Many people in this digitalized, rationalized world reject the idea that evil, human-influencing spirits exist today.  A common belief is that IF they ever existed they, like dinosaurs and Neanderthals, died off thousands of year ago.  The idea is that belief in such beings is anachronistic, that the whole concept comes out of the Old Testament, that evil spirits controlling human beings, especially “Christians,” is nothing more than mind games played by mentally deranged religionists and fourth world savages.  I am neither deranged nor a savage, yet I have had numerous experiences with such supposedly non-existent beings.  Jesus and His apostles were not deranged savages and they dealt with such spirit beings on a daily basis.  And even more importantly for these end times, they warned that not only would Satan and his fallen angels still be around at the end of the age, but that their influence on mankind would increase exponentially as the time of Christ’s return grew near.  We are living in that time.  By noticing what is going on in the modern world we should have no doubt that something other-worldly is at work in the mind of mankind.  Acts and beliefs that were condemned by the world’s populace a few generations ago are now not merely accepted, but are preferred and exalted by most of mankind.

Let us return to the beginning of the New Testament Church to see what was said and done by the men who brought her into being and spread her Truth–God’s gospel–around the world.  Let us study what they said and wrote about the power of Satan’s demons and hear their warnings about their future activities.  That future is now.

Two statements made by Jesus Christ told true believers what to expect between that time and His eventual return to earth.  The first statement concerned the spread of His church globally and the message she was to put forth: “And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mat. 24:14).  Through television, radio, the internet, etc. this commission is being fulfilled today.  Christ’s second message was directed to His apostles then and now relative to what they were to do until His return.  They were to go into all the world: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, CAST OUT DEMONS (DEVILS).  Freely you have received, freely give” (Mat. 10:5-8).   Contrary to near universal opinion, Christ’s commission given to His ministers has not changed.  This is exactly what God’s chosen men do today and will continue to do until Christ’s return.  Note that the gospel we are to preach is not a gospel about Jesus the person, but about His message–the Kingdom of God.  “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD”(Mk. 1:14).  “The gospel of Jesus Christ” (Mk. 1:4) is the gospel He preached–His gospel–which was “the gospel of the Kingdom of God” (Mk. 1:14).  Apostate men changed the message.  Their ministerial descendants (false prophets) preach about the man Jesus while rejecting His message.  In John 12:48 Jesus said that all of humanity would be judged by HIS WORDS–not Himself.  The church’s mantra: “Jesus loves you” refers to Jesus Himself.  “Jesus said” refers to His message, which the church does not hear because she listens to Satan’s false prophets.  We will be judged by our obedience to what Jesus said (“the Words that I speak”), not by what He did or who He was.  And what did He say to His apostles and to those who would wear their ministerial mantle after they were gone? “CAST OUT DEMONS.”  I prefer to use  the word “demons,” which I will do henceforth.  Let us now return to the world that then was and see how Jesus and the apostles handled Satan’s spirit agents, which the Apostle Paul described as “principalities, … powers … RULERS of the darkness (sin) of this (New Testament) age … spiritual HOSTS (armies) in heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).  Jeremiah tells us that “heaven” refers to the area above ground level where birds fly and build their nests.  Let us assume that God has not moved it.

In Matthew 4:19 Jesus told the men whom He had chosen to be His disciples (apostles) to, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”  He gave no indication that His fishing method would change in the future.  Recall that His method included “CAST(ING) OUT DEMONS.”  Let us understand that demons influence not only humans, but also nature. This was revealed early in Christ’s ministry when He and the disciples found themselves in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee.  He was asleep in the boat when the disciples awoke Him with the news that they were all (including Him) about to drown.  He chastised them for their lack of faith, then “rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm” (Mat. 8:23-26).  Note that He expected them to “rebuke” (control) the storm.  He did not rebuke nature, He rebuked the spirit that at that time was controlling that segment of nature–the storm (wind) and the sea (water).  We find this truth about “rebuking” spirits brought out again in an incident involving an epileptic boy.  A man brought his son to Jesus’ disciples and asked them to cast out the (epileptic) spirit that resided in and controlled him.  Because of their lack of faith, they could not, so Jesus “REBUKED the DEMON, and IT CAME OUT OF HIM” immediately.  Note that Jesus expected the disciples to cast out the spirit of epilepsy, just as He expected them to rebuke the sea and wind, just as commands His ministers to do today.  Most mental and physical illnesses are caused by demonic spirits as the New Testament confirms time and again.  God’s ministers are commanded to “heal the sick,” which often involves casting out of the person the demon causing the illness.

It is important that we understand that the minister is not in charge.  Jesus confessed that He did nothing on His own, rather He was directed by God through the Holy Spirit who told Him when to cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. and when to do it.  This was also the method by which He knew people’s thoughts, their previous acts, what was happening elsewhere, etc.  I have also done these things, but only when instructed and empowered to do so by God.  Left on my own I would raise all the dead, heal all the sick, cast out all demons, read all minds, etc.  The one thing Christ instructed all of his apostles to do that I have not done is to bring a dead person back to life.  I am waiting on word from on high telling me to do that.  It has to happen for God commands it of me (Mat. 10:5-8).  Recall that Jesus–a man like all other men–said that even the Words He spoke were given to Him by the Father (Jn. 12:44-50).  God’s ministers wait on Him to open the door of opportunity according to His will.  Jesus walked by many sick and demonic people and did nothing to help them.  Yet on occasion He would heal multitudes and cast out many demons (Mat. 12:15; 19:2/ Mk. 3:7-11).  Neither God, nor Christ, nor their gospel, nor their ministry commands have changed.  Churchman, under the influence of Satan’s angels, changed everything and blamed it on the Lord.  Satan, the god of the Institutional Church, controls his congregation totally.  His demons see that they continue on the course he has set for them.  The unchurched world is also under the dominion of the enemies of God.  L.J.