THEOLOGY LESSON 35

LESSON 35 – DEMONOLOGY – SATAN’S TROOPS

NO	STUDY	TEXTS
35	Demonology – Satan’s Troops	1 Corinthian 10:19-24 2 Peter 2:4-5 Galatians 6:2-4 Luke 8:26-40 Acts 19:111-20 Ephesians 6:10-18

INTRODUCTION

As active Christians we have to recognize that Satan does not like us being active. It is important to disagree with people if the Lord shows you that they are not right. In the 20th century we saw the complete turn around in relation to demonism.

In the first part of the century most people believed in God but few took any notice of demons while now many do not believe in God but there is a resurgence of demonism. They will go and watch films portraying demonism but will not come to church.

Satan is very busy forming an alternative to the church. This is typical of the climate in which we live today.

Today we are moving closer and closer to the situation that the early church encountered being surrounded by paganism, the occult and demonism. It is not that there are different philosophies; the real enemy is Satan and his army. As in the ancient world they were very involved with false religion; just like they are today.

Many people are looking for experiences and the enemy will offer them all they want. We need to know what the wiles of Satan are, so that we can warn the Lord’s flock against them. Satan's attack is very subtle with him being portrayed as a serpent; the creature that slithers past our defenses if we are not alert.

Satan sees the believer who does not know what they should know and zeroes in on them. It is essential that we recognize that demons exist. You will find that this is mocked in some churches. Some will say Satan is a force of evil but the Bible says he is a creature.  Stick to the bible!

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

1 Corinthians 10:19-24 talks about religion in the ancient world, especially eating meat offered to idols. Paul talks about the laws of the Christian life; the law of liberty, the law of love, the law of supreme sacrifice.

These laws inter react so that you refrain from doing something even though through the law of liberty you could.  In the ancient world the vast majority of meat had been offered to an idol.  This is not unlike the Moslem's offering sheep/goats that they are slaughtering to Allah. All the abattoirs in the city of Corinth were dedicated to a god. That god was not Almighty God; but it is a demon behind every idol.  The gods of the nations are Satan's demons.  They have power to deceive.   Many believers felt they couldn't eat meat then or they would be compromising their faith;   Paul says “no you can eat the meat even if it is offered to the idols (or demons)”, for they are in fact “nothings” in relation to the believer, and eating the meat offered to them is in fact demonstrating our superiority to them, for in Christ they have no power over us.

Paul says, from the law of liberty, he can eat a T bone steak offered to Apollo, for the demon behind the “god” is a big nobody , but he is not going to do so at this point, because he does not want weaker or younger brothers in Christ  to be confused in the relation of the believer and evil. He was going to follow the principle of grace and self-sacrifice. It is not a spiritual issue until you understand what it might do to another brother. If you eat, then he might come under the influence of those demons again. Once the new believers were secure in their faith however Paul would quite happily eat meat offered to idols as it is not an issue for him as he is in Christ and superior to them. The Christian’s real concern is not first for what he “can do”, but for the impact of all he does on other’s spiritual life. 

The principle is that Satan is involved in religion. Where there is a contrast between the truth and compromise the believer should pick the truth every time. The right path is always the one as far away from Satan's people and philosophy as possible. Religion is evil and defiling because Satan is the author of it and Satan is the author of sin. This is where believers have to be discerning as to where you pull back from. The Christian must learn what and where to avoid.   At a later point we will cover the principles of Love, Liberty and Supreme Sacrifice as they are taught in this passage in Corinthians

DEMONS

Satan's system is very powerful. Behind every false god there is a demon, behind pagan religions is Satan. With reference to the origin of demons there are many ideas.

Four possible origins are referred to in the belief systems of men;

[a] they are the spirits of wicked deceased people,

[b] they are the disembodied spirits of a pre Adamic race,

[c] They are the fallen angels that had sexual union with women described in Genesis 6:1- 6, They forsook their heavenly dwelling place and disobeyed God and formed depraved unions with Women.

The only one that is biblically correct is the last; that they are fallen angels. Some fallen angels are confined, some are free. In 2 Peter 2:4 we have the record of the confined demons. They are fallen angels. The context of this is that some of the demons were confined at the time of Noah's flood.

The Bible tells us in Genesis 6 that the ‘Sons of God’ ‘angels’ had perverted sexual relations with human women spawning the mighty men of renown (these are the great heroes of the myths of the ancient peoples). This was Satan's ploy to try and thwart the Lord's virgin birth by contaminating the gene pool of mankind by sexual habitation with the human race. In any case God thwarted their plan and judged these angels and locked them in a place called Tartarus, the pit.  They are held in chains of dense darkness in ‘pits of dense darkness’. The book of Jude mentions these sexual perverts in verses 6-7 “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire”.

These fallen angels developed lusts for Women and got involved with sexual immorality.  Immorality is a sign of demonism even if it is behind a facade which is very respectable.  Mediums are almost always apparently respectable but can be wildly promiscuous or sexually deviant. All the religions of the ancient world had demonic activity producing gross and significant sexual deviance.

The final destination of all the fallen angels is the lake of fire. Therefore we are witnesses of the end time degradation of everything the demons are involved in.  Fallen angels have wills which they express negatively; they have personality and names and are individually identifiable. Physically they are more powerful than we are. However in Christ with the filling of the Holy Spirit we are superior to them. It is your position in Christ which gives you the superiority. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.  (This text has been repeated often for a reason; it is our strength and a reminder of who we are, and our destiny.)

Many people are classified as mentally ill. There is evidence that many are not psychologically sick but rather they have been dabbling in drugs and are either brain damaged or demon possessed. It is necessary to be discerning here, for there is mental illness and physical illness, but sin and the impact of satanic teachings can play a big part in both, the demons can help develop the sin of the children by feeding off the Fathers sins down many generations

In Luke 8:26-40 - here we see a demon possessed man. In verse 27-33 we have the picture of the Lord talking with this man and the demons within and they wished to go to another living being, in this case a herd of pigs. It is of interest that the swine did not want to be demon possessed and so ran into the lake.   The swine were smarter than a lot of people, who for the power that Satan promises will accept a spirit guide (demon) into their body.

A Roman Legion was 6,000; there were six thousand demons in this man. Forget about demons taking up space. They are spiritual beings. The Gadarene demoniac comes running out and throws himself at the Lord's feet. He is not speaking; the demon is speaking through him. 

Demons can control a person's life but there is still the ability for the person to demonstrate their free will by means of bodily action as demonstrated by this man by him throwing himself at the feet of the Lord.  The demons knew who Jesus was and feared the Lord.  They had personality and together they had given themselves a collective name. They had will and desired to go into the pigs. They wish to be embodied. If you see a witch or witch doctor that is nearing death you will be seeing a panic stricken person because the demons stir them up, because they looking to indwell someone else. You will find that when the demon goes the person dies quite quickly.

This is not psychology; this involves the will of the person. No one becomes demon possessed accidentally, you become in that state because you allow it to happen. Having received it the only way to get rid of it is by passing the demon to someone else or by it being driven out by the Holy Spirit.

There is no hope without Christ for the demon possessed person.  It is very common for the demons to control the voice box. You may find demon possessed people speaking normally and then their voice changes.  A voice comes out and talks about life in ancient Greece and will be absolutely accurate because it is the demon speaking and he was there.  They have observed mankind since Adam. This is what all the previous lives business of the mediums is all about.

People without Christ are easily fooled by the demons and so are Christians who allow the 'carnal to take over'. It is unusual for very small children to be demon possessed as it normally requires an act of will, so a child of very young age who is 'possessed' has really broken barriers to get to that place or it has come down from the Father or Mother in a Generational Curse. Jesus said that little children were the type of people who make up the kingdom of God, so that is why the enemy will target the young very early on. The Bible tells us that the Sins of the Fathers is visited down to the 3rd or 4th Generation to those who do not Love God. The enemy has played havoc with families right down the centuries and has exacted a legal case against Millions of cursed people.  

Demon possession usually takes place when a person opens themselves up to demonic activity, or being in a place where the demon influence is very strong and allow themselves to be manipulated by them. Usually demonism is associated with drugs or the occult.  The word witchcraft is "pharmakeia" in the Greek.  Drugs are as old as man.  Nothing is new under the sun, as the saying goes. The explosion of occultism in the western world coincided with the explosion of drug taking in the 1970's.  Many people do not know why they are involved with demonism.  It is because they were involved with drugs.

In Acts 19 Paul was in Corinth. There was an insurrection. Here we have a Jewish exorcist. Most religions have exorcists.  Satan plays with them and uses them from time to time.  The Jewish exorcist tried to cast out demons in the name of Jesus.

The demon said Jesus and Paul I know but who are you and beat him up. Demon possessed people often have super human power.  The demon possessed person jumped on them, ripped all their clothes off and they ran out of the house naked and wounded.   This demonstrates that this area is one to confront only in the Lord's power, with the prayers of the whole church behind you, and with his word as your guide.

GOD DEALS WITH THE PROBLEM OF DEMONS

There are no magic formulae in Christianity. It is not a good luck charm to have a cross or a large Bible in your hand when you confront evil. Satan is not impressed by lucky charms! The power that defeats demons is the power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Word of God must be real in your life, not heavy in your hands. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. You need to have it in your mind.  If you have the Word in your hand without the Spirit in your life, you are naked. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word.

The believer has to deal with sin in their life and keep short accounts with God. Do not walk one step unprotected in the Devil's world.  Unless you are armed as per Ephesians 6 you are not dangerous to the enemy, you are in danger.  The Spirit must be controlling you through the Word. Any unforgiveness has to be dealt with and bitterness and hatred for anyone.  If we try to operate in Gods favour without repenting first, the enemy will take no notice and remain where he is.  

The Lord can even use the demons for his purposes.  If you come across demonism when filled with the Spirit you know you can take authority in the name of Jesus Christ and he will support you.  However it is wise to be prepared by studying the subjects of Deliverance and rebuking and renouncing curses spoken over your life.  You have a number of promises and principles to claim in the 'blood of Jesus Christ' by means of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, so use them we you need to.

You have to recognize first what the demons are up to. They promote idolatry and are behind all idol worship. They promote false religion, teaching that you do not need a Saviour, or that you can be your own Saviour. They teach works salvation rather than grace, they teach immorality rather than morality, they stir up the nations - Daniel 10:13.

Satan is involved with all wars. After World War 1 there was an increase in demonic activity worldwide.  In the 1920's it was almost as if an army of demons had been released from the trenches and were trying to stir up trouble elsewhere.  The influence of demons on politics cannot be overstated but we are on the winning side, and our job is to keep preaching the gospel and not entering politics to stop Satan’s plan.

DOCTRINES

DEMONS

1. Occult practices such as astrology, divination and spiritism are condemned by the scriptures (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-12).  This was punishable by death in Israel. (Leviticus 20:27)

2. Demonism has exercised much influence in history (Ezekiel 21:21, Daniel 10:13).  Evil is associated with the rule of demon possessed kings. (2 Kings 21:1-17)

3. The judgment of demons involved the destruction of demon possessed people and religious systems associated with idolatry (Isaiah 19:1-3, Deuteronomy 7:5)

4. Many nations have been destroyed for demon practices.

a) Canaanites (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)

b) Babylonians (Isaiah 46:1-7, 47:1-15)

c) The judgment of Egypt's first born included the judgment of demons (Exodus 12:12)

5. The return of nations to the battle of Armageddon is by demon influence (Revelation 16:13-16).

6. Satan and the occult forces will be imprisoned during the Millennium (Isaiah 24:21-23; Revelation 20:1-3).

7. Demons are called "hairy ones" (Leviticus 17:7), destroyers (Deuteronomy 32:17) and demons.

8. Demons

a) seek to possess men or animals (Mark 5:1-13).

b) deceive man into false doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1).

c) believe and tremble (James 2:19).

d) speak both truth and lies (2 Chronicles 18:21; Acts 16:17-18).

9. Satan rules the demon world (Matthew 12:24-28).  Demons have a hierarchy (Daniel 10:12,13,20; Ephesians 6:12).

10. Sacrificing to idols is worship of demons (Deuteronomy 32:17, Psalm 106:36-38, 1 Corinthians 10:19-21).

11. The following activities can lead to demon possession (for the unbeliever) or demon influence (for the believer):

a) Submission to demons through idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:19-21) and occult practices such as mental telepathy, clairvoyance and spiritism (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

b) Specific dedication of one's body to demons, such as the Hindu soma and shamanism.

c) Any practice in which you "lose control" of your mind and senses, such as drugs and alcohol (Galatians 5:20, the Greek word for "sorcery" is "pharmakeia"), meditation and trances, hypnotic rhythms in music and dance.

d) Sexual cults, such as the asherah (Judges 6:25-28, 2 Kings 21:3)

12. When people reject God, He may allow Satan and demons to administer discipline, even death (John 8:44, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 3:6-7).

13. Demon influence can cause abnormal psychological behaviour, physical strength, sickness, etc (Mark 5:1-5, Job 2:6-8)

14. Jesus Christ has conquered all demon power (Matthew 10:8).

We recommend the site http://ministeringdeliverance.com that deals extensively with Curses, Deliverance and Blessings.


Bless you


David

THEOLOGY LESSON 34

SATAN – HIS STRATEGIES

NO	STUDY	TEXTS	TOPIC BOOK
34	Satan – His Strategies	James 1:26-27 James 4:4 1John 5:4,5	Satan’s strategy Satan’s work

INTRODUCTION

Paul says that we should not be ignorant of Satan's devices. What is the main push by Satan in his strategy as far as Christians are concerned? It is to try and make sure that they remain carnal. Satan can have nothing to do with Christians who are walking in the Spirit. If a person is walking in the Word of God and walking close with the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit they are in a place of strength. However if the old sin nature is running their life it is the basis of weakness and like the cunning lion he attacks.

SPIRITUAL OR CARNAL?

At the cross we are entered into union with Christ and our lives are hid with Christ in God. We therefore have eternal security and we have spirituality in time. Unfortunately not many people deal with sin effectively and quickly, but rather than affecting the eternal state of the believer, the believer on earth spends most of their time in carnality with unconfessed sin in their life where they are useless in the angelic conflict. They cannot be used by the Lord, but they can be abused by Satan. A person can change from an effective person to a useless, even dangerous Christian.

As you remain Carnal (through unconfessed sin in your life) you start losing your spiritual perception, things that you knew once you no longer know and you will finally accept false doctrine, false practice and you will be involved in Satan's policy. It can happen to great men of God. A carnal believer is a dead sitting duck for going astray.

Most of your major opponents in your ministry are not unbelievers, they are carnal believers who will oppose you and wear you down. Such a person will go off on a false trail of theology. All Satan can do is to bring them under maximum divine discipline and use them to destroy other Christians. He is robbing those believers of eternal rewards and earthly service and joy.

WORLDLINESS

Satan is a spoil sport taken to extremes. His policy in the Scriptures is called worldliness. When ever you have worldliness referred it refers to Satan's policy of evil which is opposed to God's policy of grace and the spirit filled bible instructed believers living with his power.

God has a policy for history. He has a policy for Christians, and it involves all that the Holy Spirit can do within us. Satan also has a policy that is working out in the universe, and his plan is all that man can do, as he ignores God.

The word for world is called kosmos in the Greek, and kosmos thinking is all thinking in accord with Satan's plan, and is rebellion against God and rejection of His plan. Satan's strategy is to side-track the believer into his policy which is referred to as “worldliness”.  Carnality is living in accord with, or in, sin.  When you get into this as a believer you think just like an unbeliever; you have become captured by the thinking system of “worldliness”.

Reference to Satan's world, his “kosmos” thinking occurs 185 times in the Greek New Testament. His viewpoint comes into churches and individual’s lives by means of the false teacher or false book and gives an alternative to God's viewpoint.

Definition - the kosmos world is a system organised by Satan and headed by him and leaves God out but is a rival to it. There are many systems that have plans and dreams of what they want done.

There are two types of belief system; firstly those who are dealing with God's plan and those who are running in opposition to God's plan. As a Christian we should be in harmony with the plan of God.

There is a big battle going on over you. Satan is not able to get your soul because you are already saved, but he can rob you of your happiness, your eternal rewards, and even your sanity. There are hundreds of Christians who crack up and become ineffective in what they are supposed to do. The reason for this is because of their falling under the influence of “cosmos thinking”, or worldliness.

God wants you to think clearly and doctrinally in accordance with the Word of God and with an eternal life perspective. We should recognize our eternal destiny and the fact that we are to be with Him forever. We should see every person through the Cross. Satan wants you to lose your Biblical perspective. It is the Holy Spirit's power which carries you through in the Christian life.

POLLUTED BY THE WORLD

James 1:26-7 - Here we have the concept of the Christian life and belief system as being characterized by being; undefiled, holy, and unspotted by the evil of the world system. In normal dealings with people we need to be on guard. In the ancient world they did not have many flushing toilets, the streets were the sewers with the heavy rain acting as the cleanser and it was quite common for the contents of chamber pots (small toilets) to be emptied from an upper window over people walking adjacent to the building. Their clothes therefore became “spotted with uncleanness”. The rich did not use to walk in the streets; they would ride chariots or horses due to the environment.  

This is why we are told to avoid being covered in Satan's filth; we are to avoid walking in places of spiritual danger.  This is also why people took their sandals off when entering the home and washed their feet. What is in focus here is the contents of the chamber pot which you did not see coming. By analogy, if you are not looking where you walk you can become defiled and stink. You can be tainted by the world unless you walk carefully. However if you are alert you will be able to avoid defilement. As a believer in the devil's world you need to have your wits about you. If you surround yourself with evil and people who are thinking evil it will rub off on to you.

AMBASSADOR

If you are in the devil's world, which you are, you are an Ambassador for Christ here; you are a witness in an alien land. You are there to serve your king but you have to serve him in a way that you are not going to be contaminated. You guard yourself at the point of spirituality and carnality. It is absolutely necessary to feed on God's Word and deal with sin. You saturate yourself in God's Word so that the concepts of the Scriptures keep you from the concepts of evil that you are surrounded with.

As a pastor you should teach the Word four or five times a week so that your flock is prepared. If they do not concentrate on the Word of God they will suck up evil into the vacuum in their souls; that ought to be filled with the Word of Life. If you watch television four or five hours a day you are looking at spiritual garbage. You will have people in the church soaking in the TV programs with their false doctrines and enticement to sinful lives and they are in real danger. These programs are built on sin and often, if a Christian is portrayed at all, it is as a fool or hypocrite.

But do not despair as you see Satan so active for Satan's plan is going to finish. God has the only lasting and victorious plan and He is going to terminate Satan's policy. Worldliness will run it's course but it will be over one day. We are on the winning team. Evil is not defeated yet but that is only because the final act is yet to occur.

It is written that Satan's policy is doomed. He knows it, he does not like it and that is why he wants to lead away the foolish believers.

NO COMPRIMISE

In James 4:4 we see that the Christian must recognize that it is war and that he must not compromise with the enemy or the enemies' tools. We need to recognize policies which oppose God's Word and put it out of your life.  Life is too short to spend it in front of television watching programs based on anti Scriptural principles. We should advance in the Christian life. We should make our days count now. There is not a lot of time and every day counts. We need to recognize Satan's policy and avoid it. We need to recognize God's plan in relation to Satan and give thanks for it.

We are at war and we have to face that concept, the battle between the Christian and the kosmos. Enjoy the world but do not love it. We should respect what the Lord has created, we can enjoy certain things in the world but we should not commit ourselves to it because it is passing away. You car, house, possessions are all to be used and enjoyed, but as we do so remember that they are all passing away, just as we are passing away. Our love must be directed towards the things that last. Have a divine perspective.

DAILY ORDERS OF THE BELIEVER

The daily orders for the believer are as follows:-

[a] 1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant, your adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion seeing whom he can devour. James 1:26-27

[b] Ephesians 4:27 - Never give place to the Devil

[c] James 4:7 - Submit yourself to God, resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

[d] Ephesians 6:11 - Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. Stay alert, resist; do not give into temptation or false systems of thinking.

PRINCIPLES

1. Christ defeated Satan on the Cross and with it there is release from the penalty of sin.

2. Satan was strategically defeated but is still active.

3. Satan is now called the adversary of believers. He cannot destroy you but can undermine and destroy your witness if we allow him the chance.

4. When we are carnal we are re under the control of the Old Sin Nature and are therefore weak and are open to Satanic attack.

5. Testing of believers is not allowed to go beyond the dictates of the Lord - 1 Corinthians 10:13

If we do foolish worldly things then he will attack. He is not bound during the Church Age. Satan cannot indwell a believer or possess them but they can be beguiled, and so side tracked and made useless as a soldier in the Lords army. As a believer you have the Holy Spirit within you and greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. If you have a person who is demon possessed you know that he is an unbeliever.

The solution to demon possession is the acceptance of the gospel. In this case you need to pray for protection and get people to pray that the Holy Spirit may convict the person involved. If the demon talks to you, then you should tell him to stop, because He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. In some cases the only way acceptance of the gospel can be shown is by the demon possessed people throwing themselves at your feet. We have not got the power to cast out demons that the Lord had, but in his name and authority we can give the gospel to the possessed person and the Holy Spirit will release them.

If you remove the demon without conversion then you have gained nothing except opening the opportunity for many more demons to indwell that person. When the Holy Spirit enters the demon must go.   It is the transforming of lives by the Holy Spirit that we want to see, that is the work of the gospel.

Satan is the most attractive being ever created and is seen as an angel of light and not the red skinned person with horns. We however, with the Holy Spirit, are in an invincible position if we stay close to the Lord. His most potent attack is to get false teachers and doctrine in the church which has caused many to fall. There are today sadly very few mainline churches believing the Word of God and teaching it. Satan is the founder of fear as well as sin. He will send people to oppose you, be prepared and stand in the strength and power and knowledge of the Lord.

DOCTRINES

SATAN’S STRATEGY

1. Believers are warned against him and his tactics. (Ephesians 4:27, 6:11-13, James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8)

2. We must be ready and alert. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

3. Satan is a deceiver and a counterfeiter.  He uses deception - not obviously wrong or sinful - but very subtle changes to the truth (Genesis 3:1).  Remember, a counterfeit looks like the original.

4. Satan is described as an "angel of light" - often seeming attractive and "good".  (2 Corinthians 11:14)

5. His tactics

a) Towards unbelievers.

i) to blind them regarding the gospel. (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 0)

b) Towards believers.

i) Satan seeks to hinder our growth and witness. (1 Peter 5:8)

ii) Satan will mislead into false doctrine and legalism. (1 Timothy 5:14-15)

iii) He persuades believers to ignore the will of God through disobedience (Genesis  2:17, James 4:7-8)

iv) Satan often attacks our assurance of salvation so that we doubt God.

v) Worry (1 Peter 5, 7-9)

vi) Fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

vii) He accuses believers of sin both to God and to the believer (using guilt). (Revelation 12:9-10, Job 1:6-11

viii) He takes our focus off Christ by getting eyes on self (1 Corinthians 1:10-11), on people (1 Corinthians 1:12), on things (Hebrews 13:5-6)

ix) When we don't allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives, we open ourselves up to Satanic attack. (1 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Timothy 5:14-15)

x) The Lord will allow Satan to attack a believer as discipline for unconfessed sin. (1 Timothy 1:20 cf 2 Corinthians 12:7)

xi) Satan cannot indwell or possess a believer, only beguile them. (Galatians 3:1)

c) Towards the world in general.

i) The World - Satan tries to deceive the nations. (Revelation 20:71 0)

SATAN’S WORK

1. Satan's sphere of operations among mankind. (Psalm 109:6--l3)

a) Satan blinds mankind to the truth of the Word of God by means of religion. (v.7)

b) He has the power to shorten life. (v 8a)

c) He can remove persons from a place of authority (v 8b)

d) Satan can kill (v 9)

e) He can persecute children (v 10)

f) He can remove wealth (v 11)

g) Satan can turn people against each other (v. 12)

h) He can cut off man's posterity to the second generation (v. 13)

2. Satan as a killer

a) He has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14, 15)

b) Killed Job's children (Job I:12, 18,19)

c) Motivated Cain to murder Abel (John 8:44, cf 1 John 3:12)

d) Often administers the sin unto death (1 Corinthians 5:5)

3. Satan as a source of disease

a) Was responsible for Paul's "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7)

b) Produced illness in Job (Job 2:6-8)

c) Uses his demons to inflict diseases (Matthew 12:22, Luke 13:16, Acts 10:38)

d) Causes certain types of deafness, dumbness, paralysis and crippling effect by means of demon possession (Matthew 4:24, 12:22, Mark 9:17, 18)

e) When demon possession causes the affliction, the removal of the demon or demons produces an instant cure (Matthew 10:1, Mark 1:32-34, 6:13, Acts 8:7, 19:12)

4. Satan as an instrument of discipline

a) Desired to discipline Peter (Luke 22:31, 32)

b) Was authorised to discipline the Corinthian adulterer (1 Corinthians 5:5)

c) Was called upon by the Apostle Paul to administer extreme discipline to Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1:19, 20)

d) May become involved in the discipline of ministers and deacons (1 Timothy 3:6, 7)

e) Attacks through a believer's lack of forgiveness and orientation to grace (2 Corinthians 2:10, 1I

5. Satan as an angel of light

a) Healing was given to the Church as a spiritual gift until that which is perfect arrives (Acts 19:11, 12, Philippians 2:27)

b) God still heals today (Philippians 2:27)

c) Since Satan possesses the power of disease he can also counterfeit healings by the removal of demonic activity within a person’s life.  That is why we are told to test the spirits.  (Matthew 12:24, 24:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 16:14)

6. Characteristics of Demon Possession

a) Loss of individuality:  the demon-possessed person no longer has control of faculties of the soul (Mark 5:1-13, Luke 8:27, 9:39, 40)

b) Abnormal behaviour:

i) Convulsions (Mark 1:26, 9:20, Luke 4:35)

ii) Violence (Matthew 8:28)

iii) Abnormal strength (Mark 5:4, Luke 8:29, Acts 19:16)

iv) Raving (Mark 5:5)

v) Foaming at the mouth (Mark 9:20)

vi) Nakedness (Luke 8:27)

c) Loss of health:

i) Dumbness (Mark 9:17, Luke 11:14)

ii) Deafness and dumbness (Mark 9:25)

iii) Blindness and dumbness (Matthew 12:22)

iv) Epilepsy (Mark 1:26, 9:20, Luke 4:35)

v) Mental illness (Mark 5:15)

7. Demon possession explains:

a) Certain forms of ‘divine’ healing; that are not carried out in Jesus name.

b) Faked contact with the dead (1 Samuel 28)

c) Success of self styled exorcists

d) Rise of certain world leaders (2 Thessalonians 2.9, Revelation 16:13, 14)

e) Cause of some wars (Revelation 20:8)

f) Reincarnation

g) Fortune telling (Acts 16:16)