Hello and welcome
to A Sharper Focus.
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We welcome you
to this Bible study
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that we hope you will join us
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with your Bible
open or with your device
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to follow along as we
study God's Word together.
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We are in the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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also known as the
3ABN Worship Center
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located in
Thompsonville, Illinois,
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Route 149, West Frankfort,
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just as you get near to
Thompsonville, Illinois.
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And you're welcome to join
us every Wednesday at 7:00pm
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here in the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Normally, it's a Bible study,
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and we encourage
you to follow along.
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And Pastor Lomacang
was not able to be here.
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And the study that
he is on will continue
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the next time he is available.
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But we want to ask you
to join us now for prayer
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because we're
gonna study a topic
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that is worthy of our attention
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due to the fact that
we are living in times
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when there's evil everywhere
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and we want to see
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what the Bible
says concerning this.
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So let's go to
the Lord in prayer.
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Our loving heavenly Father,
we come to You in Jesus' name.
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And we pray that You will
bless us as we study together.
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Those of us that are present
and those that are joining
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wherever they may be in
the world, be it by radio,
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television, internet,
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or whatever means they
have available to view, listen,
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and watch this program.
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We ask You, Father,
to bless us as we study,
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bless me with Your Holy Spirit.
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I lay myself aside and ask that
You will speak to Your children
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that every word will come
from Your throne of grace.
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And we pray that in all things
Your name will be glorified
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and we will be drawn
to Christ in Jesus' name.
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Amen, amen.
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Well, today's study takes
us into the world of the unseen
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if I may say it that way.
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The Bible talks about angels
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and it mentions good
angels and bad angels,
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and we're going
to look into this
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because there are people
that do not believe in angels
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and there are
people that worship angels,
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should angels be worshipped.
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The Bible does not say that
angels should be worshipped.
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In fact, angels say
you should worship God.
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And so we want to study
this because there are people
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that do not believe
there is a real devil
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and that there are devils
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going around causing
trouble in this world.
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And there are, there are devils.
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But let's look into the Bible
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to see what it
says about angels.
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We're not going
to do a deep study
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into as far as
what kind of angels,
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we're just going to talk about
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the good angels
and the bad angels
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because our focus is to reveal
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what the Bible says
concerning the evil angels
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and the work
that they are doing.
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We will begin our study
with Psalms 103, Psalms 103.
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And we are going to look at
verses 20 and 21 to begin with.
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Psalms 103:20, 21,
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and this is what the Bible says.
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"Bless the Lord, ye his
angels, that excel in strength,
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that do His commandments,
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hearkening unto
the voice of His word.
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Bless ye the
Lord, all ye His hosts,
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ye ministers of His,
that do His pleasure."
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This is a wonderful
passage in the Bible
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because it lets us
know that even the angels
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obey God's commandments.
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You see, God wants us
to obey His commandments
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because we love Him.
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And this is why
Jesus says in John 14:15,
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"If you love me,
keep my commandments."
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And you see the
angels themselves,
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they live by
the great principles
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established by God in Matthew 22
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that we are to love the
Lord with all of our heart,
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with all of our
soul, with all of our mind,
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and that we are to love
our neighbor as ourselves.
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Let's look into another passage
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that helps us understand a
little bit about the angels
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and when, whether
or not they existed
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before people were created.
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For this we go to Job 38:4-7,
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Job 38:4-7.
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Here we go.
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And here are some
questions that God had for Job.
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"Where were you when I laid
the foundations of the earth?
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Tell me, if you
have understanding.
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Who determined the measurements?
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Surely you know!
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Or who stretched
the line upon it?
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To what were its
foundation fastened?
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Or who laid its cornerstone,
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when the morning
stars sang together,
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and all the sons of
God shouted for joy?"
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These morning stars
that are mentioned here
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are angels is
what we understand.
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And it says here
that they shouted for joy
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and sang praises to God
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when the foundation
of the earth was laid.
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In other words, they existed
before the earth was created.
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The Bible doesn't tell us
when the angels were created
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but we know they existed
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before the people on this earth.
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But now we go into a scripture
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that helps us
understand a little bit
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about the difference
between human beings and angels.
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For this we go to
the book of Hebrews 2,
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the book of Hebrews 2.
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And this actually you can
find almost identical words
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in the book of Psalms 8,
but we're going to Hebrews 2.
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Hebrews 2, and we're
going to read verses 6 and 7.
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Here we go.
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It says, "But one testified
in a certain place, saying,
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'What is man that
You are mindful of him,
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or the son of man
that You take care of him?
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You have made him a
little lower than the angels,
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you have crowned him
with glory and honor,
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and set him over the
works of Your hands."
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You may also find something
similar in Psalms 8:4 and 5.
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So here it says that
God made us men and women
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a little lower than the angels.
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When it says a little
lower than the angels,
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it's talking about
intellectual capacity,
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strength, and ability.
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For us, at this moment in time,
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because of sin
entering into the world,
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our eyes cannot see the angels
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unless God allows them
to reveal themselves to us.
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For now, you may be there
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and angels will be guarding you,
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and you will not see them.
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And so these angels,
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the Bible says that
they excel in strength,
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and Bible says that
they are made higher than us.
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And so for this reason,
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we need to be
respectful of the one
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that the Bible says
Lucifer who was wise,
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very wise among the
angels and is very deceptive.
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So let's look into now
what happened eventually.
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We're not going
to dwell too much
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as far as the how
Lucifer became Satan.
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But let's go to
Revelation 12:7 and 9
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that reveals that Lucifer
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eventually rebelled against God.
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In Revelation 12,
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we're going to
begin reading in verse 7.
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Revelation 12:7, if
you found this say, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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"And there was war in heaven,"
actually I'm reading, yes,
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verse 7.
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"And there was war in heaven,
Michael and his angels fought
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against the dragon,
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and the dragon
fought and his angels."
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And the Bible
says, "And prevailed not
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neither was there place
found any more in heaven."
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So what happened
here is that these angels
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that rebelled
against God, it says here,
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they did not prevail,
they were not victorious.
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Because of this,
they were cast out.
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And not only were they cast out,
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but they could not
go back to their place.
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Their place was not
found anymore in heaven.
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Now look at verse 9,
"And the dragon was cast out,
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that old serpent,
called the Devil and Satan,
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which deceiveth the whole world,
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he was cast out into the earth,
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and his angels
were cast out with him."
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And so eventually
after Adam and Eve sinned,
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this was their home.
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We don't have
time to explain that
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but eventually
after Adam and Eve sinned,
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this place became their home.
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So we understand
from the scriptures
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that Satan and
his angels are here
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and they have been here
since Adam and Eve sinned.
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So what are we to do?
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What do they look like?
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The Bible doesn't describe
their physical appearance,
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but some people
have taken to task
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to paint pictures of the devil.
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And I'm sure you've seen
these pictures of the devil
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that he's red with horns
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and some paint them
with a little gold teeth,
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and different place,
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and that he has a
tail with a little arrow
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looking point at the end.
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Does the devil look like that?
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Remember that he
was a fallen angel,
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he's a fallen angel,
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therefore he does
not look like the animal
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they paint him to be.
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And I would say to you
that the Bible reveals,
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and we'll see that in a moment,
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that he's able to transform
himself into an angel of light.
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In other words, he's
able to take the appearance
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somewhat like he was before.
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He has lost some of that light,
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you see, he's
not near God anymore,
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so the glory that he once
had is no longer with him.
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But let's look to see
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what happened
here in Revelation 12,
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we continue with verse 10.
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The Bible says, "And I heard
a loud voice saying in heaven,
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Now is come
salvation, and strength,
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and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ,
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for the accuser of
our brethren is cast down,
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which accused them
before our God day and night.
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And they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
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and by the word
of their testimony,
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and they loved not
their lives unto the death.
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Therefore rejoice ye heavens
and ye that dwell in them.
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Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth
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and of the sea for
the devil is come down
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unto you having great wrath
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because he knows that
he has but a short time."
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So we have here in
this passage of scripture
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rejoicing in heaven
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because that devil was cast
out and cast down to the earth.
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However, there
is a warning for us,
00:11:13.70\00:11:16.44
it says, woe to the
inhabiters or in other words,
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the inhabitants of the earth.
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Why?
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.58
Because the devil
is extremely happy
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and he wants to make you happy.
00:11:24.38\00:11:25.88
No, it says that he
has, what kind of wrath?
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Great wrath.
He's extremely angry.
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Why is he angry?
00:11:31.79\00:11:33.12
Because he knows
he has a short time.
00:11:33.15\00:11:34.76
A short time for what?
00:11:34.79\00:11:37.29
A short time to
reveal who he is,
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to reveal what kind of kingdom
he would have upon this world
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and to do the
work that he believes
00:11:45.80\00:11:49.40
he should do as the devil.
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What kind of work
does he do as the devil?
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.97
Well, it says he's very angry
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so that means he's
not gonna treat you well.
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Do you know anyone
00:11:56.95\00:11:58.28
that has been angry
and treated you well?
00:11:58.31\00:12:00.12
You probably don't.
00:12:00.15\00:12:01.82
They either yell at you
or hurt you in some way.
00:12:01.85\00:12:05.92
And so the devil has great wrath
00:12:05.95\00:12:08.06
and he's out to kill,
to steal, and to destroy.
00:12:08.09\00:12:14.00
I would like to talk a
little bit about the angels
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and then the amount of angels,
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the Bible doesn't reveal
00:12:20.60\00:12:22.00
the amount of angels that exist,
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but there's a scripture
that helps us understand
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that there are
millions upon millions of them.
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A couple of scriptures,
there's one in Daniel,
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we're gonna look
at one in Revelation,
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Revelation 5
now, Revelation 5:11.
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I usually like to, when
I'm preaching in the church,
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I like to have the people read,
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but since you
don't have microphones
00:12:41.99\00:12:43.93
we'll have to, I
will have to read myself.
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Revelation 5:11.
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Revelation 5:11, the Bible says,
00:12:50.60\00:12:53.30
"And I beheld, and I
heard the voice of many angels
00:12:53.34\00:12:57.01
around about the throne
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and the beasts and the elders,
00:12:58.74\00:13:00.61
and the number of them was
00:13:00.64\00:13:02.78
ten thousand times ten thousand,
00:13:02.81\00:13:05.71
and thousands of thousands."
00:13:05.75\00:13:07.32
Question,
00:13:07.35\00:13:08.68
how many is ten
thousand times ten thousand?
00:13:08.72\00:13:11.62
Is anybody a good
mathematician here?
00:13:11.65\00:13:13.66
A hundred
million. A hundred million.
00:13:13.69\00:13:16.76
And then it states that there
are thousands of thousands.
00:13:16.79\00:13:22.13
So if there's
just a hundred million
00:13:22.16\00:13:24.57
in the expression ten
thousand times ten thousand
00:13:24.60\00:13:27.77
and then thousands of thousands,
00:13:27.80\00:13:29.50
it's a number
that we do not know of.
00:13:29.54\00:13:32.87
Many angels.
00:13:32.91\00:13:35.91
So we ask ourselves how
many evil angels are there.
00:13:35.94\00:13:41.32
Well, we go to Revelation 12,
00:13:41.35\00:13:44.22
we go back there to find
out a little bit about this.
00:13:44.25\00:13:47.29
Revelation 12:4 reveals to us
00:13:47.32\00:13:51.09
that of the angels
that were in heaven
00:13:51.13\00:13:53.53
"One third of them,
00:13:53.56\00:13:55.33
one third of them
rebelled against God."
00:13:55.36\00:13:58.20
So when you go to
Revelation 5:11, it says...
00:13:58.23\00:14:03.34
No, I'm sorry, Revelation 12:4,
it says, concerning the devil,
00:14:03.37\00:14:06.98
"And his tail drew
00:14:07.01\00:14:09.11
the third part of
the stars of heaven,
00:14:09.14\00:14:11.31
and did cast them to the earth.
00:14:11.35\00:14:13.52
And the dragon
stood before the woman
00:14:13.55\00:14:15.72
which was ready to be delivered
00:14:15.75\00:14:18.22
to devour her child
as soon as it was born."
00:14:18.25\00:14:21.99
You see very quickly
there in Revelation 12
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.33
as you begin reading verse 1
00:14:24.36\00:14:26.43
that the narrative as
it continues it shows you
00:14:26.46\00:14:28.96
that the devil he
is out to destroy.
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.87
He is out, it shows him
trying to destroy the man-child
00:14:31.90\00:14:36.00
that was caught up
to the throne of God
00:14:36.04\00:14:37.51
which is Jesus Christ
00:14:37.54\00:14:39.17
because he was not successful,
00:14:39.21\00:14:40.68
then he goes after the
woman it states in Revelation 12
00:14:40.71\00:14:44.21
which is a symbol of the church.
00:14:44.25\00:14:46.18
And so if you are a Christian,
the devil is out to get you.
00:14:46.21\00:14:50.09
And so it says woe to
the inhabitants of the earth,
00:14:50.12\00:14:52.69
he's out to get anyone he can
00:14:52.72\00:14:54.56
but specifically he wants
to destroy the Christians.
00:14:54.59\00:14:57.39
Why is that?
00:14:57.43\00:14:58.76
Because the
Christians want to follow God,
00:14:58.79\00:15:01.00
they love God and
want to serve Him,
00:15:01.03\00:15:02.93
and he's trying to
stop them from serving Him
00:15:02.96\00:15:05.43
and he will try
whatever he can to do this.
00:15:05.47\00:15:08.40
He will try to lead them
astray through temptations,
00:15:08.44\00:15:11.77
to enjoy the wicked
things of this world,
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.31
or he's gonna
try to deceive them
00:15:14.34\00:15:16.18
into believing
that God is not good.
00:15:16.21\00:15:18.45
And so the devil
will use whatever he can.
00:15:18.48\00:15:20.92
It is a terrible thing
00:15:20.95\00:15:22.38
when the enemy that
tries to destroy you
00:15:22.42\00:15:25.89
tries to destroy you
with things that you like.
00:15:25.92\00:15:28.86
Isn't that terrible
00:15:28.89\00:15:30.23
that the devil
would do such a thing?
00:15:30.26\00:15:32.03
You know, usually when
if one nation is fighting
00:15:32.06\00:15:35.23
against another nation,
they're shooting bullets,
00:15:35.26\00:15:37.93
they're throwing bombs,
they're throwing grenades,
00:15:37.97\00:15:43.47
fire, chemical weapons,
00:15:43.51\00:15:45.87
and, you know,
they're out to hurt you.
00:15:45.91\00:15:48.94
But isn't it terrible
00:15:48.98\00:15:50.31
when somebody
comes with flowers,
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.91
with candy, or something
else that either looks good,
00:15:52.95\00:15:57.19
tastes good, or feels good
00:15:57.22\00:15:59.52
because the ultimate thing
00:15:59.55\00:16:01.02
behind the
deception is to destroy you?
00:16:01.06\00:16:05.16
And that is a terrible thing.
00:16:05.19\00:16:06.53
So we cannot trust in the devil
00:16:06.56\00:16:08.23
because he is a liar
and he is a deceiver.
00:16:08.26\00:16:11.13
We read in Revelation 12 that
he deceiveth the whole world.
00:16:11.17\00:16:15.57
Question, do we have evidence
of the devil deceiving people?
00:16:15.60\00:16:20.28
Yes, the Bible reveals
that he deceived Adam and Eve,
00:16:20.31\00:16:24.08
and therefore Adam and
Eve, I would say to you,
00:16:24.11\00:16:28.05
were a lot smarter than we are
00:16:28.08\00:16:31.19
because they
were created perfect.
00:16:31.22\00:16:34.32
We are the
descendants of Adam and Eve
00:16:34.36\00:16:36.93
after they sinned and
therefore our capacity
00:16:36.96\00:16:40.13
to evaluate things is diminished
00:16:40.16\00:16:42.93
because of sin.
00:16:42.96\00:16:44.30
So we are really no
match for the devil.
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.50
We need the Lord to help us
00:16:46.53\00:16:48.17
to be able to understand
00:16:48.20\00:16:50.07
that the devil is
trying to deceive us.
00:16:50.11\00:16:52.41
Now I have some
good news for you.
00:16:52.44\00:16:55.08
So when you look at
one third of the angels
00:16:55.11\00:16:57.55
that were deceived
00:16:57.58\00:16:58.91
and if you take
the figure 100 million,
00:16:58.95\00:17:02.02
what's one third of 100 million?
00:17:02.05\00:17:03.95
So you begin to get an idea
that there are many evil angels
00:17:03.99\00:17:08.12
because this says,
00:17:08.16\00:17:09.49
ten thousand times ten thousands
00:17:09.52\00:17:11.06
and thousands of thousands,
00:17:11.09\00:17:13.50
so we don't know how
many evil angels there are
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.60
but there certainly
seems to be a whole lot of them
00:17:15.63\00:17:19.53
because they seem to be
causing trouble everywhere.
00:17:19.57\00:17:22.77
Have you seen that happening?
00:17:22.80\00:17:24.37
Yesterday, we heard of
some terrible, terrible things.
00:17:24.41\00:17:27.24
We heard of some people
that burned 19 young ladies.
00:17:27.28\00:17:33.88
They burned
these 19 young ladies,
00:17:33.92\00:17:36.05
and I'm sorry to
bring this to you
00:17:36.08\00:17:37.82
because I don't like to
hear these type of things,
00:17:37.85\00:17:39.92
but they burned them
00:17:39.95\00:17:41.29
because they refuse
to be their sex slaves.
00:17:41.32\00:17:44.03
Now you ask yourself is
this the kind of behavior
00:17:44.06\00:17:49.06
that is of God or of the devil?
00:17:49.10\00:17:52.33
This is behavior
that is of the devil
00:17:52.37\00:17:54.24
because the
devil is out to kill,
00:17:54.27\00:17:55.60
to steal, and to destroy.
00:17:55.64\00:17:57.04
And those that identify with him
00:17:57.07\00:17:59.71
are doing the things
that cause harm to others.
00:17:59.74\00:18:02.84
So we need to be
very, very careful.
00:18:02.88\00:18:04.61
So we see here and you hear,
00:18:04.65\00:18:06.35
you've heard of wars
and people destroying
00:18:06.38\00:18:10.25
and hurting
people in different ways,
00:18:10.29\00:18:12.72
so we are living in
very, very dangerous times.
00:18:12.75\00:18:15.22
So now I told you
we have good news.
00:18:15.26\00:18:17.66
So let's talk
about the good news.
00:18:17.69\00:18:19.46
In Psalms 34:7, we
have some good news for you.
00:18:19.49\00:18:22.53
Psalms 34:7 and I
believe that some will know
00:18:22.56\00:18:27.20
or at least know
part of this verse
00:18:27.24\00:18:29.20
as we began to read it.
00:18:29.24\00:18:30.77
I can pretty much quote it
00:18:30.81\00:18:33.48
because one of the verses
is on my list of favorites
00:18:33.51\00:18:37.81
if you want to say it that way.
00:18:37.85\00:18:39.28
The Bible says in Psalms 34:7,
00:18:39.31\00:18:40.98
"The angel of the Lord encampeth
00:18:41.02\00:18:44.29
round about them that
fear him, and delivereth them."
00:18:44.32\00:18:48.52
You know, I like
that because it says,
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.99
it doesn't say he's
just standing around you,
00:18:51.03\00:18:53.40
it says, he
encampeth round about you
00:18:53.43\00:18:55.43
as if he had a
permanent place with you.
00:18:55.46\00:19:00.34
Isn't that wonderful?
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.70
The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them
00:19:01.74\00:19:04.14
that fear him
and delivereth them.
00:19:04.17\00:19:05.57
His job is to deliver you
00:19:05.61\00:19:07.51
from the evil things
that devil wants to do to you.
00:19:07.54\00:19:10.18
Praise the Lord.
00:19:10.21\00:19:11.55
Would you say
Praise the Lord to that?
00:19:11.58\00:19:12.91
Praise the
Lord. And God is good.
00:19:12.95\00:19:14.78
You see, God will
not allow the devil
00:19:14.82\00:19:18.05
to do to you everything
that he wants to do to you.
00:19:18.09\00:19:21.12
If the Lord allows
the devil to do everything
00:19:21.16\00:19:23.69
he wants to do to you,
00:19:23.73\00:19:25.09
you would be dead already
because he wants to kill,
00:19:25.13\00:19:28.90
to steal, and to destroy.
00:19:28.93\00:19:31.77
And I can probably, I'm
sure I can ask this question.
00:19:31.80\00:19:35.30
How many of you
have been near death?
00:19:35.34\00:19:38.41
At one point or another,
00:19:38.44\00:19:39.77
maybe an
accident or some disease,
00:19:39.81\00:19:41.24
how many of you thought
you could possibly have died
00:19:41.28\00:19:43.88
in the past?
00:19:43.91\00:19:45.25
Probably, most of you here.
00:19:45.28\00:19:46.61
And so we see that it is
good for the Lord to protect us.
00:19:46.65\00:19:51.65
And so you have no idea,
00:19:51.69\00:19:53.32
we have no idea
00:19:53.36\00:19:54.69
how many times the
devil has asked for permission
00:19:54.72\00:19:57.43
to kill you off,
00:19:57.46\00:19:59.13
but thank God, we're all here.
00:19:59.16\00:20:01.43
Praise the Lord.
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:20:01.46\00:20:03.40
So the angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them
00:20:03.43\00:20:07.40
that fear him
and delivereth them.
00:20:07.44\00:20:08.77
So people call
these guardian angels.
00:20:08.80\00:20:12.01
Let's go to Matthew 18,
00:20:12.04\00:20:14.68
this is one of the closest
verses that helps us understand
00:20:14.71\00:20:17.85
that we have guardian angels.
00:20:17.88\00:20:20.15
It is Psalm 18:10.
00:20:20.18\00:20:23.22
I'm sorry, Matthew 18:10.
00:20:23.25\00:20:28.02
And the Bible
says the following,
00:20:28.06\00:20:31.89
"Take heed that ye despise
not one of these little ones,"
00:20:31.93\00:20:36.83
he's talking about the children,
00:20:36.87\00:20:38.37
"for I say unto
you that in heaven
00:20:38.40\00:20:40.34
their angels do always
behold the face of my Father
00:20:40.37\00:20:46.01
which is in heaven."
00:20:46.04\00:20:47.81
Praise the Lord.
00:20:47.84\00:20:49.24
So we see here that the angels
00:20:49.28\00:20:52.98
that watch over these children
00:20:53.01\00:20:54.55
also behold the
face of the Father,
00:20:54.58\00:20:57.72
God the Father.
00:20:57.75\00:20:59.09
So we understand that
we have guardian angels
00:20:59.12\00:21:01.02
and we praise the Lord for that
00:21:01.06\00:21:02.39
because the devil
would have killed us off
00:21:02.42\00:21:04.06
a long time ago.
00:21:04.09\00:21:05.93
And I say to you
that you will live
00:21:05.96\00:21:09.36
as long as the Lord intends you
to live as long as you follow
00:21:09.40\00:21:15.24
and obey him
because it is a reality.
00:21:15.27\00:21:17.67
The Bible says
that ask the question,
00:21:17.71\00:21:19.97
"Why will you
die before the time?"
00:21:20.01\00:21:23.88
It's a very interesting
question the Bible asks,
00:21:23.91\00:21:25.51
"Why will you
die before the time?"
00:21:25.55\00:21:27.38
So how is it that people
can die before their time?
00:21:27.42\00:21:30.49
Well, they can eat bad things.
00:21:30.52\00:21:33.09
They can put themselves
in unnecessary danger.
00:21:33.12\00:21:36.69
Is that true?
00:21:36.73\00:21:38.06
Has anybody ever, anybody
here ever placed themselves
00:21:38.09\00:21:40.10
in unnecessary danger
00:21:40.13\00:21:41.46
and had to ask the
Lord please help me.
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.77
I see some people
nodding their heads.
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.20
So you see you can
die before the time.
00:21:46.23\00:21:48.77
The Bible talks about that
00:21:48.80\00:21:50.91
because of sin that most people
live fourscore and ten years,
00:21:50.94\00:21:55.24
what is it, not fourscore
and ten, yeah, fourscore,
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.38
about 80 something years old,
00:21:58.41\00:21:59.81
the average
individual should live.
00:21:59.85\00:22:02.25
Threescore.
00:22:02.28\00:22:04.15
Thank you very much.
00:22:04.19\00:22:05.52
So anyway, as we have here,
00:22:05.55\00:22:07.62
the Bible tells us
that the Lord protects us
00:22:07.66\00:22:10.56
and I say amen to that.
00:22:10.59\00:22:12.76
The time is advancing
quickly, so let's move on.
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.93
Let's talk a little bit about
the contrast between Jesus,
00:22:15.96\00:22:19.73
God, and the devil,
and what he wants to do.
00:22:19.77\00:22:24.11
What does the Bible tell us,
00:22:24.14\00:22:25.47
the Bible tells
us that God is love.
00:22:25.51\00:22:27.64
In John 3:16,
00:22:27.68\00:22:29.64
the Bible tells
us that God loves us.
00:22:29.68\00:22:31.68
It says that "God
so loved the world
00:22:31.71\00:22:34.15
that He gave His
only begotten Son
00:22:34.18\00:22:36.25
that whosoever," what,
00:22:36.28\00:22:38.15
"believeth in Him
should not perish,"
00:22:38.19\00:22:41.26
which means die, "but
have everlasting life."
00:22:41.29\00:22:44.86
So this is what God is like.
00:22:44.89\00:22:46.49
And notice the following
verse, Jesus says in verse 17,
00:22:46.53\00:22:50.13
"For God sent not his Son
00:22:50.17\00:22:52.40
into the world
to condemn the world
00:22:52.43\00:22:54.60
but that the world
through him might be saved."
00:22:54.64\00:22:59.51
So I say that's good news.
00:22:59.54\00:23:01.54
I rather be on God's side
00:23:01.58\00:23:03.31
because He wants to
give me eternal life,
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.38
He wants to give
you eternal life.
00:23:05.41\00:23:07.55
Notice in Luke
19:10, Luke 19:10.
00:23:07.58\00:23:12.59
I may have to resort to
just reading them off my notes
00:23:12.62\00:23:15.32
because we may not have
time to look all the verses up.
00:23:15.36\00:23:17.53
Luke 19:10,
00:23:17.56\00:23:19.43
"For the Son of man is come
00:23:19.46\00:23:21.83
to seek and to save
that which was lost."
00:23:21.86\00:23:26.40
So does the Lord
have good news for us?
00:23:26.43\00:23:28.54
Yes, the Lord
has good news for us.
00:23:28.57\00:23:30.97
Now let's think about
the devil just for a moment.
00:23:31.01\00:23:33.04
Don't dwell on it.
00:23:33.07\00:23:34.84
We already read in Revelation 12
00:23:34.88\00:23:36.54
that the devil has great wrath.
00:23:36.58\00:23:39.18
And he knows he has a short time
00:23:39.21\00:23:41.32
and he goes to make
war against God's children
00:23:41.35\00:23:44.35
if you keep
reading in Revelation 12.
00:23:44.39\00:23:46.32
He goes to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:23:46.35\00:23:48.69
those that keep
the commandments of God
00:23:48.72\00:23:50.13
and have the faith of Jesus.
00:23:50.16\00:23:52.73
So you see he believes
he has no time to lose.
00:23:52.76\00:23:55.96
The devil is...
00:23:56.00\00:23:57.57
He doesn't take vacations.
00:23:57.60\00:23:59.97
He continues day in and day
out trying to destroy people.
00:24:00.00\00:24:04.71
And one of the things he does
is try to destroy those people
00:24:04.74\00:24:07.68
that have influence
for good upon others.
00:24:07.71\00:24:11.38
Who are these people?
These are the Christians.
00:24:11.41\00:24:13.52
They are an influence
for good in the world.
00:24:13.55\00:24:15.95
So he's going to
try to lead them astray,
00:24:15.98\00:24:17.92
to lead them into sin,
to lead them to forget God,
00:24:17.95\00:24:21.12
to lead them away
from reading the Bible,
00:24:21.16\00:24:23.36
to really lead
them away from praying
00:24:23.39\00:24:26.90
because he knows
that when he can keep you,
00:24:26.93\00:24:29.83
he cannot force you,
00:24:29.86\00:24:31.20
but when he can distract
you from reading the Bible,
00:24:31.23\00:24:34.30
from praying,
00:24:34.34\00:24:36.30
you are disconnecting yourself
from the source of strength,
00:24:36.34\00:24:41.04
our source of
strength, which is God.
00:24:41.08\00:24:43.01
And see we need to have
a vital connection with God
00:24:43.04\00:24:46.31
just as Jesus said
that we are to be...
00:24:46.35\00:24:48.15
He is the vine and
we are the branches
00:24:48.18\00:24:50.42
attached to
Jesus with a connection
00:24:50.45\00:24:53.82
that is not to be
severed by anyone or anything.
00:24:53.86\00:24:57.79
So let's look at some scriptures
00:24:57.83\00:24:59.16
that help us understand
00:24:59.19\00:25:00.53
some of the things
the devil wants to do.
00:25:00.56\00:25:02.36
In Luke 19, I'm in Luke
19, I'm gonna read verse 10.
00:25:02.40\00:25:06.90
The Bible says, "For
the Son of man is come
00:25:06.94\00:25:09.04
to seek and to save
that which was lost."
00:25:09.07\00:25:11.27
Now I'm going to John 10:10,
we already read Luke 19:10.
00:25:11.31\00:25:16.04
John 10:10.
00:25:16.08\00:25:17.41
In John 10:10, Jesus
reveals something to us.
00:25:17.45\00:25:21.98
The Bible says, "The thief,"
that is the devil in this case,
00:25:22.02\00:25:25.82
"cometh not but for to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy.
00:25:25.85\00:25:30.89
I am come that
they might have life
00:25:30.93\00:25:33.60
and that they might
have it more abundantly."
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.33
A contrast is drawn here
00:25:36.36\00:25:37.93
between the
devil and Jesus Christ.
00:25:37.97\00:25:40.00
Jesus came to give us
life and life more abundantly
00:25:40.04\00:25:42.90
while the devil comes to
kill, to steal, and to destroy.
00:25:42.94\00:25:48.54
And so we need to
keep away from him.
00:25:48.58\00:25:51.58
We are in John 10.
00:25:51.61\00:25:53.01
Let's go to
John 8:44, John 8:44.
00:25:53.05\00:25:59.65
"Ye are of your
father the devil,"
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.92
Jesus is speaking to
the scribes and Pharisees,
00:26:01.96\00:26:04.46
"and the lusts of
your father ye will do."
00:26:04.49\00:26:07.30
Does the devil have lusts?
00:26:07.33\00:26:08.66
Oh, yes.
00:26:08.70\00:26:10.13
"The lusts of
your father ye will do.
00:26:10.17\00:26:12.10
He was a murderer
from the beginning
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.30
and abode not in the truth
00:26:15.34\00:26:18.77
because there
is no truth in him.
00:26:18.81\00:26:20.94
When he speaketh a lie,
00:26:20.98\00:26:22.31
he speaketh of his
own for he is a liar
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.51
and the father of it."
00:26:24.55\00:26:27.08
So we see here in this scripture
00:26:27.12\00:26:28.45
Jesus says that
devil is a murderer.
00:26:28.48\00:26:32.29
So if he is a murderer,
should we associate with him?
00:26:32.32\00:26:35.62
Should we look for the devil?
00:26:35.66\00:26:37.29
Should we try to
make friends with him?
00:26:37.33\00:26:39.96
Should we try to enjoy ourselves
00:26:40.00\00:26:42.03
with the things he has to offer?
00:26:42.06\00:26:43.40
No, because he is a
murderer and a liar,
00:26:43.43\00:26:46.67
and he is trying to
entice you into his territory
00:26:46.70\00:26:50.81
so that he can destroy you.
00:26:50.84\00:26:53.41
And so Jesus
came to give us life
00:26:53.44\00:26:55.94
and life more abundantly.
00:26:55.98\00:26:58.21
Furthermore in 1
Peter 5, in 1 Peter 5,
00:26:58.25\00:27:02.18
the Bible reveals to us
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.55
something that
we are familiar with
00:27:04.59\00:27:07.82
and gives us an understanding
that the devil is like that,
00:27:07.86\00:27:12.16
the devil is like that.
00:27:12.19\00:27:14.16
You know, when
you go to the zoo,
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.63
you see certain
animals kept in cages,
00:27:15.66\00:27:21.17
pretty strong cages,
00:27:21.20\00:27:22.84
and there's a
distance between them and us
00:27:22.87\00:27:25.71
or there's glass
between them and us.
00:27:25.74\00:27:27.74
One of those
creatures is the lion.
00:27:27.78\00:27:30.81
Now it's interesting
some people have tamed lions
00:27:30.85\00:27:33.15
and I've seen them even put
00:27:33.18\00:27:34.68
their videos or pictures of them
00:27:34.72\00:27:37.25
putting their
heads inside lions.
00:27:37.29\00:27:39.35
But there's one lion
that you are not able to tame
00:27:39.39\00:27:41.96
and that is the devil.
00:27:41.99\00:27:43.39
The Bible says in
1 Peter 5:6 and 7,
00:27:43.43\00:27:48.50
chapter 5 beginning verse 6.
00:27:48.53\00:27:50.93
"Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God,
00:27:50.97\00:27:53.64
that He may
exalt you in due time.
00:27:53.67\00:27:56.50
Casting all your care upon
Him, for He careth for you."
00:27:56.54\00:27:59.54
Is that good news?
00:27:59.57\00:28:00.91
God cares for us.
But notice verse 8.
00:28:00.94\00:28:05.65
"Be sober, be vigilant
00:28:05.68\00:28:07.02
because your
adversary the devil,
00:28:07.05\00:28:09.88
as a roaring
lion, walketh about,
00:28:09.92\00:28:12.69
seeking whom he may tickle."
00:28:12.72\00:28:15.82
It doesn't say tickle, does it?
00:28:15.86\00:28:17.39
"Seeking whom he may devour."
00:28:17.43\00:28:20.40
That's what he wants to do,
seeking whom he may destroy.
00:28:20.43\00:28:24.60
So shall we make
friends with the devil?
00:28:24.63\00:28:27.00
No. Shall we associate with him?
00:28:27.04\00:28:28.60
No.
00:28:28.64\00:28:29.97
Because his mission is
to devour us, destroy us.
00:28:30.01\00:28:34.14
And so we need to
keep away from him.
00:28:34.18\00:28:38.71
In so much as the
Bible describes him
00:28:38.75\00:28:40.62
as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour,
00:28:40.65\00:28:44.35
he may not always
come as a roaring lion.
00:28:44.39\00:28:50.26
Let's look at 2
Corinthians 11:14,
00:28:50.29\00:28:55.43
2 Corinthians 11:14.
00:28:55.46\00:28:58.93
Now this is a scripture
00:28:58.97\00:29:01.14
that for those that have not
read it should open their eyes.
00:29:01.17\00:29:05.17
2 Corinthians 11:14,
00:29:05.21\00:29:08.24
"And no marvel,
for Satan himself
00:29:08.28\00:29:11.45
is transformed
into an angel of light."
00:29:11.48\00:29:17.42
Wow!
00:29:17.45\00:29:19.15
Think about that for a moment.
00:29:19.19\00:29:21.12
He is so deceptive
00:29:21.16\00:29:23.32
that he may transform
himself into an angel of light
00:29:23.36\00:29:27.00
for the purpose of
deceiving you to listen to him,
00:29:27.03\00:29:32.70
to follow his suggestions
00:29:32.73\00:29:35.64
just so that he can
destroy you in some way.
00:29:35.67\00:29:38.64
So if he is coming to
us as an angel of light,
00:29:38.67\00:29:43.48
how can we defend ourselves?
00:29:43.51\00:29:45.31
When we see him,
we're going to say, "Wow!
00:29:45.35\00:29:47.92
It's an angel."
00:29:47.95\00:29:49.92
And we think here's a
message from heaven for us.
00:29:49.95\00:29:53.86
So what are we to do
00:29:53.89\00:29:55.86
when the devil presents
himself as an angel of light?
00:29:55.89\00:30:01.53
Well, this is why
it's important for us
00:30:01.56\00:30:04.17
to read the
scriptures and understand,
00:30:04.20\00:30:08.10
ask the Lord to help us
understand the scriptures
00:30:08.14\00:30:10.87
because when he
comes as an angel of light,
00:30:10.91\00:30:15.08
he's going to try to deceive you
00:30:15.11\00:30:16.81
from separating yourself
from a thus saith the Lord.
00:30:16.85\00:30:21.92
And as you know, you can
see, this is in Matthew 4,
00:30:21.95\00:30:26.76
when the devil
came to tempt Jesus,
00:30:26.79\00:30:29.82
he quoted what?
00:30:29.86\00:30:31.76
Scripture.
00:30:31.79\00:30:33.93
So you see, he
may quote scripture
00:30:33.96\00:30:35.56
but leave some part out
and change the second part.
00:30:35.60\00:30:39.37
So we need to be
careful, we need to understand,
00:30:39.40\00:30:42.30
read and
understand the scripture,
00:30:42.34\00:30:44.17
ask the Lord to
help us understand.
00:30:44.21\00:30:45.77
So how do we protect ourselves?
00:30:45.81\00:30:48.08
The Bible says in Isaiah 8:20,
00:30:48.11\00:30:50.55
"To the law and
to the testimony,
00:30:50.58\00:30:54.32
if they speak not
according to this,
00:30:54.35\00:30:57.42
it is because there
is no light in them."
00:30:57.45\00:31:01.22
So through the law,
00:31:01.26\00:31:02.59
and he's making reference
00:31:02.62\00:31:03.96
to the first five
books of the Bible,
00:31:03.99\00:31:06.23
and to the testimony,
the testimony of scripture,
00:31:06.26\00:31:08.30
the rest of the scriptures,
00:31:08.33\00:31:09.66
if they do not
speak according to this,
00:31:09.70\00:31:12.47
it's because there
is no light in them.
00:31:12.50\00:31:14.00
And this goes
for the devil himself
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.67
and those that
would be used by him
00:31:16.71\00:31:19.14
and in this those
that would be used by him
00:31:19.17\00:31:21.91
are just above anybody else
00:31:21.94\00:31:25.65
because the devil can use people
00:31:25.68\00:31:31.19
and the devil can use people
to try to deceive us as well.
00:31:31.22\00:31:35.09
Unfortunately, the
devil is so deceptive
00:31:35.12\00:31:38.26
that he may use
friends and family
00:31:38.29\00:31:42.30
and they may think
they're trying to do you good
00:31:42.33\00:31:45.27
but they do not know
00:31:45.30\00:31:46.63
that the devil has
somehow confused their mind
00:31:46.67\00:31:48.94
and they may tell you something
00:31:48.97\00:31:51.01
that they think,
this is for your own good.
00:31:51.04\00:31:53.11
But if they do not speak
according to the Word of God,
00:31:53.14\00:31:57.65
it is an error to follow
what that person is saying
00:31:57.68\00:32:00.65
or what the devil is saying.
00:32:00.68\00:32:02.28
So our only safety
is to compare the things
00:32:02.32\00:32:06.29
with the scriptures.
00:32:06.32\00:32:08.22
Time is flying,
and so we must move on.
00:32:08.26\00:32:10.76
Let's look a little
bit into Genesis 3:13.
00:32:10.79\00:32:14.06
I will read this for you,
00:32:14.10\00:32:16.16
"And the Lord God
said unto the woman,
00:32:16.20\00:32:18.07
what is this
that you have done?"
00:32:18.10\00:32:19.43
This is God talking
to Eve after she sinned.
00:32:19.47\00:32:21.44
"The woman said the
serpent beguiled me and I ate."
00:32:21.47\00:32:27.08
In the New King James it says,
00:32:27.11\00:32:28.44
"The serpent
deceived me and I ate."
00:32:28.48\00:32:32.28
Afterward she
realized that she was deceived.
00:32:32.31\00:32:36.69
During the time that
the devil was talking to her
00:32:36.72\00:32:38.89
as a serpent,
00:32:38.92\00:32:40.36
she did not know
she was being deceived.
00:32:40.39\00:32:42.42
She actually
evaluated what the devil said
00:32:42.46\00:32:44.69
and thought it was a good thing.
00:32:44.73\00:32:46.96
She said, she
looked at the fruit,
00:32:47.00\00:32:49.23
"Oh, this is a
fruit to make me wise."
00:32:49.26\00:32:51.50
And she took of it and ate.
00:32:51.53\00:32:54.60
So you see the
devil can deceive.
00:32:54.64\00:32:57.11
The word for
beguiled is the word deceive
00:32:57.14\00:33:00.04
in Hebrews pretty plain.
00:33:00.08\00:33:02.31
So the devil can
deceive if he deceived Eve,
00:33:02.34\00:33:04.41
and I'll tell you,
00:33:04.45\00:33:05.78
Eve is a lot smarter
than anybody in this room.
00:33:05.81\00:33:09.08
She was deceived by the devil.
00:33:09.12\00:33:11.05
As a matter of fact,
the devil is so deceptive
00:33:11.09\00:33:14.02
that he deceived a
third of the angels.
00:33:14.06\00:33:16.66
So we really are
no match for him.
00:33:16.69\00:33:18.49
We really need
the Lord to discern
00:33:18.53\00:33:20.76
what is truth and what is error.
00:33:20.80\00:33:24.73
So the last scripture we
were talking about was what,
00:33:24.77\00:33:27.10
Genesis what?
00:33:27.14\00:33:29.50
Chapter 3.
00:33:29.54\00:33:32.74
I like to read to you
from a book Selected Messages
00:33:32.77\00:33:36.61
Volume 2, page 352.
00:33:36.64\00:33:40.62
"Satan often finds a
powerful agency for evil
00:33:40.65\00:33:45.79
in the power
which one human mind
00:33:45.82\00:33:48.86
is capable of
exerting on another human mind.
00:33:48.89\00:33:52.19
This influence is so seductive
00:33:52.23\00:33:55.16
that the person who
is being molded by it
00:33:55.20\00:33:58.13
is often
unconscious of its power.
00:33:58.17\00:34:01.44
God has bidden me to speak
concerning against this evil."
00:34:01.47\00:34:05.54
So after Eve sinned,
00:34:05.57\00:34:10.51
she became an
agent of the devil.
00:34:10.55\00:34:12.81
What is it that she does?
00:34:12.85\00:34:14.78
Does she go out
looking for Adam to warn him?
00:34:14.82\00:34:18.39
I ate of the fruit,
don't eat of this fruit,
00:34:18.42\00:34:20.22
it's horrible, I am
worse off than I was.
00:34:20.26\00:34:23.66
No, she took up the
fruit and offered it to Adam.
00:34:23.69\00:34:28.16
And so she became
an agent of the devil
00:34:28.20\00:34:31.13
and gave some fruit to Adam.
00:34:31.17\00:34:33.20
Adam evaluated the situation.
00:34:33.23\00:34:35.24
He knew it was
the forbidden fruit,
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.41
but he ate of it anyway.
00:34:38.44\00:34:42.01
We don't have
time to dwell on that,
00:34:42.04\00:34:43.65
but his sin is
perhaps greater than Eve's sin
00:34:43.68\00:34:48.08
because he knew that she
had done the wrong thing.
00:34:48.12\00:34:51.55
But again, I say to you
the power of mind upon mind,
00:34:51.59\00:34:56.29
when the devil
uses someone else,
00:34:56.32\00:34:58.49
it may be a stronger
influence for us to do wrong
00:34:58.53\00:35:02.16
than if we were
evaluating things on our own.
00:35:02.20\00:35:07.50
Question, there are things
00:35:07.54\00:35:09.97
as well that the devil
uses called peer pressure.
00:35:10.01\00:35:14.41
Have you ever
heard of peer pressure?
00:35:14.44\00:35:16.44
Anybody ever have peer pressure?
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.01
When others around you are
saying, yes, let's do this,
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.22
let's do this.
00:35:21.25\00:35:22.58
I remember as young person
00:35:22.62\00:35:23.95
I was taken in by
peer pressure at one time
00:35:23.99\00:35:28.49
and I realized that I was
going down the wrong thing.
00:35:28.52\00:35:31.09
I said, "I need to back
out, back away from this."
00:35:31.13\00:35:34.56
And I praised the
Lord for His goodness.
00:35:34.60\00:35:37.53
So peer pressure,
00:35:37.57\00:35:38.93
people being swayed
by what others are doing.
00:35:38.97\00:35:42.77
Let's go to 1
Chronicles, 1 Chronicles 21,
00:35:42.80\00:35:47.34
1 Chronicles 21:1,
00:35:47.38\00:35:51.31
"And Satan stood
up against Israel
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.65
and provoked
David to number Israel."
00:35:53.68\00:35:58.72
This is Satan working
directly upon King David.
00:35:58.75\00:36:02.86
What did David do?
00:36:02.89\00:36:04.23
He numbered the people.
00:36:04.26\00:36:05.59
And when it says provoked,
00:36:05.63\00:36:07.00
this is the
word soothe in Hebrew
00:36:07.03\00:36:10.63
and it means to
persuade to move upon him
00:36:10.67\00:36:15.57
and to seduce him.
00:36:15.60\00:36:17.77
So David began to analyze
00:36:17.81\00:36:19.74
the idea of numbering the people
00:36:19.77\00:36:21.21
and he thought
it was a good thing
00:36:21.24\00:36:22.98
and he numbered the
people, and it was a sin
00:36:23.01\00:36:25.48
because the Lord had told
them not to number the people.
00:36:25.51\00:36:30.12
So there's a danger of
being deceived by the devil.
00:36:30.15\00:36:34.69
We're all in danger of
being deceived by the devil.
00:36:34.72\00:36:36.73
Our only safety is to
hear the knock of Jesus.
00:36:36.76\00:36:42.70
"Behold, I stand at
the door," Revelation 3:20,
00:36:42.73\00:36:46.77
"and knock, if
any man hears my voice
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.84
and opens the door,
00:36:48.87\00:36:50.21
I will come into
him and sup with him,
00:36:50.24\00:36:52.21
and he with me."
00:36:52.24\00:36:53.58
Our only safety is allowing
Jesus to come into our heart
00:36:53.61\00:36:57.41
so that the Lord Jesus
00:36:57.45\00:36:59.91
can guide us and
help us understand
00:36:59.95\00:37:02.48
when we are in danger.
00:37:02.52\00:37:04.65
You know, it's very interesting
00:37:04.69\00:37:07.52
that some people
have felt a cold chill
00:37:07.56\00:37:11.16
when they feel
evil is around them.
00:37:11.19\00:37:14.30
The devil, you can
feel evil influences.
00:37:14.33\00:37:18.63
Have you ever come
into a room and felt peace?
00:37:18.67\00:37:22.30
Anybody here? I
see some heads nodding.
00:37:22.34\00:37:24.54
Yes, I have come
into a room and felt,
00:37:24.57\00:37:26.07
hey, there's peace in this room.
00:37:26.11\00:37:28.71
But you can also go some places
00:37:28.74\00:37:30.15
and you feel
something is not right here.
00:37:30.18\00:37:34.45
And so we need to
give heed to those things.
00:37:34.48\00:37:37.99
Let's go quickly
to some scriptures
00:37:38.02\00:37:40.52
that will help us
understand how the devil works.
00:37:40.56\00:37:42.62
In John 13:2, John 13:2.
00:37:42.66\00:37:46.76
The Bible says,
"And supper being ended,
00:37:46.80\00:37:48.80
the devil having now
00:37:48.83\00:37:50.27
put into the
heart of Judas Iscariot,
00:37:50.30\00:37:52.40
Simon's son, to betray him."
00:37:52.43\00:37:56.60
That's all we're going to read.
00:37:56.64\00:37:58.84
That's John 13:2.
00:37:58.87\00:38:01.44
The reason I'm
quoting this scripture
00:38:01.48\00:38:03.01
is to help you understand
00:38:03.04\00:38:04.55
that the devil can put
thoughts into your mind.
00:38:04.58\00:38:08.22
The devil can put
thoughts into your mind.
00:38:08.25\00:38:10.82
Question, is it a
sin to be tempted?
00:38:10.85\00:38:12.49
No. No, it's not
a sin to be tempted.
00:38:12.52\00:38:14.46
Jesus Christ was tempted,
00:38:14.49\00:38:16.86
but it's a sin to
fall into temptation.
00:38:16.89\00:38:20.06
So even though the devil
can put thoughts into your mind,
00:38:20.10\00:38:23.20
it is your choice what to do
with those thoughts, isn't it?
00:38:23.23\00:38:27.04
You still have a choice
and you can dismiss the thought
00:38:27.07\00:38:31.37
and choose to
think on good things.
00:38:31.41\00:38:33.41
Now Judas, the
devil was working on him,
00:38:33.44\00:38:38.15
working on him, working on him.
00:38:38.18\00:38:40.52
It wasn't an overnight
thing that Judas turned to evil.
00:38:40.55\00:38:45.15
And I can guarantee to you
00:38:45.19\00:38:47.86
that Jesus tried to
help Judas understand
00:38:47.89\00:38:52.03
that he was in
danger of being deceived.
00:38:52.06\00:38:55.00
You know, as you
analyze the scriptures
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.17
and you start
looking through them,
00:38:57.20\00:38:59.20
if you did not
know from beforehand
00:38:59.23\00:39:01.57
that it would be
Judas betraying Jesus,
00:39:01.60\00:39:04.41
you might think that Peter
00:39:04.44\00:39:06.07
would be the
one betraying Jesus.
00:39:06.11\00:39:08.44
Because there's a point in time,
00:39:08.48\00:39:09.81
I think we may read
that if we have time.
00:39:09.84\00:39:11.68
There's a point in time
00:39:11.71\00:39:13.05
that Jesus began to
say to the disciples,
00:39:13.08\00:39:15.98
I will soon go to Jerusalem
and I will be betrayed,
00:39:16.02\00:39:20.99
and I will be crucified.
00:39:21.02\00:39:23.02
And Peter grabs him
00:39:23.06\00:39:24.89
and he says, Lord, this is
not going to happen to him,
00:39:24.93\00:39:27.23
rebuking Jesus.
00:39:27.26\00:39:28.73
And what does
Jesus say to Peter?
00:39:28.76\00:39:30.67
"Get thee behind me, Satan."
00:39:30.70\00:39:34.84
So you can say, well,
maybe Peter is the guy
00:39:34.87\00:39:36.47
that's going to
deceive Jesus or betray Jesus.
00:39:36.50\00:39:39.87
But Judas is pretty
silent in the scriptures up
00:39:39.91\00:39:42.98
until the moment of
the end of his life,
00:39:43.01\00:39:46.28
of the life of Jesus,
and then he takes action.
00:39:46.31\00:39:49.82
You see God works on people,
and I'll say this to you.
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.76
If you've ever seen somebody
fall into some great sin,
00:39:53.79\00:39:58.16
the person does not
fall suddenly into great sin.
00:39:58.19\00:40:01.10
He has taken little baby steps,
00:40:01.13\00:40:03.16
little baby steps to
get to that great sin
00:40:03.20\00:40:06.23
because the devil does that.
00:40:06.27\00:40:09.30
Takes little baby
steps, little baby steps,
00:40:09.34\00:40:11.11
and finally when the
person falls into that sin,
00:40:11.14\00:40:14.31
it's because he has
consented to the little things,
00:40:14.34\00:40:17.11
into the little things
00:40:17.15\00:40:18.48
and a great fall
comes upon the person
00:40:18.51\00:40:20.72
because they gave in.
00:40:20.75\00:40:22.52
And this is what
happened to Judas.
00:40:22.55\00:40:25.55
You see, Satan
is very deceptive.
00:40:25.59\00:40:27.82
I'm going to read to you
00:40:27.86\00:40:29.19
from the book
Great Controversy 528.
00:40:29.22\00:40:33.36
It says, "Satan can
present a counterfeit
00:40:33.40\00:40:36.50
so closely resembling the
truth that it deceives those
00:40:36.53\00:40:41.50
who are willing to be deceived,
00:40:41.54\00:40:44.41
who desire to
shun the self-denial
00:40:44.44\00:40:46.68
and sacrifice
demanded by the truth.
00:40:46.71\00:40:49.21
But it is impossible for him
00:40:49.24\00:40:52.85
to hold under his power one soul
00:40:52.88\00:40:56.25
who honestly
desires, at whatever cost,
00:40:56.28\00:40:59.15
to know the truth."
00:40:59.19\00:41:00.52
Isn't that wonderful?
00:41:00.56\00:41:02.46
Satan is able to deceive
00:41:02.49\00:41:03.83
those who are
willing to be deceived,
00:41:03.86\00:41:05.69
but those who
want to do God's will,
00:41:05.73\00:41:08.90
it is impossible for
Satan to deceive them.
00:41:08.93\00:41:12.63
It says, "Christ is
the truth and the light,
00:41:12.67\00:41:15.40
which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world."
00:41:15.44\00:41:18.71
He lights, Jesus, every person
that comes into the world.
00:41:18.74\00:41:21.94
That's John 1:9.
00:41:21.98\00:41:23.95
"The Spirit of
truth has been sent
00:41:23.98\00:41:26.01
to guide men into all truth.
00:41:26.05\00:41:28.18
And upon the
authority of the Son of God,
00:41:28.22\00:41:30.35
it is declared,
'Seek, and you shall find.'
00:41:30.39\00:41:33.76
'If any man will do His will,
he shall know the doctrine.'"
00:41:33.79\00:41:38.13
That's in Great Controversy 528.
00:41:38.16\00:41:40.50
If you do not have that
book, I encourage you to get it.
00:41:40.53\00:41:42.73
And not only get it but read it
00:41:42.76\00:41:45.13
because then it
will do you well.
00:41:45.17\00:41:49.37
I want to tell you this story
00:41:49.40\00:41:52.97
so that you understand
how deceptive the devil is.
00:41:53.01\00:41:56.61
Working at 3ABN, I
received a call one day
00:41:56.64\00:41:58.85
during a time that there
was a Bible reading program.
00:41:58.88\00:42:03.69
And the person that
was reading the Bible
00:42:03.72\00:42:07.39
caught the
attention of the caller.
00:42:07.42\00:42:09.29
He was a young man
00:42:09.32\00:42:11.76
and he wanted to
know who the person was.
00:42:11.79\00:42:15.73
And eventually as we talked,
00:42:15.76\00:42:17.43
he said that he
was a Satan worshipper.
00:42:17.47\00:42:22.34
And I said, "You
are a Satan worshipper?"
00:42:22.37\00:42:24.67
And I will say,
well, in my mind I said,
00:42:24.71\00:42:26.44
"Well, at least
he's watching 3ABN."
00:42:26.47\00:42:30.85
And as we continued talking
00:42:30.88\00:42:33.05
he said, he had a
priestess, a high priestess.
00:42:33.08\00:42:36.92
And he said, "You seem to
know a lot about the Bible.
00:42:36.95\00:42:40.16
I would like to
introduce you to her
00:42:40.19\00:42:41.69
because maybe you
can study together."
00:42:41.72\00:42:47.36
Well, as we continued talking,
00:42:47.40\00:42:50.20
he told me that
he had been taught
00:42:50.23\00:42:55.17
that in the end time
there is no hell for them.
00:42:55.20\00:43:01.08
It is just endless
enjoying themselves,
00:43:01.11\00:43:04.55
party after party, just
enjoying the rest of time.
00:43:04.58\00:43:10.65
And I said to him,
"This is a great deception.
00:43:10.69\00:43:13.96
I'm sorry, but you
have been deceived."
00:43:13.99\00:43:16.09
And I took him
through a Bible study,
00:43:16.12\00:43:17.63
read some scriptures to
him to help him understand
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.70
that there is a lake of fire
and the devil and his angels
00:43:20.73\00:43:24.53
will be thrown
into the lake of fire.
00:43:24.57\00:43:26.07
And those that follow
the devil and his angels
00:43:26.10\00:43:28.67
will also go into the
lake of fire and there,
00:43:28.70\00:43:31.31
as the Bible says,
"The wages of sin is death,
00:43:31.34\00:43:34.21
eventually they will die."
00:43:34.24\00:43:35.58
There is no party I
told him, there is no party.
00:43:35.61\00:43:38.95
"Oh, I didn't
know that," he said.
00:43:38.98\00:43:41.32
And so you see the
Bible is a lamp unto our feet.
00:43:41.35\00:43:44.69
And this is why the
devil wants to keep people
00:43:44.72\00:43:47.22
away from the Bible
00:43:47.26\00:43:48.69
because he reveals who he is
00:43:48.72\00:43:50.53
and it reveals the
truth concerning him.
00:43:50.56\00:43:54.43
Now when we look to
Luke 22, Luke 22:3 and 4,
00:43:54.46\00:43:58.87
we enter into a different
phase of the work of the devil.
00:43:58.90\00:44:04.87
Luke 22:3 and 4, the Bible says,
00:44:04.91\00:44:07.44
"Then entered Satan
into Judas surname Iscariot,
00:44:07.48\00:44:11.48
being of the
number of the twelve.
00:44:11.51\00:44:13.92
And he went his way
00:44:13.95\00:44:15.32
and communed with the
chief priests and captains
00:44:15.35\00:44:17.75
how he might
betray Him unto them."
00:44:17.79\00:44:22.82
Question.
00:44:22.86\00:44:25.39
Is there any scripture
00:44:25.43\00:44:26.76
that says that
Jesus was unkind to Judas?
00:44:26.80\00:44:29.86
Any scripture that says
00:44:29.90\00:44:31.23
that Jesus did him
some harm at any time,
00:44:31.27\00:44:35.10
that Jesus
mistreated him in anyway?
00:44:35.14\00:44:38.54
There is no scripture.
00:44:38.57\00:44:39.91
Jesus only did Judas good.
00:44:39.94\00:44:44.48
But because Judas refused
00:44:44.51\00:44:46.92
to follow the
teachings of Jesus,
00:44:46.95\00:44:49.05
even though he sat at his feet
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.22
and even had
close conversations,
00:44:51.25\00:44:54.46
just Jesus and the disciples,
00:44:54.49\00:44:57.96
Judas had as
much of an opportunity
00:44:57.99\00:45:01.00
to do right as the others.
00:45:01.03\00:45:02.86
But he rebelled and
rebelled and rebelled
00:45:02.90\00:45:06.27
and accepted and
accepted and accepted
00:45:06.30\00:45:09.64
that insinuations that
the deceptions of the devil,
00:45:09.67\00:45:14.38
the lies of the devil,
00:45:14.41\00:45:15.98
that eventually
he opened the door
00:45:16.01\00:45:19.31
for this to happen
00:45:19.35\00:45:20.85
because it says the
devil entered into Judas,
00:45:20.88\00:45:24.19
that means he was
possessed by a devil.
00:45:24.22\00:45:28.12
And this is a
condition that one can get into
00:45:28.16\00:45:32.46
when one continues to
do evil, evil, evil, evil.
00:45:32.49\00:45:39.20
And so perhaps
today we look around
00:45:39.23\00:45:41.30
and you might say, well,
00:45:41.34\00:45:42.67
I've never run into
anyone possessed by a devil.
00:45:42.70\00:45:44.84
You might think you
haven't, but perhaps you have.
00:45:44.87\00:45:48.34
It seems that you read
00:45:48.38\00:45:50.28
the whole Old
Testament scriptures
00:45:50.31\00:45:52.68
and you don't see the
type of demon possession
00:45:52.71\00:45:56.45
described in the New Testament.
00:45:56.48\00:45:59.59
But you see there
was increased activity
00:45:59.62\00:46:02.29
as Jesus came on the scene.
00:46:02.32\00:46:04.89
Why?
00:46:04.93\00:46:06.39
Because the Lord, God sent Jesus
00:46:06.43\00:46:10.03
to deliver the captives.
00:46:10.07\00:46:13.97
And those that were
bound imprisoned by the devil.
00:46:14.00\00:46:17.87
And so there's gonna be
increased demonic activity
00:46:17.91\00:46:21.28
in the last days.
00:46:21.31\00:46:23.55
And because it seems that
God's people are powerless,
00:46:23.58\00:46:28.88
weak, asleep,
00:46:28.92\00:46:31.65
God does not allow them
to encounter these things
00:46:31.69\00:46:33.82
because they will be overwhelmed
00:46:33.86\00:46:36.32
and could not handle it.
00:46:36.36\00:46:38.53
I would say to you
that there is a danger.
00:46:38.56\00:46:43.33
So how is it that
people can be possessed?
00:46:43.37\00:46:48.87
Let's look into this.
00:46:48.90\00:46:50.24
Let's continue reading
in Matthew 16:20 and onward,
00:46:50.27\00:46:53.48
Matthew 16:20 and onward.
00:46:53.51\00:46:55.61
"Then charged he his disciples
that they should tell no man
00:46:55.64\00:46:59.18
that he was Jesus the Christ.
00:46:59.21\00:47:01.15
From that time forth began
00:47:01.18\00:47:02.92
Jesus to show unto his disciples
00:47:02.95\00:47:05.09
how that he must
go unto Jerusalem,
00:47:05.12\00:47:07.06
and suffer many
things of the elders
00:47:07.09\00:47:08.76
and chief priests and scribes
00:47:08.79\00:47:10.33
and be killed and be
raised again the third day.
00:47:10.36\00:47:14.53
Then Peter took him,
and began to rebuke him,
00:47:14.56\00:47:17.40
saying, 'Be it
far from thee, Lord,
00:47:17.43\00:47:19.43
this shall not be unto thee.'
00:47:19.47\00:47:24.01
But he turned," that is
Jesus, "and said unto Peter,
00:47:24.04\00:47:27.58
'Get thee behind me, Satan,
00:47:27.61\00:47:30.25
for thou art an offence unto me,
00:47:30.28\00:47:33.21
for thou
savourest not the things
00:47:33.25\00:47:35.45
that be of God but
those that be of men.'
00:47:35.48\00:47:38.25
Then said Jesus
unto his disciples,
00:47:38.29\00:47:39.92
'If any man will come after me,
00:47:39.95\00:47:42.02
let him deny himself
00:47:42.06\00:47:43.56
and take up his
cross and follow me.'"
00:47:43.59\00:47:46.70
What happened here?
00:47:46.73\00:47:49.53
A mistaken sympathy for Jesus,
00:47:49.56\00:47:53.54
Peter spoke this way
because of his love for Jesus
00:47:53.57\00:47:56.50
but the devil deceived
him and the devil used him.
00:47:56.54\00:48:01.01
And when Jesus says,
"Get thee behind me, Satan.
00:48:01.04\00:48:03.91
Who is he talking to?
00:48:03.95\00:48:05.78
It is a warning for
Peter to let him know
00:48:05.81\00:48:08.25
that the devil is using you,
00:48:08.28\00:48:09.95
but Jesus is
talking to the devil.
00:48:09.98\00:48:13.32
So there is no evidence
00:48:13.36\00:48:17.66
that Peter was
possessed by a devil.
00:48:17.69\00:48:20.46
And I bring you this
scripture to help you understand
00:48:20.50\00:48:22.83
that people can
be used by the devil,
00:48:22.86\00:48:26.33
but they don't necessarily have
to be possessed by the devil.
00:48:26.37\00:48:30.14
If that's clear, say amen.
00:48:30.17\00:48:31.61
Amen. Amen.
00:48:31.64\00:48:33.01
Okay, so I say to
you demon possession,
00:48:33.04\00:48:36.48
or devil possession occurs
00:48:36.51\00:48:39.21
when a person
continues to do evil
00:48:39.25\00:48:41.48
despite the fact that God
has tried over and over again,
00:48:41.52\00:48:45.35
over and over again to
lead the person to repentance
00:48:45.39\00:48:48.26
and the person
continues to say no, to say no.
00:48:48.29\00:48:52.09
Let's look at
some scriptures quickly
00:48:52.13\00:48:53.66
to help us understand this
00:48:53.70\00:48:55.13
and we may have to
do a part two on this.
00:48:55.16\00:48:58.57
In James 4:7 and
8, James 4:7 and 8.
00:48:58.60\00:49:02.57
The Bible says, "Submit
yourselves therefore to God.
00:49:02.60\00:49:06.74
Resist the devil, and
he will flee from you."
00:49:06.78\00:49:11.01
Praise the Lord.
00:49:11.05\00:49:12.38
"Draw near to God, and
he will draw near to you.
00:49:12.41\00:49:15.48
Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners, and purify your hearts,
00:49:15.52\00:49:18.95
ye double minded."
00:49:18.99\00:49:22.19
Praise the Lord. So
what do we have here?
00:49:22.22\00:49:24.69
This scripture reveals to us
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.46
that when we
submit ourselves to God,
00:49:27.50\00:49:32.73
God working in us, we
are able to resist the devil.
00:49:32.77\00:49:37.04
And what will the devil do?
00:49:37.07\00:49:38.97
Flee from us
because he gains no ground.
00:49:39.01\00:49:44.11
And that's why we need
to do what verse 8 says,
00:49:44.15\00:49:46.72
"Draw near to God and
God will draw near to us."
00:49:46.75\00:49:50.72
And it says,
"Cleanse your hands,
00:49:50.75\00:49:52.75
ye sinners, and
purify your hearts,
00:49:52.79\00:49:54.32
ye double minded."
00:49:54.36\00:49:55.69
That means that we have a
work to do in putting away sin
00:49:55.72\00:49:59.83
and the things that
will lead us to sin.
00:49:59.86\00:50:02.76
That's a part
that we have to do.
00:50:02.80\00:50:04.63
God does not do
that part for us.
00:50:04.67\00:50:07.24
We must do that
part for ourselves.
00:50:07.27\00:50:09.20
When God reveals to us
that we're doing wrong,
00:50:09.24\00:50:12.67
it is our duty to cooperate
with God to put away the evil,
00:50:12.71\00:50:16.64
to put away the wrong.
00:50:16.68\00:50:18.68
Because if we continue
pursuing the evil desires
00:50:18.71\00:50:21.52
and evil things that we do,
we are in danger of the devil
00:50:21.55\00:50:25.05
taking us deeper
and deeper and deeper
00:50:25.09\00:50:27.42
and can lead us into
being possessed by the devil.
00:50:27.46\00:50:31.86
Let's look into 1 Samuel 16:13.
00:50:31.89\00:50:35.60
1 Samuel 16:13, we're
gonna read 13 through 15.
00:50:35.63\00:50:39.83
1 Samuel 16:13-15.
00:50:39.87\00:50:42.20
The Bible says, "Then
Samuel took the horn of oil
00:50:42.24\00:50:45.87
and anointed him in
the midst of his brethren,"
00:50:45.91\00:50:47.81
that is David,
00:50:47.84\00:50:49.18
"and the Spirit of
the Lord came upon David
00:50:49.21\00:50:51.58
from that day forward.
00:50:51.61\00:50:52.95
So Samuel rose up,
and went to Ramah."
00:50:52.98\00:50:55.88
Now verse 14 reveals,
00:50:55.92\00:50:57.89
"But the Spirit of the
Lord departed from Saul,
00:50:57.92\00:51:00.62
and an evil spirit
from the Lord troubled him.
00:51:00.66\00:51:03.53
And Saul's servants
said to him, behold now,
00:51:03.56\00:51:06.13
an evil spirit
from God troubleth thee,
00:51:06.16\00:51:09.86
or troubleth him."
00:51:09.90\00:51:11.37
Now people read this scripture
00:51:11.40\00:51:12.73
and think that God
sends evil spirits to people.
00:51:12.77\00:51:17.31
I hope to be
able to clarify this
00:51:17.34\00:51:19.81
because God does
not send evil spirits.
00:51:19.84\00:51:22.24
What this scripture is
saying that God allowed
00:51:22.28\00:51:25.95
the evil spirit to come to Saul
00:51:25.98\00:51:27.98
because Saul continued
to pursue an evil course,
00:51:28.02\00:51:32.15
a life of evil and continued
to reject God's counsel,
00:51:32.19\00:51:36.32
continued to say no
00:51:36.36\00:51:39.89
to the Lord leading
him in the right path,
00:51:39.93\00:51:42.50
leading him to repentance.
00:51:42.53\00:51:43.87
And he continued doing
his own thing, his own desire,
00:51:43.90\00:51:46.47
his own evil ways,
00:51:46.50\00:51:47.84
and that he opened the door
00:51:47.87\00:51:50.14
for the devil to take
control of Saul, King Saul.
00:51:50.17\00:51:53.81
We're talking about King Saul.
00:51:53.84\00:51:55.61
So you see I read to you
from Volume 1 Mind, Character,
00:51:55.64\00:52:01.88
And Personality page 26.
00:52:01.92\00:52:06.15
It's very simple, it says,
"Satan cannot touch the mind
00:52:06.19\00:52:10.33
or intellect unless
we yield it to him."
00:52:10.36\00:52:15.23
You see to anyone
that is following Jesus
00:52:15.26\00:52:20.34
because Jesus says,
"If any man will follow me,
00:52:20.37\00:52:22.27
if you choose to follow me,
00:52:22.30\00:52:23.67
let him take up his
cross daily and follow me."
00:52:23.71\00:52:26.24
If any man is following
Jesus and that is his desire,
00:52:26.27\00:52:30.88
that is his desire,
00:52:30.91\00:52:32.51
that person cannot be
possessed by the devil.
00:52:32.55\00:52:35.22
Why?
00:52:35.25\00:52:36.58
Because the angel of the
Lord encampeth round about him
00:52:36.62\00:52:39.62
and delivers him.
00:52:39.65\00:52:41.62
You see, danger comes
when we resist the Lord,
00:52:41.66\00:52:47.36
reject the Lord,
and continue to do evil,
00:52:47.40\00:52:50.57
we place ourselves in danger.
00:52:50.60\00:52:52.03
And when the Holy
Spirit, after we sin,
00:52:52.07\00:52:55.17
tries to lead us to repentance,
00:52:55.20\00:52:57.31
we don't repent
and we do it again
00:52:57.34\00:52:59.77
and we do it again.
00:52:59.81\00:53:01.14
And the Lord through
His great love for us
00:53:01.18\00:53:03.71
tries to lead us to
repentance and we don't repent,
00:53:03.75\00:53:08.05
our heart becomes
harder and harder,
00:53:08.08\00:53:10.75
and the
impressions of God become,
00:53:10.79\00:53:14.02
in our minds, weaker and weaker
00:53:14.06\00:53:17.13
because we're listening
more and more to the devil
00:53:17.16\00:53:19.09
than to the Lord.
00:53:19.13\00:53:20.83
We are increasing,
increasing in danger
00:53:20.86\00:53:24.20
of becoming
possessed by the devil.
00:53:24.23\00:53:27.14
Let's go look at some scriptures
00:53:27.17\00:53:28.50
that help us understand that.
00:53:28.54\00:53:30.37
You see what happened to
Paul is that he did not repent
00:53:30.41\00:53:32.94
and continued
to follow the Lord.
00:53:32.97\00:53:34.61
In Galatians 6:7, I'm going
to have to read this to you.
00:53:34.64\00:53:37.08
Galatians 6:7,
00:53:37.11\00:53:38.51
"Be not deceived,
God is not mocked,
00:53:38.55\00:53:41.25
for whatsoever a man soweth,
that he also shall reap."
00:53:41.28\00:53:45.72
King Saul reaped the results
of an evil course of action,
00:53:45.75\00:53:51.39
daily doing evil instead
of daily following the Lord.
00:53:51.43\00:53:55.16
You see when sin
becomes the dominating desire
00:53:55.20\00:53:57.97
and occupies the majority
of your thoughts and actions,
00:53:58.00\00:54:01.54
you are in danger of
being possessed by a devil.
00:54:01.57\00:54:05.27
Let's look at
Jeremiah 6, Jeremiah 6:16-19,
00:54:05.31\00:54:10.35
Jeremiah 6:16-19, this
is what the Bible says.
00:54:10.38\00:54:14.08
"Thus saith the Lord,
Stand ye in the ways, and see,
00:54:14.12\00:54:18.72
and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way,
00:54:18.75\00:54:23.09
and walk therein,
00:54:23.12\00:54:24.46
and ye shall find
rest for your souls.
00:54:24.49\00:54:26.76
But they said, We
will not walk therein."
00:54:26.80\00:54:29.90
You see God is appealing
to them to walk in his ways
00:54:29.93\00:54:33.13
but they say we
will not walk therein,
00:54:33.17\00:54:34.60
we're not going to do that.
00:54:34.64\00:54:36.00
"Also, I set
watchmen over you, saying,
00:54:36.04\00:54:38.34
Hearken to the
sound of the trumpet.
00:54:38.37\00:54:41.34
But they said, We
will not hearken."
00:54:41.38\00:54:43.65
In other words, God
continues to appeal,
00:54:43.68\00:54:45.71
and they said we
are not gonna do that.
00:54:45.75\00:54:47.75
Verse 18,
"Therefore hear, ye nations,
00:54:47.78\00:54:49.98
and know, O congregation,
what is among them.
00:54:50.02\00:54:53.15
Hear, O earth, behold,
00:54:53.19\00:54:54.86
I will bring
evil upon this people,
00:54:54.89\00:54:57.19
even the fruit of their thoughts
00:54:57.23\00:55:00.50
because they have not
hearkened unto my words,
00:55:00.53\00:55:03.40
nor to my law, but rejected it."
00:55:03.43\00:55:06.47
You see the people of Israel
00:55:06.50\00:55:07.84
at this point in time
were rejecting the Lord.
00:55:07.87\00:55:09.57
So the Lord had no other choice
00:55:09.60\00:55:11.61
but to allow them to
reap what they sowed.
00:55:11.64\00:55:15.81
If you
understand this, say amen.
00:55:15.84\00:55:17.51
Amen.
00:55:17.55\00:55:18.88
Let's move quickly to Ezekiel,
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.25
perhaps we can get
these two verses in
00:55:20.28\00:55:22.32
before our time is over.
00:55:22.35\00:55:23.69
Ezekiel 39:23,
Ezekiel 39:23 and 24.
00:55:23.72\00:55:28.39
The Bible says, "And
the heathen shall know
00:55:28.42\00:55:30.83
that the house of
Israel went into captivity
00:55:30.86\00:55:34.60
for their iniquity
00:55:34.63\00:55:36.87
because they
trespassed against me,
00:55:36.90\00:55:39.60
therefore I hid
my face from them
00:55:39.63\00:55:42.37
and gave them into
the hand of their enemies,
00:55:42.40\00:55:44.94
so fell they all by the sword.
00:55:44.97\00:55:47.84
According to their uncleanness
00:55:47.88\00:55:50.21
and according to
their transgressions
00:55:50.25\00:55:52.75
have I done unto them
and hid my face from them."
00:55:52.78\00:55:56.99
So you see this
00:55:57.02\00:55:58.35
because a continued pursuing
of an evil course of action
00:55:58.39\00:56:03.59
that God has to
say, you have chosen,
00:56:03.63\00:56:06.83
this is what you have chosen,
00:56:06.86\00:56:08.56
you can then
continue in that direction
00:56:08.60\00:56:12.00
and the person opens
the door to the devil
00:56:12.03\00:56:14.67
because that's what
they have chosen to do,
00:56:14.70\00:56:16.34
and the devil can come
in and control the mind.
00:56:16.37\00:56:20.74
We have some good
news to share with you
00:56:20.78\00:56:22.41
but maybe in the next program
00:56:22.44\00:56:23.78
we'll elaborate
more into this area.
00:56:23.81\00:56:26.05
But know this, Romans 6:16,
00:56:26.08\00:56:29.48
we can get this one in
before our time is over.
00:56:29.52\00:56:31.29
Roman 6:16.
00:56:31.32\00:56:32.65
"Know ye not
00:56:32.69\00:56:34.02
that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey,
00:56:34.06\00:56:37.33
his servants you
are to whom you obey,
00:56:37.36\00:56:39.93
whether of sin unto death
00:56:39.96\00:56:41.70
or of obedience
unto righteousness."
00:56:41.73\00:56:43.97
So you see we all
have choices to make.
00:56:44.00\00:56:45.73
We can all choose to
obey God and follow Him
00:56:45.77\00:56:49.24
and receive the
blessings of obedience,
00:56:49.27\00:56:52.04
the blessings that
God has to give us.
00:56:52.07\00:56:54.38
Or if we choose the devil's way,
00:56:54.41\00:56:57.18
we become his slave, do his will
00:56:57.21\00:57:01.18
and we are not only in danger
00:57:01.22\00:57:04.52
of reaping the
results of our evil ways
00:57:04.55\00:57:08.22
when the wages of
sin will be death,
00:57:08.26\00:57:10.26
when that time comes,
but here on this earth,
00:57:10.29\00:57:13.50
we may become
puppets of the devil
00:57:13.53\00:57:15.90
to do whatever
the devil desires.
00:57:15.93\00:57:18.67
But even for the people
that are possessed by devils,
00:57:18.70\00:57:21.70
there is hope.
00:57:21.74\00:57:23.07
And that's what we
want to explain to you,
00:57:23.10\00:57:25.01
there is hope in Jesus
00:57:25.04\00:57:26.68
because the
Bible says many times
00:57:26.71\00:57:28.64
that Jesus drove demons out.
00:57:28.68\00:57:31.21
And perhaps in the
next time we're together,
00:57:31.25\00:57:33.11
when I'm present,
00:57:33.15\00:57:34.48
we will deal with
this aspect of this study
00:57:34.52\00:57:36.79
how the Lord can deliver
people from demon possession,
00:57:36.82\00:57:40.09
how the Lord delivers
people from evil spirits.
00:57:40.12\00:57:42.89
And the clue to protect yourself
00:57:42.92\00:57:46.90
against these things
00:57:46.93\00:57:48.26
is to open the
door to Jesus every day.
00:57:48.30\00:57:50.33
Jesus says, "If any
man will come after Me,
00:57:50.37\00:57:52.53
let him take up his cross,"
00:57:52.57\00:57:54.30
how often,
"daily and follow Me."
00:57:54.34\00:57:56.57
When we do this, Jesus says,
00:57:56.60\00:57:58.97
"My peace will I give unto you."
00:57:59.01\00:58:00.84
And so I encourage you to
accept the peace of Jesus.
00:58:00.88\00:58:04.15