Satan has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9). And the whole world, with rare exception, does not know what is happening. One of the areas of Satan’s influence in the personal and private lives of the masses involves the spirit world. Having lived in the world where he rules for many years, I can address the subject from a first-hand perspective. By way of personal experience, the experiences of others and, most importantly, Bible study I have concluded that there are three types of Satanic influence relative to human mental and physical behavior: deception, manipulation and possession. God’s archenemy influences, and in some cases dominates, human beings through millions, possibly billions of fallen angels. Known Biblically as “devils,” these powerful spirit beings are normally referred to in church circles as “demons.” I have counted 107 passages of Scripture that contain the words “devil” or “devils.” In each case the context involves Satan’s effect on human actions and/or thoughts. The key to understanding the work of Satan through his angels is that spirits do not die and do not lose their power–the same spirits that were cast out of heaven are still alive and still powerful. When Jesus was confronted by Satan at the beginning of his ministry, the Lord did not refute his influence over the entire world. Jesus simply told Satan that He was not accepting what he was offering (Mat. 4). The Lord’s rejection to the devil’s temptation is referred to in Scripture as “overcoming.” Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:20-22: “Behold, I stand at the door (one’s heart) and knock; if any man hear My voice (believe His Word) and open the door (obey His Word), I will come in to him (“Christ in you”–Col. 1:27) and sup with him and he with Me. (Only) to him who overcomes (Satan) will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME (SATAN) and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that has an ear (to hear, believe and obey His Word) let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Note that in order for Jesus to occupy His throne He had to overcome Satan. He was a man like the rest of human creation. See Jesus Christ–God, Man or God-man? WHAT HE DID WE MUST DO–OVERCOME SATAN. ONLY THOSE WHO OVERCOME SATAN AS HE DID WILL JOIN HIM IN HIS FATHER’S KINGDOM.

Like every human who ever walked the earth, Jesus was continually under attack by Satan’s demons. Those attacks come at us in a variety of forms and have a variety of effects on us depending on our power and will to “Resist the devil” in order to make him “flee from you (us)” (Jam. 4:7). In 2 Timothy 3:8 we find the reason man is, in the vast majority of cases, unable to even recognize the work of Satan and his angels in his life. In this passage we are told that “men of corrupt minds,” are “reprobate in the faith” because they “RESIST THE TRUTH.” The Truth is identified in John 17:17 as the Word of God. Satan and his demons/devils do one thing and one thing only: THEY TEMPT MEN TO SIN–TO RESIST GOD’S TRUTH. Sin is rejection of God’s Truth (1 Jn. 3:4). Those having “corrupt minds” who “resist the Truth” allow the devil to control their lives. We have all been guilty of this in times past. Let us stand up and fight him, resist him and overcome him through the same power that enabled Jesus to do so–God’s Holy Spirit–which empowers believers to walk in such a way so as to receive salvation, which God gives to those, and only those, who OBEY HIM (Heb. 5:9). In James 1:21,22 the Lord warns the church about the “only believe” doctrine so popular in professing Christendom. He warns us to “receive with meekness the engrafted WORD, which is ABLE to save your souls. But be ye DOERS OF THE WORD ad NOT HEARERS ONLY, (thereby) deceiving your own selves. Who causes “faith only” believers to deceive themselves? Satan and his devils.

Contrary to popular religious opinion, Satan and his minions cannot force man to sin; they can only entice him to so so by disobeying God’s Word/Truth/Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Those who have embraced Satan’s “Original Sin” theology–the vast majority of professing Christendom–summarily reject the plainly stated fact that man has a choice of whom he will obey. They reject the command to “CHOOSE ye this day whom you will serve,” either God or Satan. They make light of the Lord’s command to OVERCOME SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS, claiming that this is impossible due to Adam’s sin. The prevailing theory is that Jesus died so that believers would not be forced to overcome the devil, which they cannot do. The following postings will reveal how Satan deceives, manipulates or possesses 99.99% of the human race to the point that many doubt his existence. I was recently told that the pastors of a local “high church” do not believe in a literal Satan. Unfortunately, this theology is growing within most religious organizations, making his control over them ever easier as he lures them ever farther away from God. To be continued. L.J.