Watch Out For Doctrines Of Devils Pt. 2 Know Our Enemy!

We are taking a moment to learn about where Satan and the fallen angels originated, because this is very relevant to the world we live in.

I would encourage you to go back into the archive indexes posted on September 7, and look up our studies through the book of Ephesians. 

The last few posts really focus upon spiritual warfare and are very relevant to this study. (August 2021).

Satan is the prince of the power of the air. 

Ephesians 2:2,3  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3)  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

When Paul speaks of the Devil he calls him the prince of the power of the air. He orchestrates unclean spirits under his command to spread a venomous spirit of disobedience throughout the world. 

He rules over the unsaved who are called children of disobedience and children of wrath. He incites and tempts people to give into to fleshly lusts. 

We fight against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11)  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13)  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  

We know that Satan has a hierarchy of unclean spirits that seek to influence and overthrow governments according to his diabolical desires (See Daniel 10:11-21). 

Satan has designated an unclean spirit over each nation in the world. He is seeking to spread lies, moral corruption, and seeking to promote the one world government that the prophets foretold.

World governments are under Satan's sphere of influence. 

Luke 4:5,6  And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6)  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 

The Devil tempted Jesus for forty days in the wilderness. He offered Jesus power over all the world's kingdoms and nations. All Jesus had to do was fall down and worship the Devil.

Jesus defeated Satan and was victorious. Jesus dismissed the Devil when the period of temptation was over and Satan had no recourse but to leave. 

Jesus endured all Satan's temptations as the second Adam, so that He could be our sinless substitute on the cross of Calvary.

Spirits of antichrist are already in the world.

1 John 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 

John was the last apostle and he died a natural death. He was 90 years old when he wrote his letters to the churches and the book of Revelation. 

John witnessed the sufferings and glory of Jesus Christ. He saw the birth of the church and he lived long enough to see the church impacted by false teaching.

He reminds us that even in his day, there were many antichrists and false teachers in the world. 

Satan is waiting for that antichrist to emerge so that he can give him all power. However, this will not happen until God deems the time is ready for the rapture of His church, and the 7 years of tribulation to occur.

This is why Paul warned us about spiritual wickedness in high places. All believers are foot soldiers in the army of God. We are thrust into spiritual warfare. 

We can only survive and do what God left us here to do, when we put on the whole armor we have from God (See Ephesians 6:10-20).

The word "wrestle" literally means this is a fight like a spiritual wrestling match. Satan seeks to be the victor  by throwing down his opponents and choking off their air with his arm around their necks. 

Our spiritual weapons are mighty through God.

2 Corinthians 10:3,4  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4)  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

Believers today, need to really understand that the battle is intensifying as time draws to a close. We must remember that our weapons are not physical or carnal. 

Rather they are mighty through God and able to pull down the Devil's strongholds. Our weapons include prayer, worshipping God, witnessing to the lost, sharing the Word of God to all who will listen, and being anchored to scripture. 

Our weapons include surrendering our will to God's will, being filled with His Spirit, walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit. 

They include a desire to live for His glory instead of living for the world, by setting our love and affection on high, upon the things of God. 

Unclean spirits lead people to live unclean lives. 

Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

We learned that unclean spirits are connected with idolatry, sexual perversion, vile speech, depraved actions and all that God says is foul, or unclean. 

The apostle Paul gave us an extensive list describing the lust of our flesh. There is no need to elaborate on these, for they are easily comprehended. Each sin on this list is unclean, depraved and vile. 

This is what Satan and his unclean spirits promote in our world. This is why we see it so much. 

Preaching the Word of God puts pure light that exposes wickedness and moral turpitude. Preaching the Word of God acts like salt that preserves meat. It helps slow down the decaying process in a society. 

What we see today seems to be an acceleration of moral decline and perversion. This is connected to churches where the Bible is no longer preached or exposited to the congregation.

This is connected to churches following social trends, believing that people's attention spans are so short, they cannot grasp fundamental truth from the scriptures. 

Thus, we now have a generation of Christians who are more ignorant of Bible truth now, than at any other time in modern history. Ignorance causes people to be easily led into false teaching and living for self instead of Christ. 

Believers must be the salt of the earth and light of the world.

Matthew 5:13-16  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Jesus commanded believers to let our light shine forth into a sin darkened world. He said that we must be salt and light, for without them, things will speedily spiral downward into a moral abyss.

Believers who hide their light by not being faithful witnesses who share God's truth in love, fail in letting God's word illuminate the hearts of men. 

Believers who no longer function as salt of the earth, to retard moral decay, are like salt that looses its flavor. It is only good for putting on the roads to kill weeds. 

Preach the word no matter what the cost!

2 Timothy 4:2-4  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

Part of the task of preaching the word in season and out of season, is a need to address false doctrines and false teaching as it emerges.

Preaching and teaching the word of God is the central mandate for all pastors, evangelists, teachers, lay leaders and parents (Matthew 28:20). 

Preaching the word in and out of season, simply means we must preach it when it is popular and well received. 

We must faithfully preach the word when it is rejected or when we face hostility for preaching it. 

We live in the time that Paul described, the latter days. A time when the world at large is waxing worse and worse. A time when the absolute moral standard, which is God's word is rejected by the majority.

A time when uncleanness and sexual perversion is rampant. A time when depraved and deviant behaviors are being normalized by the culture. 

A time when professing believers do not want to hear or live by sound doctrine from God. 

We live in a time when professing believers are heaping to themselves false teachers, who tell them what they want to hear and who condone non Biblical lifestyles. 

Why? Because many are not willing to adhere to sound doctrine from the Bible. 

Many churches preach a health, wealth and prosperity gospel, but they are not preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Many churches preach a gospel of social justice and equity and fairness, but they are not preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This is the time in which you and I live, and God has instruction for us that we must obey. 

Pastors, evangelists, teachers, lay leaders and parents must be committed to preaching and teaching the Word of God. We must be committed to living according to what God says to us. 

We must use the scriptures to reprove spiritual wickedness in high places. We must use the scriptures to rebuke believers who engage in sinful practices. 

We must exhort and encourage believers, our families and our friends, to enter the straight gate and walk on the narrow way that leads to eternal life. 

We must be longsuffering, patient and willing to share the truth in love, with those living in our homes, at church and in our communities. 

We must be anchored to the doctrines God gave us, in order to keep us focused for this great mission.

I pray that the Spirit of God will wake up the church of Jesus Christ. 

I pray that He will shake us out of spiritual apathy and revive our hearts. 

I pray that He puts fresh zeal for Christ into our hearts so that we love and serve Jesus, our Master and King, as we ought.

Bob