I was pleasantly surprised to receive an online sermon from one of my son-in-laws that I do not often get to communicate with, online. I had felt in the last months to send a couple of excellent sermons from the church which I attend to all my son-in-laws. I never expected to receive this sermon.
I am including the link to the sermon that he sent because it, as the pastor realizes, just touches the surface of Satan’s operations in the lives of people that attend Christian churches across our country. I want to say that I can not agree with all of this pastors beliefs, but I feel that God is at work in his life and he is willing to hear and obey the revealed truth he has to the best of his faith and ability. He is not ashamed to call darkness ‘Black’ instead of ‘Light’!
<https://jamesriver.o...-the-paranormal>
As I was listening to his description of Satan’s abilities and operations in the world today, the book of Job came to my mind, along with the deception, in the church, that no one, but Jesus, was or can be ‘perfect’. Also that what we do has nothing to do with our eternal deliverance.
The King James understanding of that Hebrew word, translated as perfect, is ‘complete’. Various translation use words such as;
“…a blameless and upright man, one who fears God [with reverence] and abstains from and turns away from evil [because he honors God]."
…or “…a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."
…or “…a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.”
…or “…a man perfect and upright, fearing God, and turning aside from evil?'”
God had a lot of respect for Job’s character and brought Job to Satan’s attention, because of the faithful purity of his life.
What jumped out at me was Satan’s belief that someone is only perfect when God’s hedge of protection is surrounding them.
Satan believes that someone “can be” perfect if protected from evil?? Is it possible that Satan believes something about “holiness” that thousands, maybe millions of people that call Jesus ‘Lord’ do not believe?? Satan believes in a qualified “sinless perfection” (due to God’s protection)? In other words, only if God protects man will man serve Him perfectly. Satan never questioned man's ability to be blameless. He only questioned the motives for the man being pure.
People question man’s ability to be holy, without sin. Please remember that the entire life of Job was lived without any mention of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, which was mentioned with Moses, prophets and kings. We are all given the ability to surrender to the complete control of the Holy Spirit to empower us to Holiness, Purity.
People today have no fear of God as Job did. They belittle the idea of ‘holiness’ and ‘good works’. Is it possible that these modern Christians know more about God and a Holy life than Satan and his Demons do?
James tells us that this belittling of ‘holiness and works,’ in favor of a fruitless ‘faith,’ is not new to our day and age.
“…faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.
You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that — and tremble with fear. But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?...” James 2:17-20
The entire affair with Job seems to be Satan trying to prove that a man can not be “pure”, “perfect” or “blameless” without God’s protection.
God is proving that there are men that are “blameless” or “perfect” even when God removes all the blessings and protection.
Satan’s power in deceiving the church, today, goes far deeper, in my understanding, than this pastor sees.
When the church is involved with the bold and obvious satanic operations of Satan’s Kingdom, in rebellion and blind darkness, is there any hope for people to see the less obvious workings of deception and darkness in their lives?? Especially when they all believe that they have a fail proof entry into eternal life, no matter how they live, just so long as they have confessed with their mouths and are making converts to their way.
Satan has always been about proving God wrong and not trustworthy.
Why should he not convince people that the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ cannot deliver them from the power and bondage of and to sin, rebellion or conformity to Satan’s kingdom of this world?
“….the serpent …said to the woman, "Is it really true that God said, 'You must not eat from any tree of the orchard'?"
“The serpent said to the woman, "Surely you will not die,”
Can you not hear the deceiver today saying, “No one is perfect, God did not really mean what He said with His commands?
“If you love me you will keep my commandments!”
“…like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all of your conduct, for it is written, "You shall be holy, because I am holy."
“And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one's work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.” 1Peter 1
And…
Jesus said, “So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
How about if we reason together?
Who has the most to gain by convincing mankind that they can not be “Holy” without sin?
Jesus said, “…this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.”
“And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: 'You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.
For the heart (the thoughts or feelings (mind)) of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ ” Matthew 13
I see Jesus being all about deliverance and healing, but Satan is all about bondage, suffering and destruction. “He is like a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour (Destroy completely).
I pray that some of you who read this can and will turn and wake-up to the Truth of the Word of God; see and understand the tactics of Satan! Jesus wants to live within you and help carry the load.
What will you choose, the influence of the kingdoms of this world, or the influence of the Holy Spirit and the True Kingdom of God according to His Word?
A.B. Simpson devotional...
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling —Jude 24
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