Are they really among us? 

 No, not UFO’s and aliens. We’ve been talking about those other…’entities’. Some might refer to them as ‘aliens’; but then, we do that to describe people who try to gain access in to our country, illegally. Many of them just desperate to escape conditions most of us cannot imagine and all in an attempt to find a better life for their families. But I digress. 

 The entities or ‘aliens’ I speak of here today are those unseen powers of darkness and evil…that have brought much torment to humanity for centuries and that Jesus came to deliver us from. 

 We are told that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38). This is a very significant passage that we should give more attention to for two reasons. First of all, ask yourself this: “When did Jesus stop healing and delivering people from their pain, and torment, and suffering? 

 Hopefully, you answered- “He hasn’t”. The other follow up question to that one is- “When did Satan stop oppressing people?” Once again – he hasn’t. 

 And the second reason we should give more thought to this passage is the fact that in the same way God anointed Jesus to carry out this ministry of ‘healing all who were oppressed of the devil’, so did God call and anoint His church to do the same. You might go look at John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17. 

 The problem is…I don’t think as a whole, we really understand the reality and impact of their existence, these entities that scripture calls ‘demons’ or ‘unclean spirits’. 

 Now don’t think for a moment that I’m suggesting that believers become preoccupied with them, which some do, and to their own detriment. But I would submit to you that far more believers have ignored them, or have questioned or doubted  their existence, and that has been to their own detriment as well. I would also submit that while many may admit to believing in their existence, do we truly understand how they operate and even more importantly – Why…does God continue to allow them to exist? 

 And for the record- we certainly are not to fear them (demon spirits). God alone, is to be feared. Now it’s easier to just pretend they exist in a more symbolic or poetic sense. And should we acknowledge their literal existence, then somehow it’s easier on us to believe that most of them are probably over there in Africa, or India, or Hatti….you know, ‘those countries’. In the event that some might find their way to our shores, then it's unlikely they would ever find their way in to our nicer neighborhoods, or churches for that matter, given the stained glass has to keep them out, right? 

 But what does scripture have to say about them, these devils and demons and such? I mean, if it’s just ‘religious jargon’ and they are not anything we should give much attention to, then why would there be so many verses in our bible to suggest otherwise? Why for example, would Paul tell us to “Give no place to the devil!” (Eph. 4:27). We can actually do that? How? 

 Why would Peter admonish us to remain “vigilant, alert and sober-minded for our adversary, the devil, goes about like a roaring lion seeking to devour…” (1 Pet. 5:8) 

 IF…indeed this concept of devils and powers of darkness is merely a figment of our imagination, then who or what did both James and Peter intend for us to stand against and ‘resist’ when they wrote “resist the devil…and he will flee”. (James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:9) 

 When Paul wrote to Timothy encouraging him as to how one might more effectively communicate this gospel, he implied the conversation would be taking place with people who had “been taken captive by the devil to do his will.” (2 Tim. 2:26) An interesting verse to jot down next to that passage is Jeremiah 13:17 where we read of the prophet weeping tears given “the Lord’s flock have been taken captive”. 

 One of the reason’s Paul was so consumed with fulfilling this mission given to Him by God is that he understood the serious and degree of this problem …as he was commissioned by Jesus Himself to take this gospel to the Gentiles that their eyes “might be opened and that they could turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God.” (Acts 26:18). More poetic language …or can people (including the “Lord’s flock”) actually be taken ‘captive’ by these forces of darkness? 

 Clearly, John had reason for making it known to all who may have ‘missed that memo’, this important fact: “We know…that the whole world lies under the sway or influence of the wicked one.”( 1 John 5:19). I think many people casually allude to this conclusion when they see and hear of all the evil that continues to exist in this world today. But were you aware that just prior to that news flash that John also stated that “whoever is born of God does not sin…and the wicked one does not touch him.” (19). Seems like a good promise to be aware of given this ‘wicked one’ (a.k.a. ‘thief’) comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. (John 10:10) 

 I understand why it is easier for us to just look upon all humanity as being ‘children of God’ whether they know it or not; but that is really not the case. Again, John offers up more insight to support this idea when he writes to tell us how one can easily tell the difference between a ‘child of God’ and…’children of the devil’. (1 John 3:10). I’m guessing he was present that day when Jesus informed a group of religious leaders that their father was actually the ‘devil’, of all things. (John 8:44) 

 Once again….IF…you lean more to the side of believing demon spirits are not anything to be overly concerned with, then why would Paul have wanted to clear up any confusion we might have as to the true source of most of our conflicts and struggles that we encounter on a regular basis? Surely you are familiar with Eph. 6:12 where he writes that ‘our struggle is not with flesh and blood’. In other words, the things that we get all up in arms over on a regular basis…are not the ‘enemy’. 

 I have a hunch that if Paul was writing this today, he might expound on that for clarification suggesting that we are missing it if we think the enemy is some political system, or the communist or the ‘main-stream media’ or ISIS or even…the CMT that banned a recent song that has become the latest lightning rod of distraction. 

 He describes using multiple terms to reveal who is behind all our conflict and struggles, using phrases like: “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”. This came right after his instruction for us to ‘take up the whole armor of God that we might stand against the wiles of the devil’. (Eph. 6:11). Excuse me, but this well-educated man, Paul, is accusing some ‘devil’ to be at work behind all the source of struggles and conflicts in this world? 

 There’s a good chance that some of you might be sitting back and shaking your head after reading many of these verses, one after another and saying to yourself- ‘How have I not really seen this before in this light?” 

 Well, there’s a good reason for that: “If this gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing…whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…” (2 Cor 4:3-4) 

 Wait…do you think the ‘god of this age’ is the same one John described as being the ‘wicked one who influences’ the whole world’? (1 John 5:19). He ‘blinds us’ from seeing God’s word or truth? So what happens right after…and I mean, immediately afterwards…when God sows the seeds of His truth in to our hearts? Did Jesus not tell us that ‘the devil’ comes immediately …to take away the word from our hearts lest we should believe and be saved’? (Luke 8:12). 

 Isn’t that interesting. “Saved” from what? Oh…of course…Jesus came to save us from the ‘wrath of God’. (Rom. 5:9). Hmmm…is it ….possible…that these forces and powers of darkness…could actually be….’the wrath of God’? (Ps. 78:49). No wonder the god of this age wants to blind us from seeing this. 

 Do you know how one can quickly have this ‘veil removed’? You “turn to the Lord’ with all your heart and then the veil is ‘removed’. (2 Cor. 3:16). Join me tomorrow?