Defend and Counter-attack
In August, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the the United States would remain neutral concerning the war between Germany versus her European neighbors. On May 7, 1915 a German submarine torpedoed and sank the British ship, Lusitania, killing 1,198 passengers. 128 Americans were among the dead. Almost 2 years later, in April, 1917 the United States entered World War I.
In September, 1939, World War II broke out between Germany versus Britain and France. The United States stayed out of that war for 2 years again. On December 7, 1941 American ships were sneak-attacked in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. We officially entered World War II.
When you are at war, you must remember that “Knowledge is Power.” Learn your enemy’s strengths and his weaknesses. Learn what type of weapons your enemy uses, and how to defend yourself against them. Learn about your enemy’s allies so you can defend yourself against them, too.
Realize what weapons you have at your disposal, and hit the enemy back real hard where it hurts him the most. Devastate him into total annihilation if possible so that he can’t rise again to destroy you. Learn who your allies are, and encourage them to join you in your war. After all, this is war, not a game. Don’t beat around the bush about it like the United States did in both World Wars. That mistake results in more casualties.
Last week’s letter concerned the origin of demons as documented in Genesis 6:2,4; Job 2:1; Jude 1:6,14; and R.H. Charles’ “Book of Enoch the Prophet” chapters VI-XVI. Thousands of years ago, fallen angels rebelling against God came to earth, mated with women, and begat half-angel, half-human giant children. Demons were produced when those super-human halfbreeds died, and their spirits left their bodies.
Our adversary, Satan, is not a half-breed demon. According to Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-18; Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:7-9 Satan is the fallen full-fledged archangel Lucifer. Until Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom and Judgment Day (Revelation 20:1-10), we have to contend with Satan and demon spirits.
Satan and demons can disguise themselves to appear as men or as angels of God. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). When King Saul thought he was communicating with the ghost of Samuel (1Samuel 28), he was in truth speaking to a witch’s familiar spirit, a demon disguised as Samuel (1Chronicles 10:13).
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh [back], he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26). What truths can we find here?
Evil spirits, demons, can and often do live inside people. Remember that those evil spirits no longer have bodies of their own, so they need to inhabit human or animal bodies to function. A person hosting them can contain up to seven or more demons.
Evil spirits can be cast out of someone. Today we prescribe drugs and psychological treatments, and too often let those possessed keep their evil spirits.
A person from whom evil spirits were cast is in danger of those spirits returning. The best protection against their return is not to remain “swept and garnished” empty once the demons are cast out, but to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit immediately. To be born again of the Spirit (John 3:5), one invites Jesus Christ to enter into his heart (Revelation 3:20; John 10:9-10; 14:17).