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before you can meet their spiritual needs!” “Bring in God’s promised Messianic Kingdom by giving people what they want”

This sounds a lot like some of the popular church growth methodologies! Some of these are the Purpose-driven movement or the seeker-sensitive approaches – or that of the so-called “emergent church.” All of these have fallen into this exact trap of Satan of doing God’s business man’s ways (in reality, Satan’s ways).

LESSON: Any attempt to do God’s business by meeting the “felt needs” or expectations of people rather than using God’s appointed methods is wrong

Once again Satan uses God’s plan and will but he twists it to his own purposes.

It was the Father’s will for His promises to Abraham to be fulfilled. It was the Father’s will to establish a Jewish kingdom as promised to King David. It was the Father’s will to place Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, as the King in this kingdom.

Israel was promised a King and a Kingdom with the Messiah reestablishing the throne of king David: Isaiah 9:6-7

This Promised One, the Messiah, is Jesus: Luke 1:30-33

It is the Father’s will and plan for Jesus to rule over the nation of Israel and He will! However, jumping from the Temple to gain the attention and approval of the Jewish leaders was not the method (plan) of the Father to bring in the promised Messianic Kingdom. One must do God’s will God’s way.

Part of Satan’s reasoning no doubt was this:

Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. Such a dramatic demonstration of God’s care over Jesus surely would mean the Jews would acclaim Him as the Promised One, the Messiah. This would more likely meet the expectations (felt needs) of the Jewish leaders and gain their approval – it also meant He could avoid the hard work, suffering, and delay of doing the Father’s plan the Father’s way.

The Jewish leaders expected a political savior, one who would free them from the control of Rome – a strong warrior leader. What better way to announce your arrival than to accomplish the impossible in a super-dramatic fashion. He would gain their approval – approbation lust: “Pay attention to me.” Why you are God, Jesus. It is the Father’s will for you to be the Messiah – go for it! My plan will work!

Matthew 4:7 - Jesus correctly uses the Scripture – He pulls out the sword of the Scripture and accurately parries the trust of Satan’s temptation in inaccurately using Scripture. He is still trusting in the Word of God. He will not go outside the Father’s will, plan, or timing.

G. Campbell Morgan: “Compared to Christ the devil was a poor swordsman”But what if Jesus did not (1) know the Word by heart and (2) understand correct doctrine? Satan would have won. Is this not why we lose so often to the enemy?

The Angelic Conflict 301 | P a g e

Psalms 119:9-11 (NASB) 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

PEOPLE SAY, “You can make the Bible say anything you want it to” and they are correct if they are willing to use the Word incorrectly. That is why study and the memorization of Bible verses is so very important to every believer.

The context of the quote gives the meaning – we do not have to guess – to test God means to solve the problems in life our way under Human Viewpoint – to test God is to fail to believe that He has given us enough. Do we believe and act on the belief that His grace – Word – plan – Spirit are sufficient for us as believers?

Jesus’ quote is from Deuteronomy 6:16 which refers back to Exodus 17:1-7

The testing of the Lord at this point in the wilderness was to fail to trust His plan, His methods, His grace, and His Word (promises); To test God is to complain, doubt, and be presumptuous instead of trusting and waiting for His timing. The Lord would have freely provided water to them in His time; however, their complaining meant they had lost their spiritual blessing and the lord was not pleased with them.

Matthew 4:7 (NASB) Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE Lord YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'"

He is NOT saying, “Satan, do not test Me.” He IS saying, “I will not challenge God the Father’s ways of dealing with Me; His Word and plans for Me ARE SUFFICIENT.” Such a dramatic action on the part of Jesus of leaping from the pinnacle of the Temple, instead of being a display of trust, would actual be displaying a lack of trust in the plan, promises, and timing of the Father. It would have been a form of complaining and doubting.

You cannot do God’s will in your way and timing! Example: While it is fine to pray and ask the Lord for physical healing or financial provision, it is quite another to claim that when you have faith enough God will heal and provide. That is not trust and that is testing God – challenging him to do things according to your way and timing. It is in reality a form of complaining and doubting. It also would have been the sin of presumption – “You have to protect me no matter what I do!”

The faith-rest drill is to recall to mind the doctrines related to the character of God and then to remember the promises of God (correctly handled) and then rest in that.

The Third Temptation

The first temptation – turn stones into bread – was to the lust of the flesh; an attack in the physical realm The second temptation was to the pride of life – and it was an attack in the spiritual realm

The third temptation was to the lust of the eyes – an attack on His mission, His purpose in life


Matthew 4:8-9 / Luke 4:5-6: The devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world.

No one knows for sure how this was accomplished – note the “moment in time” from Luke. Most likely this was in the form of a vision and Satan made the glory – the pride, the accomplishments, the good things – pass before His mind’s eye.

Why did Satan show Jesus their glory? Because it fed his pride and arrogance. One can almost hear him say, “I am such a great and wonderful ruler of this world! Aren’t you impressed, Jesus? Look at their glory! Look at what I have accomplished!”

Jesus never corrected him when he claimed he could give the kingdoms of this world to Jesus. He was, and is, in fact the ruler of this world. But maybe Jesus say the world from the divine viewpoint: a lost world without eternal life; a world in rebellion against God; a world stuck in the cycle of sin and death, sin and death; a world filled with suffering; a world without God and without hope (Ephesians 2:12).

With this temptation Satan certainly once again takes the will of God and tries to pervert it to his advantage.

“We know that God has promised you the kingdoms of the world – it is his will!”

Indeed, this is the plan of God: Psalm 2:6-8; Daniel 7:13-14 – the Son of Man is Jesus Himself (by the way, this was Jesus’ favorite way of referring to Himself and it comes from these verses in Daniel).

“Listen, Jesus: I am willing to give this entire fantastic place to you and let you rule RIGHT NOW over the kingdoms of the world.”

“Oh, one little insignificant condition: worship me! It is such a small thing for such a great return, don’t you think?”

Satan’s plan: No cross! No suffering! You can arrive without taking the journey – doesn’t God want the best for you? Why would He want you to suffer?


Satan says have it all now – don’t deprive yourself just for the future – focus on satisfaction now – Why wait? Go for the gusto! You can often measure a person by the size of his dream (R. Schuller). Dream big, Jesus. God does not want you to be unhappy - above all else be happy! Earn the money – buy the things – enjoy yourself – feel good about yourself - be successful - you deserve it – God wants you to have the good things – “God is good, all the time” and He would not keep this good thing from you!

“Attempt great things for God: Expect great things from God” – ‘You can have your best life now!” “God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us. (Joel Olsteen) – Have positive self-esteem!”

Jump, Jesus, jump - show me your faith – jump!”

However: The plan of God the Father for Jesus to have the crown was the path of the cross

Isaiah 52:13-14: the exaltation will come (Phil 2:9) but first there is suffering 52:14, 53:3-6; Phil. 2:8

There had to be a Savior before there could be a King! The path to the crown is the path of sacrifice and suffering and the same is true for believers in the church age:

Romans 8:17 (NASB) and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

The Cross before the Crown was required of Jesus and it is for us also.

Matthew 4:10: True worship is based on obedience to the authority of God Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13-15 – fear = reverence, have the highest respect and regard for.

Worship is not based on HVP, emotions, mysticism, ideas, rituals, or legalistic performances

True worship, the highest worship, is based on the learning of Bible Doctrine under a pastor-teacher teaching correct doctrine and the under the filling of the Holy Spirit to apply it to the decisions we make. Church is not about relationships, friendships, fellowship, and fun – it is about the learning of Bible Doctrine. Those may come as a result, but they are never the focus.Jesus was saying, “I will trust in the plan of God the Father even though it will cost Me greatly for it will cost Me My life”


Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit

Are we willing to learn and apply doctrine – following his plane for us even though it may be the path of deprivation, suffering, physical exhaustion, and even death?

John 3:16 (NASB) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

BUT THE PLAN OF THE FATHER DID NOT END AT THE CROSS: HE IS RISEN!

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NASB) 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

He extends an invitation to all today:

John 11:25-26 (NASB) 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

John 6:47 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.


Demonic Activity and the Ministry Of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, During His Earthly Ministry

Matthew 11:1-5 / Mark 7:18-22

Background: John the Baptist – the forerunner of Messiah Jesus – had been imprisoned and he sends a delegation of his disciples to Jesus to ask a question. John the Baptist had boldly spoken Truth, including the truth about Herod Antipas having an affair with his brother’s wife – and Herod’s taking her for his own wife! That truth from John did not set well with Herod!

Mark 6:17-20

John’s ministry ended when Jesus’ ministry began. John knew that this was true – see John 3:22-36. But He did not understand some other issues and thus the question.

These are the remains of the fortress Machaerus where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded by Herod Antipas. The Dead Sea is in the background.

The following is from Wikipedia:

“The fortress Machaerus was originally built by the Hasmonean king, Alexander Jannaeus (104 BC-78 BC) in about the year 90 BC.[1] It was destroyed by Pompey's general Gabinius in 57 BC,[2] but later rebuilt by Herod the Great in 30 BC to be used as a military base to safeguard his

territories east of the Jordan.

Upon the death of Herod the Great, the fortress was passed to his son, Herod Antipas, who ruled from 4 BC until 39 AD. It was during this time, at the beginning of the first century AD, that John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded at Machaerus.[3]

After the death of Herod Antipas (39 AD), Machaerus passed to Herod Agrippa I until his death (44 AD), after which it came under Roman control. Jewish rebels took control after 66 AD during the First Jewish Revolt.[4] Shortly after defeating the Jewish garrison of Herodium, the Roman legate Lucilius Bassus advanced on Machaerus with his troops and began siege in 72 AD. An embankment and ramp were created in order to facilitate Roman siege engines but the Jewish rebels capitulated before the Roman attack had begun. The rebels were allowed to leave and the fortress was torn down, leaving only the foundations intact.”

Knowing the Old Testament prophecies, John had correctly expected the Messiah to not only be a Savior (John 1:29) who would deal with the spiritual needs but also one who would deal with in judgment – Matthew 3:10-12 - But he missed the time delay involved


What John failed to realize was the delay between the time of His coming as the spiritual Savior and the time of His coming in judgment. Jesus expressed this difference early in His ministry when He was in the synagogue in Nazareth – Luke 4:16-19. Jesus is reading from Isaiah 61:1-2 but He stops before the end of the verse.

“To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” was His coming in grace to make possible eternal life through His sacrifice. “And the day of vengeance of our God” is the Second Coming (see also Hebrews 9:28). The comma between the two is the dispensation of grace and is so far over 2,000 years long. But the judgment will come just as surely as did the salvation at His first coming. He simply does not understand the fact of Jesus’ two comings.

John the Baptist had been imprisoned by Herod and he wanted to confirm if Jesus was indeed the Messiah of Israel or were they to look for someone else. In other words, he was perplexed: “Where is the judgment? Is it going to come?” John, sitting in prison was wondering, “Where is the promised deliverance?” Is there a second Messiah coming – the one who will bring judgment? Did I misunderstand something?

Like all of us, John was still learning! He did not doubt the prophecies of the Messiah, nor did He doubt that Jesus was the Messiah, but maybe since he was sitting in prison and did not see the anticipated judgment, he was perplexed. How was he to figure this out? So, he sent people to Jesus to find the answer!

Jesus responded by giving the reason for His various signs: to confirm who He was: He was the one and only promised Messiah. Jesus has the power to bring in the Kingdom.

Luke 7:21 tells us that when they came Jesus performed miracles of healing and the casting out of evil spirits (demons) as they watched. Then He tells them to go and tell John what they have seen. What they saw was this aspect of the coming Kingdom being seen just as prophesied in Isaiah 35:5-6.

The miracles – including the casting out of demons - tell of His uniqueness, the truth of His message, and the verification of His Messianic claims. What Jesus did not address was the delay in His coming in judgment – that would be revealed later. John is to simply trust in the Lord!

Jesus refers to Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6

Even though Jesus responded to John’s question by giving the reason for His various signs (to confirm who He was), yet He did not tell John the real answer to his question: Jesus confirmed who He was by referring to Bible Doctrine – so what would John have to do to get clarification? Go back and study Bible Doctrine and then it will become clear as to the two aspects of the Messiah’s coming – in other words, “Go study some more and do it carefully, John! I have proven I am who I said I am, the prophesied Messiah, so now do some more work in Bible Doctrine!”

To repeat: The miracles tell of His uniqueness, the truth of His message, and the verification of His Messianic claims.


The context of Isaiah 35:5-6 is that of the prophesied Messianic Kingdom. Jesus is thus demonstrating that He is the promised Messiah by miracles including the casting out of demons. Like a “sampler tray” of meats and cheeses one might get for a party, the miracles of Jesus – including His casting out of demons – was a preview of the conditions in the coming Messianic Kingdom; and the only one who could do those things was the King of the promised Kingdom.

The casting out of demons is not included in the Isaiah passage but it is included in Jesus’ statement. Why? Because if He could not only do the things He did in the physical realm as well as authority over the demons, there could be no doubt as to His true identity – He was the Messiah; He was God in the flesh.

Remember the main purpose of Matthew – the purpose so clearly seen in this Q & A with John: “If Jesus was the promised Messiah, then where is the promised Kingdom?” Jesus is offering the Kingdom to Israel, but they are in opposition rather than acceptance. All that Jesus was saying and doing was proof that the Kingdom offer was real – if they would accept it.

The disciples commissioned: There are two different commissions seen in Mark –

Mark 3:13-15 the first Mark 6:7-15 the second Mission: to go out and preach to Israel (see Matthew 10:5-6) Message: the Kingdom is being offered (Matthew 10:7) Method: validate the Message by miracles including the casting out of demons

They were to preach on the move, going from city to city, proclaiming with urgency that if Israel will accept their King they will have a Kingdom, just as promised in the O.T. This was the same message that John the Baptist had given and it was the same message that Jesus was preaching until after His rejection in Matthew 12.

“To authenticate their message concerning the nearness of the kingdom, the Lord gave them power to perform signs. These miracles were not used merely to instill awe, but to show that the kingdom was at hand (Matthew 12:28) Stanley Toussaint, Behold the King, p.139.

Jesus’ first encounter with a demon shows the principle that the casting out of demons was part of the demonstration as to who He was in order to bring people to believe in Him as the promised Messiah

Mark 1:21-28

v.27: Once the people saw Jesus cast out the demon, they were amazed (1) at His teaching with authority and (2) at His authority over the demonic realm.

v.24: the demon immediately recognized who Jesus was in His humanity: “Jesus of Nazareth”; who He was in His deity: “the Holy One of God”; and the final destiny of the demons: “Have You come to destroy us?” All three recognized the authority of Christ. Jesus exercised His authority as he will do during the Messianic Kingdom and He commanded two things: (1) be quiet and (2) come out. The demon wanted to remain in the man (v.26) but he had to obey.


Jesus never accepted the testimony, however true, from a demon. Why? Because the truth spoken from the mouth of a liar will only lead a person into untruth. All false Bible teaching follows this pattern – they start with biblical truth and then move a person into untruth.

Jesus’ authority rested in who He was, what He said, and what He did; it did not rest in the words of the demons.

Later, the demon-inspired idea that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan Matthew 12:22-24. His commanding the demons to be silent already stood as a clear refutation of this false idea. This passage in Matthew 12 is the official rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leadership and, as a result, the offer of the Kingdom was withdrawn and now only judgment awaited them. The Kingdom will yet come, but it has been postponed until the Second Coming.

Demon activity at the time of Christ

Luke 7:21 – “he cured many…of evil spirits” (demons).

The activity of the demonic world was especially intense at the time of Christ because the King Himself had invaded their territory and He brought them out into the open for all to see His authority over them. It was as if the arrival of Jesus kicked the hornet’s nest and out they came into the open. The demonic activity had been there all along but when Jesus came around it came out into the open.

It is interesting to note that there are no clear cases of demon possession in the Old Testament nor are there any seen after the foundational period of the Church Age as seen in the historical book of Acts. It is not that it did not happen it is just that it is (1) unimportant to the larger scope of God’s working in human history and (2) it happens in a non-public fashion. It is not normally obvious if a person is demon possessed (more later).

There is no casting out of demons in the O.T. and there are no instructions for believers to attempt to do so in the Epistles which are written to tell us all we need to know in the Church Age as to doctrine and practice.

The casting out of demons was only part of the ministry of Jesus and the disciples while He on earth and then with the apostles during the foundational phase of the Church. The only people in the Bible to cast out demons was Jesus, the Apostles, and Phillip.

Ephesians 2:19-20 (NASB) 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

“On one occasion, a demon asked Christ, ‘Have You come to torment us before our time?’ (Matt. 8:29), indicating his tremendous fear of the authority of the Lord of the universe. Yes, Christ had come to stir things up at His first coming, but his final victory arrives only in the future, when Jesus establishes the messianic kingdom. Much of the demonic activity in Israel during that time can be attributed to the mere presence of Christ, the God-man” (Dean/Ice Spiritual Warfare, p.107


Eleven times in the first three Gospels there is demon-related material. Remember, the purposes of these Gospels are to show that Jesus was the promised Messiah. This includes the demonstration of His authority in the Angelic Conflict over the demonic world.

The Messiah had to not only be able to solve physical problems but also to solve spiritual issues including those in the world of the fallen angels, the demons. Jesus clearly makes obvious that He is the Messiah.

What is demon possession?

Matthew 12:28-29, 43-45

Demon possession is when a demon moves into a person; the casting out of the demon is pictured as the demon moving out.

It is a real inhabitation of one or more fallen angels within the body of a human being

In this case, the one released from the demon did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so they were able to be re-possessed!

The Greek words that designate demon possession are daimonizomai, “to be possessed by a demon,” and echo daimonian “to have a demon.” These terms are synonymous and show the clear possession of a human being by a demon (see R. B. Thieme booklet “Satan and Demonism,” pp. 15-16).

The Greek words never mean just to be under a “demon influence” – that is a separate issue which we will discuss. It means to have a demon inhabiting a physical body.

While under demon possession the person is still there and able to make decisions, etc. as long as they are not under immediate demonic control; sometimes the demon takes over and uses their body and vocal cords of the person to accomplish their own independent purposes.

Demon possession: Unger definition

Demon possession is a condition in which one or more evil spirits or demons inhabit the body of a victim at will. By temporarily blotting out his consciousness, they can speak and act through him as their complete slave and tool. The inhabiting demon (or demons) comes and goes much like the proprietor of a house who may or may not be “at home.” When the demon is “at home,” he may precipitate an attack. In these attacks the victim passes from his normal state, in which he acts like other people, into an abnormal state of possession.

Merrill Unger, Demons in the World Today, pp. 140-141

It is critically important to recognize that if the demon is not attacking the person no one would know they are inhabited by a demon because he is not manifesting his presence and control. And even if he is under demonic control you still may not know it.


For example – Judas: John 13:26-27. He went from there to the Jewish priests and betrayed Jesus. There was nothing “scary” about him – no doubt they could not tell anything about him that led them to believe he was not just demon possessed but Satan-possessed.

In the Tribulation the Antichrist will be a Satan-filled man and, most likely, possessed man (Revelation 13:2-3) and yet will be admired and worshipped by the world.

A demon-possessed person does not have to “look like” their demon possessed!

Hollywood gets it wrong and it is used by Satan to deceive people into believing that some good looking, helpful, and wonderful person could be operating in demon possession.

Terminology

Jesus and the disciples are always said to ‘cast out” (ekballo) a demon. They are never said to have exorcised (exorkizo – perform an exorcism) a demon. Exorcism is uses rituals and incantations to supposedly drive out a demon. This is never seen in the N.T. nor is such activity ever taught anywhere in the Bible.

Exorcism was practiced by the Jews of Jesus’ time, it is seen in pagan religions, and is practiced by Roman Catholicism and certain other so-called “Christian” groups.

This is never taught by the Bible and it is never sanctioned by the Bible. It is an unbiblical, illegitimate activity coming out of paganism. The popular “deliverance ministries” among certain Charismatic / Pentecostal groups is part of this unbiblical practice of exorcism.

The most famous case: Mark 5:1-20 The Gerasene Demoniac

v.7: the demons recognized Jesus.

This is the only time that Jesus asks for a name – and then it is only a description rather than a name, “Legion.” Under no circumstance is someone to ask for the name of a demon thinking that this somehow gives one power over the demon. Beloved, that is shamanism – the practice of witchcraft – and biblical in any form or fashion!

V.8: Jesus commands them to exit and He allows them to enter the pigs

Notice: no rituals, no working to drive them out – they simply left when commanded by the Lord. Many modern people in the so-called “deliverance movement” claim that people are inhabited by demons names “lust,” or “gossip,” or many other names which they claim reveal the demon inside who is “forcing” the individual to act out their sin. They then go through the motions to drive out the demon


and thus free the person from those specific patterns of behavior. Nothing even close to this practice is seen in the Scriptures!

Dean / Ice also point out that not a single one of these cases reveals someone who came to Jesus to be delivered of a demon! Each person was brought by someone else except for the Gaderene and Jesus placed Himself into direct contact with this man.

The most famous (and humorous) apostolic case: Acts 19:11-20

The Apostle Paul is in Ephesus. Verse 1 shows us that God was very active through Paul. Where God is active so is the Devil. Paul had first come to Ephesus on his second missionary journey (Acts 18: 18-19) in A.D. 49-52. In Acts 19 Paul is on his second missionary journey in the A.D. 56-58 timeframe where he stayed for about three years.

Ephesus was a well-known center of the magic arts, witchcraft, and demonism. Ephesus was a major commercial, religious, and political center ranking with Antioch and Alexandria. (Ryrie)

Ephesus also became the center for Christian missionary work among the gentiles – one writer has referred to it as the “Gentile Jerusalem” (Grace New Testament Commentary, “Acts,” Alberto Valdes, p.580).

After Paul Timothy was the pastor for a while and later the Apostle John made the city his headquarters (Ryrie)

v.13: some unbelieving Jewish exorcists thought that they could duplicate Paul’s casting of demons by a ritual, probably by repeatedly commanding them in the name of Jesus (like a chant) “whom Paul preaches”. They thought in magical terms.

Note: they are called exorcists (exorkistes) a term never used of the Lord Jesus Christ or the Apostles. They thought the name of Jesus was like a magical charm word or that there was spiritual power just by naming the name of Jesus. They saw it just as another tool in their arsenal of magical paraphernalia.

v.15: things did not go as anticipated for them! “You, who are you?”: In a moment they probably hit the panic button as the anticipated exorcism took a very bad direction for them – but funny for us!

v.16: this reminds me of trying to bath a cat! It must have been one fierce attack!

v.17: the result was positive for the glory of the Lord

v.18-19: here is an amazing fact: the believers who had been saved for years (perhaps as long as four to nine years!) were still involved in magic! They still do not have their doctrine straight and they still hang onto Human Viewpoint Thinking and even engaging in activity directly related to Satan!


Lessons: (1) believers can take a long time to grow and (2) as a believer you only need Bible Doctrine and nothing else to live life effectively!

v.19: the material value was such that it was about 138 years of pay for a rural worker (Ryrie)

The practice of exorcism – which is a form of pagan witchcraft – is still practiced in the church today by both believers and unbelievers.

At the judgment for unbelievers, the Great White Throne Judgment, many religious people will point to their religious activity – including the exorcism of demons – as an attempt to claim entrance into Heaven.

Matthew 7:22-23: Religious activity never saved anyone – including the satanically-inspired working or miracles and exorcisms. Miracles and even exorcising demons is no proof that the person is saved. In fact, such activity is often used by Satan to deceive (see Revelation 13:13-15)

“To cast out” vs. “To exorcise” a demon (R. B. Thieme)

Gift delegated by God; authorized only during the Incarnation and the apostolic era of the Church Age

Pagan religious practice; never authorized by God in any dispensation

Performed only by Jesus Christ and the disciples

An illegitimate practice performed by both believers and religious unbelievers

An immediate departure of the demons upon command

A process which includes ritual

Biblical nonbiblical

Conclusions1. The unusual activity of the demon possession was seen surrounding the time of Jesus and for a

short while at the time of the beginning of the Church Age

2. The miracles of the Lord and the disciples, including the casting of demons, was to demonstrate the offer of the Kingdom to Israel: the Messiah was on the scene


3. After Pentecost the Apostles are recorded in Acts as involved in only three cases where they cast out the demons. This, and all their miracles, was done to validate the men and the message as the foundation of the Church. The Apostles were speaking and acting for Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:12 (NASB) The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

4. Never did the Lord, the disciples, or the Apostles use rituals, incantations, or other pagan practices to exorcise a demon. Exorcism (or the “cleansing” of a building, etc.) is not a legitimate New Testament activity.

5. The N.T. Epistles give NO instructions to the Church Age believer to be involved in exorcisms

6. The legitimate action of casting demons ended with the death of the last Apostle

It is possible for an unbeliever to be demon possessed. Yes! What is the solution?

FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE

The second the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the believer the demon is driven out – nothing else is needed! A believer cannot be demon possessed.

1 Corinthians 6:19

When a person believes the Holy Spirit immediately indwells them and at that same split second He creates a temple in your body for the indwelling of Christ who is the Shekinah Glory. Just as the Shekinah Glory dwelt in the Jewish Temple during the Dispensation of Law, so that Glory dwells now in the Temple of the believer’s body. No demon can enter or possess a believer; period!

How do believers deal with Satan and the demons? The only command given in Scripture is to RESIST the devil. This command is repeated three times! Resist means; “to stand against,” “oppose,” and “to withstand.” It is purely defensive!

Ephesians 6:13 / James 4:7 / 1 Peter 5:9

Believers are never told to go on the offensive but rather everything says we are to be defensive. That brings us to our next subject; Spiritual Warfare in the Church Age.


Resist: Anthistemi means to arrange in battle against and so pictures a face to face confrontation. It means to set one's self against, to stand firm against someone else's onset, to oppose (place opposite or against), to resist by actively opposing pressure or power, to withstand (oppose with firm determination). It was used to refer to an army arranging in battle against the enemy force

An O.T. example: Exodus 14:1-14

The Jews are coming in a camping on the west side of the sea. It would appear that they had gone in the wrong direction – yet God had led them there and he is never wrong.

Vv.3-4: Pharaoh assumes the Jews are lost and have put themselves into a trap. So he decides to go and kill whoever was needed to be killed, but the goal, no doubt, was to bring them back into slavery.

4b: God’s goal: that the one true God would be honored – even the Egyptians would know He is the Lord! This was a perfect display of His love even for the Egyptians!

v. 10: the Jewish people were terrified because they looked at the situation and not God

Vv.11-12: they responded from human viewpoint and THEY HIT THE PANIC BUTTON!

Vv. 6-9: Looking at the situation from the human viewpoint was very frightening: The Egyptian army was the greatest military in the world at the time and Pharaoh came with all he had.

What was Israel to do? Turn and fight? Command them to be bound? Start some rituals to exorcize the Egyptians? Get on the offensive and call out the snipers? Start commanding them “in

the name of the Lord?” Run?

In verses 13-14 the terrified people are told to do four things:

1. “Do not fear”: the Egyptians: “get your emotions under control”2. “stand by”: (in LXX Greek translation 2nd century BC) - histemi “take your stand”3. “see”: keep your eyes open but on the Lord not the situation4. “keep silent”

Exodus 14:14 (NASB): 14 "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent."

Vv.21-31: this was something only God could do! What person could have conceived in their mind what God was going to do? It was a God-sized task solved by a God-sized solution. Their responsibility was to stand firm and keep trusting in the Lord; God’s responsibility was to deliver them.


What would have happened if the Jews decided not to obey God? What if they had tried to solve the problem their own way? They would have either died or gone back into slavery.

What is the believer in the Church Age to do? “Stand firm and keep trusting the Lord” How is this done? How do we “stand firm” and display trust in the Lord our Savior?

How are we victorious in spiritual warfare?

Ephesians 6:10-18

As we will see, the armor of God is Bible Doctrine learned and applied.

Our strength to be victorious is in the Lord and his power. If we operate in our strength we will lose. If we neglect His “armor” we operate in our strength. Our strength is human viewpoint. How often a pastor will hear something like this, “But, Pastor,” now anytime you hear those words you know you’re in for a rough time trying to help someone see their situation for the spiritual viewpoint! “But, pastor, look at the situation. I have to do it this way.” Or they will give some rationalization as to why they do not want to apply doctrine.

Beloved, you have to know you are in the angelic conflict and that everything in life is related to that reality in one way or another.


What is the key to victory? What are we to do? How are we to live? All the answers are in the Bible!

In the world today there are many who approach the subject of spiritual warfare from a very unbiblical viewpoint and they practice things that no believer is to practice – like trying to command the devil, bind Satan, and cast out demons, etc. as we have seen. They act more like shamans than anything biblical. Some people think spiritual warfare is about dominating and commanding Satan and the demons like a Sci-Fi wizard. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The important things to know about spiritual warfare:

V.10: “Strength”: the Word of God is the strength of God. We must learn it and believe it to succeed in spiritual combat.

“Power of His might”: the Spirit of God is the power to apply the truth and maintaining fellowship is the key to spiritual power. This is what it means to live Bible Doctrine.

V.11: “Put on”: imperative; something you have to do, it is not automatic. Aorist imperative means this is something you must do and then keep it on – do not take off. It does not mean put it on over and over again like some sort of daily exercise. If you do not take it off, you do not have to put it on!

How do you take it off? Just stop coming to Bible Class, studying the Bible on your own, just don’t think doctrine in the various situations you’re in and the decisions you are making.

V.11, 13: “the full armor” - The complete armor of a heavy-armed foot soldier.

“of God”: God provides the armor of divine viewpoint. It is not YOUR armor!

V.11: “the schemes of the devil”: “schemes”: systematic thoughtful work. His cosmic system and active temptation toward the believer to act independent of God’s Word. Satan has been developing his cosmic system from after the flood on; the basic principles for that system were first seen in Babylon, as we have studied. It continues to develop and advance today. It is called the Cosmic system or, as it is translated, “the world” or kosmos (cosmos).

The cosmic system is “worldliness”: Dean and Ice write in Spiritual Warfare:

Worldliness is a way of thinking about life that is contrary to the biblical way or divine viewpoint. Worldliness may contain a large amount of truth, yet its overall makeup and foundation is divorced from Scriptural authority. Worldliness is an organized and attractive system of ideas, concepts, attitudes, and methods that Satan uses to compete with God’s concept of how people should live on planet Earth. Satan is the head and controller of this system. Whenever we think like the world, we are thinking exactly as Satan wants us to think. The cosmic system is Satan’s window dressing, presenting evil in a way which seems like the good, right, and proper thing to do. When a person is not trusting God’s Word to direct him it is very easy for him to be deceived into adopting worldly thinking. Because Satan is a beautiful creature of God, he is able to present evil as a beautiful thing


V.11: “stand firm against”: To hold one’s ground, a defensive stance when the enemy attacks

V12: “wrestle” or “struggle”: this is very personal hand-to-hand combat and no one else can do it for you. The single greatest wrestling match a believer can have is to change the way they think about things and adopt the divine viewpoint of the Bible. Changing the way you think is a hard, time consuming, personal challenge – it is not easy!

“spiritual forces of wickedness”: The real issues in life are spiritual not the “flesh and blood” issues. You have to accept this Truth! How hard this is to get people to do! When they face various pressures in life people go back to the HVP default mode of thinking and it is almost impossible to get them to think doctrine – to get them to see the real spiritual issues involved.

Have you thought about your anger as a spiritual issue?

Have you thought about your job with its many demands and challenges as involving spiritual issues?

Have you thought about the job you are looking for as involving spiritual issues?

Have you thought about the relational challenges you are having as a spiritual issue?

Have you considered the trials you are facing in light of the spiritual issues in James 1?

v.12: the spiritual fight involves the demonic: Rulers, Powers, World forces of darkness, Spiritual forces of wickedness – all these refer to the ranks and orders of fallen angels who are an organized military force. They are organized against the Lord; organized against unbelievers; and, beloved, they are organized against believers – that is, against YOU.

Satan’s rulers then are organized evil spirits who rule this world and influence it at all levels opposing God through such means as television, computers, schools, colleges, and politics. They also deceive through false religion including many so-called Christian churches that operate in the name of Christ but do not teach the Truth of the Word.

1 Peter 5:8 – Satan’s attack is real and personal!

He is your adversary; he “prowls around” (schemes against you) looking for weaknesses to attack. These are weaknesses in your thinking (not biblical), weaknesses in your sin nature – the trends (lust /desire patterns) of your sin nature, so that he can hit you where it will do the most damage.


How does he “prowl around”? Mostly indirectly through the cosmic system or worldliness / Worldview: the way we think things operate.

But there can be direct demonic influence and we will deal with this later.

1 Peter 5:8 – using the armor

“sober spirit”: self-controlled and thinking clearly: thinking Scripture is thinking clearly.

Key: submitting to the authority and control of the Word of God and the Spirit of God

“on the alert”: continuously paying attention to the danger of his attacks against our weaknesses. Why must this be done? Because the enemy wants your total destruction: the word “devour” means a total destruction of the believer.

Ephesians 6:14

“truth”: objective Truth: the Word of God learned so it is useful; the truth that becomes a part of you so that you become reliable and faithful as a soldier.

When you know the Truth of the Word you can stand even if everyone else turns against you; even when Satan applies all His energies to defeat you. Because it is through His Word of Truth that God fights for you.

Jeremiah 1:17-19 – “I am with you to deliver you” WHY? Because you “speak to them all that I command you”: This is exactly the picture of spiritual warfare we see in Ephesians.

Jeremiah 15:16: spiritual metabolism – as we do the work necessary to study and learn the Word the Spirit of God then takes it and applies it to our lives – He uses the Bible Doctrine circulating in our souls to put truth into operation on our lives.

Psalm 119:103 (NASB) 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

v.14: “righteousness”: doctrine lived out; spiritual growth; phase 2 sanctification. This breastplate guards the very center of who you are, your “heart” or the center of your thinking and decision making – your most vital part!

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NASB) 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

V. 15: “gospel of peace”: understanding and defending the truth of the Message of Life – faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone.

Romans 5:1 (NASB) 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,


In a day and age when the truth of salvation by simple faith alone in Christ alone is under siege, you need to have your feet fully on the firm ground of exactly what the message of life is. It means to be “sure-footed”: Be confident that you believe in the absolute exclusivity of eternal life being in Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone.

Be sure you know why Jesus can offer E.L. TO ALL WHO SIMPLY BELIEVE IN Him for that life. Because of Calvary!

There are so many attacks today on this simple truth that if you are not prepared, grounded, sure-footed in the Truth you will become a casualty.

“unless you are baptized you cannot be saved”

“Unless you surrender to the Lordship of Christ you cannot be saved”

“Unless your works demonstrate you are saved you cannot be saved”

“Unless you stay faithful all of your life (perseverance) you cannot be saved”

“Unless you perform church rituals you cannot be saved”

Revelation 22:17 (NASB) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Without cost! And never, ever, forget it!

Keeping the Gospel clear is part of spiritual warfare!

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NASB) 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Zane Hodges writes in the Gospel Under Siege:

The siege of the Gospel is not fundamentally a work of man, but a work of man’s adversary. For this purpose Satan can employ his own agents or he can employ well-intentioned, but misguided, Christians. The effects of the siege, wherever real inroads are made, is to dilute the Church’s concept of the grace of God, to diminish her power in proclaiming the truth, and to hinder her growth toward spiritual maturity. It is no accident that Peter wrote: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) (p.6)


V. 16: “shield of faith”: to be convinced that the Word learned is true - it applies to me at this moment; To believe, to be persuaded it is true

The reference here is to the heavy, oblong, full body shield of the Roman soldier. It was about four feet tall by two and a half feet wide. What is the shield? FAITH: not the objective faith of the Bible; rather the subjective faith of the believer’; it is having total confidence in Bible Doctrine. It is a confidence that seeks to apply the Word to each and every situation we are in and every decision we make.

The shields were made of wood and covered with leather. Before a battle they would be soaked in water to prevent the shields from catching fire due to flaming arrows

Notice again it is a defensive piece of armor, not offensive.

Fiery darts: Any attack from Satan and the Cosmic System: “flaming missiles”: (arrows) – the term can refer to weapon that is fast, swift, and quick. To

extinguish stop the arrow and to extinguish the flame is to render it useless. So Satan’s personal attacks do not get through to the believer so protected.

Notice too that arrows are fired from a distance. Temptation comes most often simply through the cosmic system; even the so-called “good things” can be used by Satan to attack when we use these in a way not in accord with Scripture.

Faith depends on God, not self! Divine Viewpoint not Human Viewpoint!

V. 17: “helmet of salvation” this is phase two salvation, spiritual growth, and advancing to spiritual maturity.

“sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God”: this is doctrine learned. Spirit uses doctrine learned to defend against Satan’s assault.

Never forget this, beloved: The spotlight of Scripture is our only means of knowing truth about the spiritual world and our involvement in the Angelic Conflict. It is the only source of divine viewpoint so we avoid worldly thinking (human viewpoint; cosmic thinking).The fight against worldly thinking is the heart of the believer’s spiritual warfare

There is a final key we have to use in spiritual warfare and this is found in Ephesians 6:18: Prayer! Take the battle to the throne of grace to find the help that is needed.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB) 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


Demon activity in the world today

Demon possession: an actual demon resides in the individual: this cannot happen to a believer as we have seen

Demon influence: this can be categorized into two types

1. Direct: personal demonic influence2. Indirect: through the cosmic system

Both of these can be against both believers and unbelievers

Chart modified from Dean and Ice, Spiritual Warfare, p.145

The small black box is the area of intense personal influence and on occasions this might mimic demon possession in some ways. The Scripture is not specific in this area.

It is simply not possible to make clear distinction between the above first three activities of Satan. While we will consider some cases in Scripture where there are obvious differences, to draw hard and fast lines is not wise. The scale above simply indicates the various levels of Satan’s operations in the world today against both believers and unbelievers although, as we have seen, demon possession can happen only to an unbeliever.


Astrology / psychics / Ouija boards / Wicca / goddess worship and radical feminism / radical environmentalism / Hinduism / Buddhism / native American religion / Holistic Medicine / other religions / UFO’s, etc. all will be covered in this section of our study.

The two great activities of Satan are found in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. All of his activities are to be seen in the light of this truth. This reference to the end-times ruler, the antichrist, reveals Satan’s main motives in his methods:

(1) To oppose God and exalt himself

(2) To be the object of worship as God

Never forget this verse we studied early in this doctrine of the Angelic Conflict: Isaiah 14:14b: “I will make myself like the Most High.”

Colossian 1:9-14

The domain (kingdom) of darkness is the kingdom of Satan as the ruler of this world.When a person believes in Jesus and receives eternal life they are transferred (moved) spiritually from Satan’s kingdom to Christ’s kingdom, a kingdom of light (truth)

Getting the person out of the darkness is one issue. Getting the darkness out of the person is a different issue! This is the portal for demonic activity in the thinking of the believer.

Note the translation of this section by the Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest:


Colossians 1:9-14 (WuestNT) Because of this, we also, from the day we heard, do not cease on behalf of you offering our petitions and presenting our definite requests, that you might be filled with the advanced and perfect experiential knowledge of His will in the sphere of every kind of wisdom and intelligence which is spiritual, so that you may order your behavior worthily of the Lord with a view to pleasing Him in everything, in every work which is good constantly bearing fruit and increasing by means of the advanced and perfect experiential knowledge of God, by every enabling power being constantly strengthened in proportion to the manifested power of His glory, resulting in every patience and forbearance, with joy constantly giving thanks to the Father who qualified you for the portion of the share of the inheritance of the saints in the sphere of the light; who delivered us out of the tyrannical rule of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we are having our liberation, procured by the payment of ransom, the putting away of our sins; who is a derived reproduction and manifestation of absolute deity, the invisible deity, who has priority to and sovereignty over all creation, because in Him were created all things in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible things and the invisible ones, whether they are thrones or lordships or principalities or authorities. All things through Him as intermediate agent and with a view to Him stand created.

Now look at chapter 1:9-10 ““walk in a manner that is worthy.” This is the process of getting the darkness out of the believer!

Romans 13:11-14 / 1 John 1:5-9 / Ephesians 5:8-9

General satanic attack / temptation


1 John 2:15-17: world = kosmos: the general satanic cosmic system that “organized and attractive system of ideas, concepts, attitudes, and methods that Satan uses to compete with God’s concept of how people should live on planet Earth.” (Dean and Ice)

It is any thinking or activity that operates independent of the Word of God.

R. B. Thieme:

“Demon influence occurs when the soul of either an unbeliever or believer is invaded by cosmic thinking. This human viewpoint reflects Satan’s strategy that opposes and obscures God’s plan. Satan’s perpetual objective is to usurp the rightful place of God and to be worshipped as God. A primary duty of every demon is to corrupt the thinking, ideas, values, and actions of the human race. By so doing Satan believes that he can obstruct the plan of God and prove his case in the appeal trial of Satan” Satan and Demonism, p.20

The believer is told to resist the cosmic thinking and activity of this world and the means of resisting is, as we have seen, the armor of God: Bible Doctrine learned and applied to every aspect of life.

Satan tries to prevent unbelievers from believing the Message of Life. In Matthew 13:19 (you should read the entire parable), the birds of the air represent Satan and the demons. They do all they can to prevent a person from understanding and believing the simple Message of Life. This does not mean a person cannot understand the Truth and receive eternal life, but, rather, they do not want to understand it and the demonic spirits encourage such disbelief.


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