quote there
are two equal and Asset errors into which our race can fall
about. The Devils one is to disbelieve
in their existence and the other is to believe and to feel an
unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally
pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with
the same delight and quote. Satanism challenges, the
Biblical, teaching regarding man's relationship with others.
The Bible would say that we esteem others better than
ourselves. In fact, we talked about the
idea of being in the body of Christ.
We are the family of God in First Corinthians chapter 12.
The Apostle Paul says we are all members of that body and when
one would suffer, we all suffer with it.
When one rejoices we all Rejoice together and then in verse 27,
the first At the ins chapter 12, Paul said now you are the body
of Christ and members individually.
That's what the Bible says. Satanism is the opposite of that
Satanism esteem self over others.
A young Satanist, believe that a strong and the strong will
actually one day rule with Satan but then it gets worse.
It's very sad to me. As I Read this when someone is
sufficiently involved in satanic activity, they make a pact with
Satan that in a future time they committed date in which they
will take their own life by Suicide.
Their belief is if they submit themselves to Satan by death,
then they'll come back in another life stronger and be
able to rule with the devil forever.
You know, something about statistics.
Statistics are outdated just about the time that they're read
or written the kind of like an iPhone or a computer.
So keeping that in mind, I don't know how up to date.
These are but these are statistics that I did find
regarding Satanism. I'm not talking about suicide
for any other reason. I'm just talking about young
people taking their own life for the devil. 14 young, people
every single day. Take their own life.
Market friends. Satan is after our youth, Satan
is after our youth Satanism offers its Allure through
youthful things in society, like sinful things, like fornication
and drugs, Now, let me ask you this.
What is the picture in your mind of the profile of a Satanist?
I got to admit something to you my profile and sometimes we
stereotype, we shouldn't do that but sometimes we do that I did
that. I had a picture.
When I started studying this out, I had a picture in my mind
of a young Satanist and I had a picture of this a very dark
person, may be a person that didn't have any friends.
I don't know who lot about it, but maybe they were Gothic.
Maybe they were the black all the time, the deep dark kind of
person. Maybe they were people that just
kind of give you the creeps, that's not the profile of a
young Satanist. These are statistics listen to
this. The profile has emerged and they
are generally get this from a white middle to upper middle
class family that fall into that category.
In most cases, they do well in school, they're bright, but
oftentimes, they're bored and unchallenged to meet their
potential. You know, my grandfather, Frank
brancato. The one I was named after used
to say all the time, my dad quoted him and it was this Idle
Hands are tools for the devil. And then he would say.
And an idle mind is his Workshop.
I don't miss is very dangerous. You can have the brightest of
bright kids and have idle time of unproductive time and get in
trouble. Idle Hands are tools for the
devil. I don't mind our his Workshop.
I think that's why my dad just worked us like slaves as kids.
There's another great influence on young people today, you know
what it is. It's music.
Music has always been at the
center of the youth culture now Let me just say, I am not
preaching against modern music. I was young too, I get that.
I'm not preaching against modern music.
What I'm saying is be very careful about the lyrics of
whatever it is that you're listening to if the lyrics
promote violent and sinful Behavior be.
Very careful. It will have an impact on you.
You might say no, not me. Yeah, you You ever hear about a
man called The Night Stalker. His name is Richard Ramirez of
Los Angeles, California. You know he did.
He believe that Satan would make him invisible Invincible?
Police said he was a serial killer police said that this
brutal style of his rapes and the 16 murders that he committed
resembled the lyrics of the song Night Prowler on AC/DC's LP
Highway to Hell. In addition to that along with
this fascination with AC/DC, he used cocaine and PCP in
conjunction with a deep interest in satanic worship.
Believing that Satan would protect him and on, and on it
goes, you know, Satanism is a growing concern, obviously in
our culture, and with this growth comes, a great deal of
confusion and lack of understanding it.
Because of that, I want to notice the following with you.
There is a difference between Between a cult and the Occult.
The first thing I want to notice with you is the definition of a
cult. A cult is a group or of people
polarized around an individual, with a Magnetic Personality, who
deviates from Orthodox Christianity by distorting, the
central message of the Bible by additional Revelation, or by
introducing their personal understanding of, Primary
biblical doctrines such as the person of Jesus Christ, Heaven,
hell, salvation and atonement. That is the definition of a
cult. But what about the occult?
The occult is simply defined as follows it is secret or hidden
knowledge. It's the knowledge that is
discerned. Get this not by the five senses
and therefore it is super naturally received through the
practice of divination. Now simply put its knowledge
received by some Supernatural involvement or connection.
Now what does divination mean the word divination?
means the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or
Unknown by Supernatural means All right.
What does the Bible say? And by the way, I don't have
every scripture on here you taking notes, write them down.
We're going to cover a lot of scripture going to back up,
everything we say with the word of God was God, thinking about
all this stuff, Deuteronomy, 18 beginning in verse 10.
It's what God thinks about all that stuff.
There shall not be found among you.
Anyone who practices witchcraft or a soothsayer or one who
interprets Omens or Sorcerer or one who conjures spells or get
this? She's got her own show or a
medium or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead for all.
These things are an Abomination to the Lord because of these
Abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.
Leviticus 19 and 26. Leviticus chapter 19.
Verse 26. Watch this.
You shall not eat anything with the blood and we get that, we
get that, we understand about that.
Look at the next part, nor shall you practice divination or
soothsaying. And again, it's the idea of
trying to acquire knowledge or future knowledge of something.
It's to acquire anything in the future through.
Supernatural forces. What's God, think about all
this? you know, sometimes we tell our
kids, Sometimes we tell our kids don't do this.
And if you do this, you will have that as a consequence.
And sometimes kids go ahead and do it anyway, kind of like old
enough to know better young enough to do it anyway and they
do it anyway and when confronted with the consequence, it is
almost as if they stand there and say you were serious about
that. How serious is God about what he
just said in Deuteronomy and Leviticus?
And you remember the life of King Saul and just bear with me,
I'm going to be very brief about this.
We know the life of King saw the very first king, we know that,
we know God rejected him because he deviated from what God Said.
God said, Go destroy the amalekites.
He didn't do it. He left a gag and all the
animals and he's going to sacrifice it.
Samuel said it's better to obey them to sacrifice and we know
the story. What did Samuel say?
He said, because you have done this thing, God has rejected.
Acted you as King and King, David would be the anointed of
God and he would follow suit when Saul died, right?
We get that. Do you remember when Jonathan
and David became really good friends?
And you remember how we talked about the idea that when
Jonathan died, he died with Saul, he died with his brothers.
They all died together and David mourn, their passing.
And David said, oh, how the mighty are Fallen.
He wrote that beautiful thing, he talks about his friendship
with Jonathan. You want to find out why Saul
died? This is why he died.
First Chronicles, chapter 10. Beginning in verse 13.
This is why he died. So solve died number one for his
unfaithfulness, which he had committed against the Lord,
because he did not keep the word, the Lord, that's when he
goes back to the amalekites. But there's more watch this and
also because he consulted a medium for guidance but he did
not inquire of the Lord. Therefore he Capital H God did
what it says, God killed him. And turn the kingdom over to
David. The son of Jesse.
Did you get that? God said don't do it.
Don't do that. God said, don't do that.
He did that and got killed me. Leviticus 20 and 6.
Here's talking about the person that turns to a medium Leviticus
20 and 6 and the person who turns to mediums or familiar
spirits to prostitute himself with them.
I will set my face against that person and cast him off from his
people. That's a person that turns to a
medium. Here's the person.
Now that is a medium Leviticus 20 and 27.
A man or a woman who is a medium or who has familiar Spirit,
shall surely be put to death, they shall Stone them with
stones. Their blood shall be upon them.
So is it wrong to be a part of that?
It sure is. God has always been against
that. Here's another form of the
occult here it is. It is the idea of Witchcraft
witchcraft is the use of scripturally forbidden
Supernatural powers to manipulate.
People and events, commonly known as The Craft of the wise
or Wicca, the worship of Nature and feminine energies.
It's all encapsulated under Mother Nature, witchcraft is
manifested in two opposing views, white magic, and black
magic, or Witchcraft. And by the way, Deuteronomy
we've already read, in terms of Witchcraft is condemned by God.
In Deuteronomy 18 and verse 10. Now, sometimes people say, well,
if it's white magic, It's okay. The only thing.
It's bad is black magic. What's the difference?
White magic is the use of Supernatural power to manipulate
a person or an event to bring about good.
It's the practice of divination. There's that word again, God
condemned that Gods against that is used to bring about positive
results, such as knowledge, healing Etc.
And most people that are involved in this will say this
is really good. Because after all it's to
achieve that, which is good. What's the difference between
white magic in Black Magic? Black Magic is the use of
Supernatural power to manipulate a person or an event to bring
about evil or destruction. It's the manipulation and is
achieved by the use of rituals and casting out spells.
And by the way, that's also the kind of magic that is used of
sacrifices to. It's the one that's connected to
satanic activity. It's the idea of giving in to
all of your cravings and all of your desires.
Satanism. Unlike witchcraft Satanism is
the worship of Satan formerly known as Lucifer and the
practice of black magic Satanism is a reaction against the
Christian church and the word of God in particular, Satanism
promote to do what you want attitude, and ultimately the
worship of your self. Now.
I put it on this morning. I don't know why I didn't stay
on there. I guess I didn't save it.
I didn't mean to, but I want to talk about the Church of Satan.
There actually is a Church of Satan.
It was formed in 1966, its founder is a man named Anton
zandor LaVey, he established the very first satanic church called
The Church of Satan. He became the author in 1969.
It was published the Satanic Bible.
And by the way, the Satanic Bible is the greatest largest
sense or largest source of satanic activity.
Rituals and satanic practice that young people draw their
information from Somebody might say nobody buys the Satanic
Bible, never even seen it. Did you know that the Satanic
Bible go into a bookstore when these days go into a large book
stores and large secular bookstore and you will find that
it is on the Shelf. How many people have bought
that? How many copies have been sold?
600,000 copies have been sold of the Satanic Bible.
All right. What about categories of
involvement? Categories of involvement.
Anyone that's involved in any aspect of satanic worship or
satanic idea or Satanism, or the occult will fall into one of
four categories. Number one, the
multi-generational international organization, that's another
words, part of the great, big International broadcasting of
Satan. It is full-fledged Church of
Satan on an international scale. Next national organizations.
That's the same thing. But limited to nationally
recognized organizations, thirdly independent, self-styled
people, I guess this would be called, I guess if you want to
try to give it a name. I guess you could probably call
it. I don't know non-denominational
satanists. Yeah, I really like the
individual that decides how they're going to do it, how
they're going to honor the devil.
I'm going to tell you something, I don't know what what you know,
or who you've known in your life, but to my knowledge unless
they totally kept it hidden. I don't know anybody.
That's part of the multi-generational international
organization of Satan. I don't I don't know anybody
that's part of the National Organization of Satan either to
my knowledge and to my knowledge.
I don't know anybody that's an independent self-styled
Satanist, I don't know. But I'm going to tell you
something. I've known some people that fall
into the next one, and so have you, here it is.
The individual dabbler. The individual dabbler.
In fact, the greatest increase in involvement is among this
group, The dabbler the dabbler, and here's the profile.
Again, get this the dabbler in most cases is from a middle to
upper-middle Caucasian home. And often times they use
alcohol, they use drugs and other forms of controlled
substances. Okay, and we might look at that
and say well yeah but we're not into the devil.
You know, what else? Falls into this category of a
dabbler? There it is.
This is also a dabbler those, that consult.
Mediums, psychics horoscopes fortune, tellers Ouija boards,
all manner of, tear it cards, that falls under the category of
the individual dabbler. And by the way, I didn't make
that up that came from the people that consider themselves
as experts on the field of satanic activity.
Most people are falling under the category of an individual
dabbler. You remember when I said that
Satan's, after our young folks, and when I said that, I'm going
to tell you something as a parent.
I know it as a parent. You know, it as a grandparent,
many of you know it Satan is after our young people today.
And the fight and the war is tougher than it has ever been
and it's only going to get tougher.
Now, I did say, we don't have to lose the battle and that is
true. But the battle is difficult to
battle is Raging and it is before her young people.
Young people are recruited to being under the influence of the
Devil by a combination of the following.
Number one. Free drugs and the sinful Act of
fornication. And by the way, I'm going to
call it that it didn't say that it was the s word.
I can't say, I really have a hard time say that from the
pulpit, okay? But sometimes people say, well,
all that is, is just an expression between two people
that love each other. No, it's fornication, and it's a
sin. And the devil is after our kids
through drugs and the sin of fornication.
How about companionship? How about camaraderie, by the
way, power is another one. And I mean individual power,
what does the Bible say? Don't think of yourself more
highly than you ought to think. Thanks, so merly, don't be
conceited. Let another man praise thee and
not with thine own mouth. A stranger not with thine own
lips. That's what the Bible says.
Do you know what the idea of power is here?
It's the idea that Satan can attract people and tell them how
powerful and great they are. In other words, you got to have
a higher level of steam. How about money?
Money. You know the Bible doesn't say
that money is the root of all evil people.
Misquote that all over the place that's not what it says.
It says the love of money is the root of all evil.
Satan Works through those means. Now I'm going to, I'm going to
put the next one up and I'm just going to tell you.
This is a real problem. In our world today.
And what I read in the last couple of weeks studying this
out, what I read is it's one of the number one things that the
devil is using to try to get young people.
You know what it is. Pornography.
It is a serious problem. It is a tool of the devil.
Look at all this gratification companionship power money, all
the things to attract to your senses and given to them.
So what the devil wants. And finally Personal choice.
These are Satan's recruiting tools.
So what is Satan's goal in all this Make no mistake about it.
Satan's goal is to deceive Man, by blinding him, to the truth of
the gospel and receive worship to himself.
That's what the devil does. And by the way, if the picture
of the devil, is some guy with horns and the ugly looking
creature, if that's really, the way the Devil comes out us.
He wouldn't get anybody. We'd all run.
He gets us through that. He gets us through.
Like he got Eve now. Shall not surely die.
God, just doesn't want you to be like him.
You gotta what? You got?
Have a better esteem. You got to have a little more
power. Oh, you deserve it.
You deserve it. Give in to the gratification to
the flesh. You know why you're deserving of
it. But it has always been a ploy by
the devil to get that to get people to worship him.
I'm going to notice some scriptures with you.
Okay, write them down. If you take notes, Matthew 49,
let's go all the way back to the greatest one that ever lived.
Let's go back to the Lord and he's being tempted by the devil.
And the Bible says and he said to him, all these things, I will
give to you now. He talks about all the kingdoms
of the world. Now, why could Satan say that
about the kingdoms of the world? What did we establish last time?
Say Satan is the god, small G, the god of the world.
He is the prince of the power of Darkness.
He is the prince and the power of this world.
All that is in the Bible. So Satan takes Jesus up to a
high mountain and the Pinnacle and all of that and he looks out
over all the kingdoms of the world and he said you can have
it all just fall down and worship me.
How about 2nd Corinthians 4? Beginning in verse 3.
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those
that are perishing, that's the new King James.
The King James says, if our gospel be hid, it is hid to
them, that are lost whose Minds. The God, small G of this age has
blinded who do not believe lest the light of the Gospel of the
glory of Christ, who is in the image of God should shine on
them. Here's another one Revelation,
12 and 9, we talked about this last time.
Now in Revelation, he's called the Dragon And he has a tail.
And Revelation 12 and 9. It says solve, the dragon was
cast out. That Serpent of old, called the
devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.
He was cast to the Earth and his angels were cast out with him.
In other words, Satan was in heaven.
He was Lucifer. We know that we talked about
that last time, he's the dragon and he took a third of the host
of heaven with him. How do I know that Isaiah 14?
Beginning in verse 12, how are the mighty, fallen from Heaven
o, Lucifer, that's the devil. Son of the morning.
How you are cut down to the ground.
You are weakened the nation's for you have said, in your
heart, this is why, by the way, he was kicked out of heaven, I
will Ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the
stars of God. I will also sit on the Mount of
the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.
I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds.
It's I will be like the most high.
That's the reason. Satan was cast out.
He said I'm gonna be like the most high, who's the most high.
That's God. God said, get out.
And Satan Lucifer and going to get to that a little bit, his
army was kicked out of heaven, all right.
In fact, it says, you shall be brought down to sheol by the
way, that's a work for hell. You'll be cast down to sheol to
the lowest depths of the pit, and that's where he is today.
He is in Tartarus waiting. What waiting the resurrection
waiting, the Judgment. When he will be cast into the
Lake of Fire. The place that was created for
the devil and those Joe's. All right.
On a practical level. On a practical level.
And by the way, if Satan can do this he's got a stronghold in
your life. If he can do this, Satan desires
to alter an individual's values. Turn them against themselves.
Turn them against their beliefs. Turn them against their family.
Turn them against God. And even turn them against
Society. If the devil offering all of
that stuff can get people to do that, he's got a strong, hold in
their life, he's got them. All right, that's Lucifer that
Satan, but he's got an army. Let's meet them.
Now in Ephesians chapter 6, and verse 12, for we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but with against principalities
against Powers against the rulers of Darkness of this age
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in Heavenly places.
Remember this. From last time, the word wrestle
literally is translated from a word that means hand-to-hand
combat until the death. We're not just talking about two
guys going on a mat in those jumpsuits that they wear and
wrestle around and pin the other one we're talking about
something that is always to the death.
That's what that means. And what Paul is saying is we
don't fight to the death against what against flesh and blood.
We don't fight people, we don't take other people's lives, but
we are in a battle, we wrestle against principalities against
Powers against the rulers of Darkness of this age and against
spiritual hosts of wickedness. Wickedness in the Heavenly
places. All right, so the first one is
principalities. so since we don't fight against flesh and
blood, It has to be referring to political distinctions among
spiritual creatures. Principalities powers.
And rulers is talking about, just that spiritual political
distinctions among those creatures specifically, the
Angels, or demons that were cast out of Heaven, those Wicked
angels with Satan or Lucifer. Now, the word principalities
refers to the same corrupted Angelic off.
This as mentioned in the book of Jude.
Look at Jude verse 6. You know, first I'm going to
read the first part in the King James in the new King James,
another translation, and the angels who did not keep their
proper domain. That's the new King James.
The King James says, and the angels, who did not keep their
first estate, another translation, renders it like
this. And that's what the passage
actually means in his referring to angels.
That did not keep their positions of authority.
That's what's being described here.
We're talking about political distinctions among Angelic
demonic beings, and principalities appears to be the
head. The top of that you got Satan or
Lucifer and then you have principalities.
Then it goes on to say, he has reserved in Everlasting, chains
under Darkness for the Judgment of that great day.
Now, very, very very, very important message that that's
found in the book of Colossians. It's about this, we're talking
about those things that have a tremendous amount of power.
What all of the powers that were talking about every one of them,
they are all inferior to Jesus Christ for two reasons.
I just love encouraging passages in the Bible, you read about all
the bad stuff and then here's a here's a ray of Hope, watch
this, the first reason is because Christ created them, so
it doesn't make any difference. What happens, he is always going
to be superior to them because number one, he created them.
Do you remember when the Bible says Jesus?
He was made a little lower than the Angels.
You know what that means? That means so he could die
angels Don't Die. But at no time, was Jesus ever
subordinate to or inferior to these demonic beings?
Never Number one, why he created them Colossians 1:16 for by him?
All things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible and invisible, whether Thrones, or dominions, or
principalities or powers, or that, all things were created
through him and for him, okay? In addition to that, though,
Jesus will always be superior. Because of the victory over
them. At the cross.
That passage in Hebrews last week.
It doesn't matter, whatever happens.
He will always be superior. Because he created them.
And he whipped him at the cross. You want to talk about a weapon?
The Lord was Victorious. Over the devil at the cross.
Colossians 2:15, having disarmed.
And by the way, this is what he did to them.
Having we're talking about, we're talking about
principalities having disarmed, principalities and Powers.
He made a public spectacle of them.
Triumphing over them. Now, because of that because of
that, he is exalted to God's right hand looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy, that was
set before him, endured the cross, despising, the shame and
is set down on the right hand of the Throne of God, he's above
them all. He whipped him at the cross.
Ephesians, 1 verses, 20, and 21. Which he worked in Christ when
he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in
the Heavenly places far above principality, here it is again
and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not
only in this age, but the one that is to come.
Now, here's some great news. What some great news, here's
some great news. Because of the victory that
Christ had over the devil at the cross.
The child of God, shares in that same Victory when you are
baptized into Christ, Romans 6. When you are baptized into
Christ and you contact the blood of Jesus, guess what happened,
you've become Victorious over the devil to, how do I know
that? Ephesians 2 and 6.
Watch this and raised us up together and made us to sit
together in the Heavenly places in Christ.
Jesus Revelation 1 in 6 and he has made us Kings and Priests to
his God and Father to him be glory and Dominion forever and
ever, amen! We share the same Victory and
not great. And finally, along this line.
Not only. Not only did the devil's lose
and Jesus was Victorious over them at the cross, but there's
more guess what? Not only were they disarm but
you know what? Now they got to sit back and
watch the parade. They got a weapon and now they
got to watch the parade. What is that?
I'm talking about the evil Powers.
Observing God's wisdom. That's manifested through the
church. Ephesians 3 and 10 to the
intent. That now, the manifold wisdom of
God, might be made known by the church to who principalities and
powers in The Heavenly places. The Lords over all of them and
now they're sitting back and they're watching the wisdom of
God today through the church. I'm just gonna spend, it's just
a second on this one. It seems to me, it's just a
lower step down of the political distinctions among them, but
it's the same kind of thing and it's called Powers strong.
Said it refers to another Angelic position of authority.
So if it's another Angelic position of authority, it's not
the same as principalities. And by the way, if you read in
the New Testament about principalities Powers, it's
always in that order. So that seems to me that
principalities is higher. Then a power, but it's the same
thing. Another political distinction
among them Romans 8:38-39 for I am persuaded that.
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor
powers nor things present, nor things to come nor height nor
depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our lord,
Rulers of Darkness. That's another one.
Rulers of Darkness of this age. So principalities powers and
rulers of Darkness of this age. This phrase, identify spiritual
rulers, who act on behalf of Satan to bring the world under
his control. Remember Satan is the God of
this world. Second Corinthians 4:4 says,
whose Minds the God of this age has blinded, who do not believe
lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is in
the image of God should Shine On Them John 12.
And 31 says that Satan is the ruler of this world, but make no
mistake about it. We need to be aware of his
devices. Why?
Because the Bible says he often even would disguise himself as
an angel of Light, second Corinthians, 11 and 14.
Okay, here's some more great news.
And I'm almost finished a with me.
Here's some more great news. We have been transferred if
you're Christian. From the domain of darkness and
you have been brought to and inserted in the Kingdom of
God's, dear son, if you're a member of the church, if you're
a faithful Christian, if you're baptized into Christ, have
clothed yourself with Christ, you are part of his body.
I'm going to tell you something, if you would proactively, keep
the devil out of your life. In the way that the word of God
says, to do that. He cannot have a stronghold in
your life and I'm going to tell you something else, it's not by
your own strength. It's by the strength and the
promise of the lord, it's his strength.
I'm going to tell you, you can't beat the devil on your own.
You cannot. You can't.
So, we have to resist him and stay away from him.
The rulers of Darkness, the powers in the principalities and
Lucifer himself has no power over you if you will not allow
it. One final thing.
What about spiritual wickedness? What's that talking about?
You know, the phrase is better translated against the spiritual
forces of wickedness. Now, I'm going to tell you, we
don't know all the forces are powers that this phrase is
talking about and I'm going to tell you something, I read some
spooky stuff. I read some pretty.
Pretty spooky stuff that I can't explain.
I'll just tell you that right now.
There's some stuff that goes on out there that I cannot explain.
I don't even have an X place. I thought I would, as I went in,
I thought by the time I got out, the end of this, I would have
every single explanation about spiritual wickedness and I do
not I don't all I know. Is we better be like the
Ephesians But what does that mean?
Do you remember in Acts? 19 really briefly, do you
remember in Acts 19 about those at Ephesus when they believed
they confess? The Bible says about what that
they were guilty of Witchcraft. They were guilty of divination.
They were guilty of all that stuff, you know what they did?
They realized because they were Christians.
Now, they got to get rid of all of that.
They have to get rid of all the spiritual wickedness that's
found in their life. You know what?
Did the Bible says they brought all their books of Witchcraft
and burned them. Wonder how much it cost?
Remember how much the Lord was sold for?
the Lamb of God, the greatest one that ever lived, 30 pieces
of silver, the price of slate, Do you know how much this is?
The impact it had on the Ephesians.
They knew how awful it is for Christian to be involved in that
kind of stuff. You know what they did.
They burned it all. You know I'm going to cost the
Bible says 50 thousand pieces of silver. 50,000 pieces of silver.
That's what you need to do. Get rid of anything, if you have
it. That has anything to do with the
occult. Stay away from false prophets.
Psychics, mediums channelers divination, or those who have
Consulting familiar spirits of the Dead, trying to consult the
dead. Isaiah 819 Sorcerers are those
that practice? Witchcraft, second chronicles,
thirty three, and six Ouija boards tared card to Palm
readers Tea, Leaf, readers astrologers, horoscopes Crystal
healing Transcendental Meditation, Astro flying.
Elsa p gnosticism and many other forms of Satanism, paganism
idolatry, and those who practice New Age religion, get rid of it,
have nothing to do with it. Don't be one of those individual
dabblers. Finally this one final thought
he says in Heavenly places at the end of the passage and
what's that talking about? That term is signifying the
realm of reality. T that reaches beyond the Earth
that which is Earthly in nature. In fact, I think the New
American Standard just says the have been leaves.
It's talking about a world that is separate from this world.
Now, in that spiritual World, there is a battle going on
between Good and Evil. For your soul.
But, you know, I'll tell you something, we don't have to
lose. Prepare yourself.
Be a faithful member of the body of Christ.
Draw your strength from the Lord and not yourself and you can
whip the devil to because, guess what?
We have Victorious optimism. As Jesus is Victorious.
Over them. So, are we why?
Because of the cross, Number two, got to put on the armor.
Got to put the armor on and number 3, understand who the
enemy is and resist him. And you know what James?
4:7 says submit yourselves therefore to God resist the
devil and he will flee from you. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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