Of late the world has witnessed a rapid rise in supernatural-themed entertainment offerings by way of personal testimony, books, movies and t.v. series (angelic visitations, supernatural journeys, zombies, man-machine, man-animal, man-serpent creatures, etc.). It has been reported that some of these offerings are being used in children’s Sunday School classes under the guise of teaching the ways of the Biblical God–the Harry Potter series being a case in point. The extra-natural theme is now en vogue throughout the Western world as man’s natural hunger for God continues to be hijacked by Satan and directed to himself. Being ignorant of what God actually said, the masses are being enticed to mentally and spiritually enter the devil’s nether world with assurances from their false prophets that the Lord approves of it. The belief is that as long as one is “active in church” the fix is in–whatever one does is okay with God as long as His name is connected to it, no matter how unscriptural it may be. “It’s all good as long as you love Jesus” has become the church’s mantra. Church people watch the same t.v. programs and movies, read the same books and magazines, listen to the same music, are addicted to the same sports, gadgets, etc. as the world from which they refuse to separate themselves. The Lord’s command to abstain from even the appearance of evil (1 Thes. 5:22) has no effect on church life. Church life is whatever the church wants it to be. Like Adam and Eve, religious man has taken on himself the power to decide what is right and wrong. Right is whatever he wants it to be, even if God condemns it. Wrong is what he does not want to do, even if God commands it. God’s written Will and Testament is treated as a side issue–to be consulted when, and only when, it concurs with church theology. The other 90% is summarily ignored. Of all the world’s religions, so-called “Christianity” is by far the most user-friendly and flexible. Having been built on a foundation of sand, what is “of God” not only depends on who is talking, but also on the “wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14) that happens to be en vogue at the moment.

One of the convenient aspects of the modern church’s theology is the belief that anything having a spiritual theme is of God. Along with the church system, this includes such things as visits to hell and heaven, out of body experiences, spirit-writing, contact with the dead, dreams, visions, fortune-telling, astral projection, etc. which are gaining in popularity. All of this ties in with Satan’s use of the entertainment industry to make the supernatural common-place. Why not communicate with the dead? Why not go to heaven or hell for a short visit? To understand why not, examine the outcome of those visits–assuming that what they have heard or read must be of God, people are drawn to the Institutional Church. In this way Satan adds to his congregation and further encases those who have already been enticed into it.

Due to the current emphasis on the other worldly and supernatural, by the time the False Prophet and the Antichrist arrive on the scene with their globally-witnessed miracle side show the world will be primed and ready to be shown “the way” and will readily follow it. The formerly impossible and unimaginable will have become everyday fare. Satan has most certainly proven himself to be extremely wise, cunning and crafty. How else could he have duped billions of God-seekers into serving him? Which brings us to what I call The Egypt Syndrome. To be continued. L.J.