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Spirits From Other Worlds Buy this item Now!
Hebrews 1:14
Spirits from other worlds do visit this earth. They are continually
going back and forth and have sometimes been seen by men. These
super-dimensional space visitors have the uncanny ability to appear
and disappear at will. They have interfered in the affairs of
government, family and personal lives from time to time. It is now
known that they have dramatically affected the rise and fall of
nations for almost 6,000 years of human history. Coming from another
space galaxy and not being subject to the restrictions of time or
distance, these amazing creatures have literally "occupied" this
planet, and with their mysterious extrasensory powers they have
transcribed and preserved the most classified secrets of men and
governments.
Who are these visiting spirits from outer space? Do they come as
friends or enemies? For what purpose do they make a record of our
most secret transactions? Are they connected with the hundreds of
UFO sightings around the world? The answers to these questions could
very well determine our attitude toward these very real beings who
surround us each day.
First, let me assure you that these celestial visitors do not travel
by means of swift, silent, cigar-shaped rocket ships. UFOs, whatever
else they might be, are not the vehicles for these extraordinary
creatures. They are spirits. This much is confirmed by the most
reliable document in the world today - God's holy Bible.
Please notice that His Book speaks about spirits in a variety of
connotations, just as we use the word in our modern vocabulary. We
refer to an individual as a "guiding spirit" in the community.
Alcoholic beverages are called "spirits" of liquor, and imaginary
ghosts are said to be "spirits." In the same manner, the Bible
refers to God as "Spirit," and the angels are also called
"ministering spirits." Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation?" Here we also find spirits who visit this earth from time
to time; they are angels who continually minister to the needs of
God's people. With exceeding speed and power they hurry from heaven
to earth to carry out God's biddings in behalf of men.
Before proceeding further, let us clarify some false impressions
that have been held by many regarding the angels. Mothers have been
known to tell their children that if they would be good, someday
they could be angels in heaven. Is it true that the angels are
actually the spirits of the dead? Do the godly mothers of this earth
turn into angels when they die? The answer is emphatically NO! First
of all, we know that there were angels before anyone had died among
the human family. They do not depend for their existence upon the
death of mortals. "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the
east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which
turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Genesis
3:24.
Furthermore, the Scriptures make it clear that angels were made
before man and they belong to a different order of beings. Psalm
8:4, 5: "What is man, that thou are mindful of him? and the son of
man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." The
fact is that we can never hope to be an angel. Even though we belong
to the same great family of God, there is a difference of order
which separates the earthly from the heavenly members of that
family.
Where did the angels come from if they are not related to earthly
beings? The answer is found in Colossians 1:16, 17. "For by him were
all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for
him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
They were created by God. Sometime in the eternity of the past,
before the creation of this world, they were formed by the power of
God. Apparently, there are various types of good angels among the
heavenly host. Psalm 99:1 describes the cherubim with their two
wings arched over the very throne of God. Isaiah 6:1-7 speaks of
seraphim who have six wings and seem to have separate duties to
perform. But one fact stands out clearly - none of them are
disembodied spirits. They are real beings who simply possess powers
that you and I do not have. In Genesis 18:1-8, we are told that some
angels appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre. With typical
eastern hospitality, Abraham prepared a meal for his guests, and the
record says, "He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat."
Now, if they had been bodiless spirits, this act of eating would
have been an impossibility. They had just as real bodies as you and
I have. We find no evidence that these heavenly visitors are
indefinite, formless, vacuous objects. The Bible reveals that they
have personality, knowledge, etc. 1 Peter 1:12 says, "Which things
the angels desire to look into." Then again in 2 Samuel 14:20 we
read, "According to the wisdom of an angel of God."
If they are real beings, some might ask, why cannot we see them? How
many believe that a glass of water is full of little wiggling bits
of life? Of course, we all believe it. That water is full of germ
life, and if we could look at a drop through the microscope right
now, it would come alive with movement. There are lots of things
that are real that we cannot see or hear. The room where you sit is
full of voices of all kinds. Music is filling the room at this very
moment, but you cannot hear it. All we need to do is bring in a
radio and turn it on. Immediately we can hear these sounds which
fill the air. The fact that we cannot see or hear a thing is no
proof that it does not exist.
The truth is that men have seen angels, and even animals have seen
them. In Numbers 22:20-33 a certain man by the name of Balaam was
riding along one day on his donkey. The animal suddenly stopped in
its tracks in a narrow place between two walls. Even though Balaam
beat the donkey unmercifully, it refused to move because its eyes
were opened to an angel standing there. In a few moments Balaam saw
the angel also, and he realized why the animal had not moved
forward.
One reason why angels are not seen more often by men is because of
the kind of nature we have. In Revelation 22:8.9, we read: "And I
John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and
seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which
shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not:
for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of
them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." Here the
great prophet John had to be rebuked for trying to worship an angel.
If their supernatural glory had such an effect upon that man of God,
what would our reaction be? If God permitted them to make general
appearances to men, in their glory, they would become objects of
adoration and worship. Generally, the special appearance of angels
in the earth today is in the form of human beings. Said the apostle
in Hebrews 13:2, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares." You have probably
encountered an angel in the form of a stranger without realizing it.
Angels then, should not be worshiped, but we ought to have a full
appreciation of their power. Sometimes they are commissioned from
God to visit judgments upon the wicked. One notable example of this
is found in the experience of an Assyrian army which defied the God
of Heaven in the Old Testament. During the night, one angel of death
came down among the soldiers and the next morning 185,000 Assyrians
were found dead. This is in sharp contrast to the usual work of
protection carried out by the angelic messengers. But we must
remember that it is toward those who fear God that angels minister
with greatest power. Psalm 34:7 tells us, "The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."
The angels are so real that they have actually been seen. Let us
read this experience found in 2 Kings 6:15-17: "And when the servant
of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host
compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant
said unto him, Alas my master! how shall we do? And he answered,
Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with
them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes,
that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and
he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of
fire round about Elisha."
I want to point out now that angels are in close touch with members
of the human family. They watch the movements of humanity closely.
They know our first names. They know our surnames. They know our
occupations. They know where we live. They know whether or not we
pray. They know whether or not we support God's work. They know all
these details. In Acts 10 it tells how the angel of God came to
Cornelius and told him that his prayers and his alms had come up as
a sweet savor before God. Now listen to what the angel said: "Thy
prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Now
send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside:
He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Acts 10:4-6. The angel
knew Peter's given name; the angel knew his surname; the angel knew
where he lived; the angel knew that Cornelius prayed; and that he
gave alms to God.
The angelic beings know the same details about your life and mine.
Our complete life record is open to them, because they follow us
from the cradle to the grave. Each individual has a guardian angel
who seeks to influence him in the right way. He also guards us from
a thousand dangers along the road of life. Matthew 18:10: "Take heed
that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you,
That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father
which is in heaven." How else could we explain the miraculous
intervention of unseen powers to deliver us from harm? Occasionally
we realize their ministering presence, but usually we are
unconscious of the multitude of their services.
Once I was driving my car along on a busy highway. I had been
driving for 1,000 miles without sleep or rest. It was an emergency
trip, and I was traveling alone. Drowsiness overtook me. Suddenly,
my head came up with a start, and I realized that the scenery was
changed. I had been asleep. I don't know how long the car had been
guided by other hands, but even a few seconds' lapse is enough to
lose control of a speeding car. Yet everything was under perfect
control. Who guided the car while I slept? Who but an angel
protector could have saved me during that time? What a thrill it
will be some day to talk to the guardian angel who has been with us
during our life on earth. Then we can learn about the countless
unconscious sweeps we had with death, and how the angels saved us.
I would like you to notice, too, that the angels as a heavenly
company are distinguished from a race. Here are the words of Jesus
found in Matthew 22:30: "For in the resurrection they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
The angels are not developed from one original stock as is the case
of man. There is no common nature that binds the angels together as
is the case with the race of men. It is quite evident that angels
are the administrative assistants of heaven's government. Let us
read what it says here in Revelation 5:11: "And I beheld, and I
heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts
and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands." And the Old Testament
confirms this in Daniel 7:9,10: "I beheld till the thrones were cast
down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as
snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was
like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream
issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered
unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the
judgment was set, and the books were opened."
The angelic host is made up of various ranks. Paul writes of
"thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers" in Colossians
1:16: "For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones,
or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
by him, and for him." Then Jesus said, "Thinkest thou that I cannot
now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than
twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:53. These words suggest the
organization of an army.
We need to be aware of the fact that angels many times meet us on
the highways of life for various purposes. It is related that just
before the great struggle of his life the angels of God met Jacob. I
refer to Genesis 32:1, where it says, "And Jacob went on his way,
and the angels of God met him." It is not related that Jacob had any
conversation with them. But their coming at this particular time
must have had but one purpose - to reassure Jacob of God's interest
in him.
Then sometimes I find that God's angels come as rescuers. It was
rescuing angels who went to Sodom and led Lot and his family out of
that wicked city before it was destroyed. How clearly this incident
shows the tenacity and persistence of God's mercy. Let us read
Genesis 19:15, 16: "And when the morning arose, then the angels
hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters,
which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the
hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord
being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him
without the city."
Then, I notice that God sends His angels of comfort and consolation
to those who love Him and try to do His will. After Christ had spent
forty days in the wilderness with the wild beasts and had endured
the temptations of the devil, angels came and strengthened Him and
comforted Him, as we read in Matthew 4:11, "Then the devil leaveth
him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him." Then, again,
in the dark hour of Christ's anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, an
angel ministered unto Him as we read in Luke 22:43: "And there
appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
So, God sends His angels to His people now. No one can live an
entirely lonely life who walks the path of duty and lives a life of
prayer. To such, God will send His angels to comfort them in their
sorest time of need. He who sent His angel to Paul through the
midnight storm, to hunt him out in his chains on the Mediterranean
ship; and He who sent His angel to Peter in the dungeon to open all
the prison doors to him and lead him out to go free to his friends,
will not leave His true children of today without comfort and
consolation in trying hours.
Now for the story of a modern miracle, a story which has been
verified by several who were personally acquainted with the people
involved. Mrs. Dubay, of Anchorage, Alaska, was a dedicated
Christian who lived alone in a small cottage that was heated by a
wood-burning cook stove. At the time of this experience, she was
sick in bed, so badly crippled that she could scarcely walk. She had
depended on friends to bring in a fresh supply of wood for each day,
but on this particular morning no friends came to help her. She
realized that unless someone brought wood soon the fire would go out
and she would freeze to death. The temperature was 30ó ¢¥low zero that
February day. She began praying earnestly for help. Finally, as no
one appeared, the last of her wood was burned, the fire went out,
and the room grew cold. Then she prayed a different prayer - a
prayer of complete resignation, telling the Lord if it was His will,
she was willing to freeze to death. Just then, the door to her
cottage opened and a tall young man walked into the room carrying an
armful of wood. He carefully placed the wood in the wood bin and
began to remake the fire. He also filled the kettle with water and
placed it on the stove to heat. Then he went outside and soon
returned with another armload of wood. While performing this service
he kept his face turned to one side so that Mrs. Dubay could not see
him. She wanted to ask him whether he was an angel, but was
reluctant to do that. Finally, she asked the question inaudibly, and
then the young man turned toward her, smiled and nodded his head.
"His face was so noble that I knew he was not from this world," said
Mrs. Dubay. "He turned, opened the door and left me without saying a
word."
Was this man really an angel? I will let Mrs. Dubay give you her
conclusion. She says, "For a time I sat there like one turned to
stone. Finally, I thought, If he is an angel sent from God, there
will not be any footprints in the snow outside the door. So I forced
myself to hobble to the door, opened it and looked out on the
unruffled snow in my yard. There were no footprints in the snow.
Then I forced myself to lean against the side of the door casing and
looked around to my right to see whether the snow had been disturbed
where my wood was piled directly underneath my front window. No, the
snow had not been disturbed in the slightest bit, over or around my
little pile of wood. The snow was perfectly smooth and rounded just
as it always is after a snow storm. As I closed the door to my
little cabin, I knew that God did love me, and that in my extremity
He sent one of His holy angels to my assistance."
At this point, let us consider the solemn thought that angels also
make a record of our words and even our thoughts, and they will take
part in the great judgment scene as witnesses either for us or
against us. Read Daniel 7:9, 10: "I beheld till the thrones were
cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white
as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was
like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream
issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered
unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the
judgment was set, and the books were opened." Notice that books are
used in the judgment and innumerable angel witnesses are to have a
part. That guardian spirit who kept the record of our life will be
called on to present the books out of which we are to be judged.
What kind of testimony will they give about our lives? By the way,
you will have a lawyer to represent you in this heavenly court case.
Verse 13, "And, behold, one like the Son of man came . . . to the
Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him." "And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous." 1 John 2:1.
We must remember, however, that there are two kinds of angels, good
and bad. Hebrews 1:14 tells us that some are ministering spirits
sent to minister unto those who will be heirs of salvation, but in
the book of Ephesians it says that there are also wicked spirits.
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:11, 12. Now we
have two great hosts of beings. The good angels are ministering
spirits; the wicked angels are spirits of devils - one seeking our
salvation, the other seeking our destruction.
Almost 6,000 years ago, this earth was invaded by alien visitors
from another world. Their purpose was to frustrate plans for the
first real interplanetary space trip by earthlings.
The evil angels were those alien visitors to this planet. Satan and
his rebel followers were cast out of heaven and came to this earth
to continue their great controversy against God (Revelation 12:7-9).
Their unalterable purpose has been to frustrate the first real
interplanetary space journey that millions will soon make to the
paradise of God.
I want to point out today that heaven has done all it possibly can
to save you and me from eternal death. And if we insist on losing
our eternal salvation it will be in spite of all that God could have
done to save us from ourselves. Yes, all heaven is interested in our
salvation. Angels from the throne of God are far more anxious to see
you make a full surrender to Him and prepared for the eternal home
than you are yourself. Good angels seek our salvation; evil angels
seek our destruction. On which side are we going to cast our
influence today? No doubt Satan has commissioned an evil spirit or
angel to attend us through life with the purpose of destroying us.
We stand between the good and the bad, and our decision will
determine who shall have the upper hand in our lives. Let us choose
to serve God and know that He has charge of everything through His
ministering spirits, the angels.
Spirit Shadows Over America
No study of angels can be complete without considering the evil
ministry of fallen angels, also. The Word of God has some very
startling things to say about the evil spirits whose ranks comprise
the one-third of rebellious angels who were cast out of heaven. It
is this unholy confederacy which threatens to deceive the whole
world right now. The roots of every form of occultism are either
directly or indirectly related to the fallen angels. Demonism is the
manifestation of their activities through human channels.
Long, ominous shadows are lengthening across the face of America
today. They are being cast by a dozen different, specious forms of
occult spiritualism, and the tentacles of this fast-growing evil are
fastening a strange hold upon millions of devotees.
A few short years ago, the stories of apparitions and spirit forms
were not taken seriously by very many people. Rarely did the public
media see fit to reproduce the reports of frightening encounters
with "ghosts," either in the body or out. Today, scarcely a paper or
magazine can be found which does not cater to astrology, psychic
phenomena, or sensational supernaturalism.
Millions are now asking, Is it all delusion, or is it devils? Are
the apparitions real or imagined? What power lies behind the
confirmed accounts of materialized spirit forms?
The phenomena can no longer be ignored! The claims have come far too
close to every one of us. Hardly a person has escaped contact with
someone who has an incredible tale to tell about communication with
the dead.
Often the manifestations are anything but ghostly and sepulchral.
After their sudden appearance, the familiar forms of deceased
friends and relatives are recognized by distinctive clothes, voices
and mannerisms. Often they refer to closely guarded family secrets
and pass on verifiable information known only by one or two others
alive.
Some people have affirmed that they make no important decisions
without consulting a spiritualist medium who, in turn, supposedly
puts them in touch with the guiding spirits of the dead. Even high
government figures have confessed to consulting with such sources
before moving in matters of national interest.
Do we have reason for concern over this situation? Can these
supernatural agencies be depended upon to give safe and honorable
guidance?
And what about all the related forms of occultism whose tendrils
seem to intertwine every existing social structure of mankind today?
Satanism, witchcraft, ESP, hypnotism, Zen, astrology, voodoo, and a
dozen other so-called "mind sciences" purport to bring happiness and
success beyond imagination.
To answer these crucial questions we must uncover the foundations of
these mysterious movements. Let us be willing to face the
inescapable conclusion that there can be only two sources of
supernatural power in the world. Whether we believe in God or not,
and whether we believe in Satan or not, honest reason demands that
anything beyond the demonstrable, natural processes would have to
involve either the spiritual powers of a god or a devil.
If these insistent voices which have influenced empires truly
represent God's counsel, then we must rejoice over this growing
influence. On the other hand, if evil, satanic forces are producing
the phenomena, we are facing one of the most diabolical and
frightening schemes imaginable. What could be more self-delusive
than to be following demon voices in the belief that it was God's
voice?
Please take note that God's method of communicating to man is
through His Word: "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them
that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that
mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to
the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Isaiah 8:19, 20. Here, God tells us that knowledge beyond human
power should be gathered from His Word and not from familiar
spirits. But contrary to this instruction, millions today are
turning to modern sorcery and spiritualism for the answers to
problems.
Even some great church organizations are now ready to recommend this
avenue as a way of truth. Inroads are being made into vast religious
systems and some astounding sentiments are being expressed by
Protestant church leaders. The public has already been duly
impressed by some of these Protestant positions. Evidence of this
was seen during the war when Wanamaker's store in New York City sold
four out of every five books on the subject of spiritualism. One
Pittsburgh concern sold over fifteen hundred Ouija boards in one
week's time.
Before I cite some of these strange statements, let me ask, What is
the basis of the spiritualist doctrine? The answer is very short and
simple. It is fundamentally rooted in the idea that the dead are not
really dead at all but living in some other world of higher wisdom
and understanding. It also teaches that communication is carried on
between the living and the dead. Now, we shall learn just how
unbiblical and false this doctrine really is, but first, let us look
at an alarming statement in the Methodist monthly magazine,
Together. To a reader's question, "Shall we pray for the dead?" Dr.
Nall gave the following answer in the issue of May, 1956: "Why
should we not pray for them, even as we believe they must pray for
us. Prayer for the dead unites the church, visible and invisible, to
a timeless fellowship, binding us all, as Tennyson says, to God
Himself." Now, the very fact a prominent Protestant author would
give status and endorsement to such a view is a startling revelation
of the power of spiritualism.
Perhaps it is in England that the strongest pitch has been made to
favor this rising tide. Some time ago, the Church of England
appointed a committee to investigate the growing phenomenon of
spiritualism. Appointed by the archbishops, this committee was made
up of the nation's most eminent churchmen, educators, and lawyers.
After a two-year study, a report was made which shook the city of
London, and the whole country, for that matter. The major emphasis
of the report is reflected in this paragraph lifted out of it: "It's
necessary to keep clearly in mind that none of the fundamental
Christian obligations or values are in any way changed by our
acceptance of the possibility of communication with discarnate
spirits. Where these essential principles are borne in mind, those
who have the assurance they have been in touch with their departed
friends, may rightly accept the sense of enlargement and of unbroken
fellowship which it brings."
Perhaps this provides sufficient testimony to alert us that
spiritualism is shaping the thinking of Christian leaders to an
alarming degree today. But is this doctrine according to the law and
the testimony? How does all of this fit in with the teaching of
God's Word? What does the Bible have to say about it? Let us examine
some of the sources of spiritualism for a moment.
The fact is that it started in the Garden of Eden, and Satan
utilized the serpent medium. In Genesis 3:1-4, we read the story of
Eve's fall into sin. God had said that death would follow their
transgression, but Satan said to Eve, "Ye shall not surely die."
When Adam and Eve did die, Satan shrewdly tried to cover his lie.
Ever since that day, he has tried to make it appear that death is
not really death - that it is actually life, instead. Because Satan
used it to perpetuate his lie, God strictly forbade the practice of
necromancy or familiar spirits. Notice these statements from the
book of Leviticus. "Regard not them that have familiar spirits,
neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord
your God." Leviticus 19:31. Again, "A man also or woman that hath a
familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death."
Leviticus 20:27.
Now, why is God so opposed to this thing? Why such a severe penalty
for engaging in spiritualistic seances? Because it is a lie and it
is devil-inspired. It is unsound and antiscriptural throughout. And
God said: "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead
know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the
memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and
their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion
for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:5,
6. Again, describing death, God said, "His breath goeth forth, he
returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Psalm
146:4. Death is a sleep until the resurrection day, an unconscious,
dreamless sleep. Since the dead cannot possibly come back to speak
to their loved ones, how can we explain these mysterious appearances
of those who have died? Numerous instances could be cited of such
experiences where the exact form and voice was seen and heard. There
is only one possible source for such demonstrations. Satan is still
trying to sustain that lie which he told Eve. He is still trying to
prove there is no death. He appears in whatever form he chooses,
shrewdly imitating the characteristics of the dead. Such lying
wonders are well calculated to deceive and convince people that a
lie is actually the truth.
Notice how this work of Satan is described in God's Word: "Even him,
whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs
and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in
them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth,
that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie."
2 Thessalonians 2:9-11. Here we are told that the truth alone will
guard us from the signs and wonders of Satan's power. In 1 Timothy
4:1 we read of some in the last days who will give heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils. Finally, in Revelation 16:14 the
prophet describes "spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world."
Don't forget that the devil can work miracles (Revelation 16:14). He
can do things that we never will understand. Now we can begin to
understand why people have been so shaken up by the apparent
appearance of dead friends. After 6,000 years of observing human
behavior, Satan is able to counterfeit their forms and voices
cleverly. At psychological moments he takes advantage of
heartbroken, bereaved relatives to perpetuate his fraud. No wonder
God despises this evil and sentences its leaders to death by
stoning.
Flee from spiritualism. In the last days Satan will appear as an
angel of light and will seek to counterfeit the truth of God. But
remember, he is the father of lies (John 8:44). He was cast out of
heaven once because of that, and he is going to work mightily in
these days to deceive, to twist the truth, and try to lead us to
believe this great delusion. The dead are sleeping. They are not
conscious at all. There is no communication between the living and
the dead. Only by believing the Bible truth can we escape the
deceptions of Satanism.
With time running out and the end of the world at hand, Satan is
desperately working to revive the old, forbidden avenues by which he
can control people's lives. He has changed the names like wizards,
necromancy, and sorcerers to more acceptable titles like
spiritualism, astrology, hypnosis, and ESP. The devil can control a
human being only by being able to manipulate his mind and will. That
is why most of the modern counterfeits of Satan demand a yielding of
the mind. And that is why it is such an evil thing for any human
being to surrender his mind to the controlling influence of some
other person or power. If ever there was a time when men and women
needed all of their mental capacity and strength of will, it is now.
There is plenty of evidence at hand that the more a person's mental
processes are breached and controlled by someone else, the weaker
the will becomes, and the less power of decision can be exercised.
How delighted Satan must be to find the mental barriers relaxed and
often removed entirely. He can't force a single human will, but the
person can voluntarily give up his personal control. That means
someone else can take over. In hypnotism it is supposed to be taken
by the hypnotist who begins giving orders; in spiritualism the
spirits are invited to control the yielded mind; in astrology, the
mind bends to the belief that the stars are controlling life and
destiny. In every case, the devil has an opportunity to step into a
mind that has been voluntarily opened, and which is eagerly ready to
accept whatever guidance may be given. What more diabolical scheme
could ever be devised than this!
And by the way, to guarantee himself further access to other minds,
the devil is chuckling with glee over science tampering with human
genes trying to produce "programmed" people - people whose physical
and mental makeup is directed in the laboratory by the proper
preparation of test-tube genes. No wonder the Bible warns us over
and over to take heed of deception in these last days.
Now, someone is certain to raise the question right here about the
predictions of some of these modern prognosticators. Are they able
to foretell the future accurately? Are they true prophets? Do they
operate within the framework of the Bible? You see, the Bible itself
lays down a test for such professed prophets and clairvoyants. Here
it is in Isaiah 8:20: "To the law and to the testimony: if they
speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them." This means that those who are teaching and acting contrary to
the Scripture cannot be true prophets. There are false, as well as
true, prophets according to Jeremiah. Listen: "Therefore hearken not
ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor
to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers . . . For they prophesy a
lie unto you." Jeremiah 27:9, 10.
If these occult specialists could actually know the future, I can
tell you one thing - they would be billionaires by being able to
manipulate the stock market. By their foretelling of politics, they
would surely dictate the headlines of tomorrow's newspapers. But
this has not been the case. Eight hundred years before Christ was
born, the prophet Isaiah set up a divinely appointed test for those
pretending such power: "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring
forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let him bring
them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former
things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter
end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that
are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." Isaiah
41:21-23.
What about that test for today's predictors? God says, "Let them
show us what will happen" - not just once in a while - not 75
percent correct. A good guesser could do that - an astute politician
could be right that many times. No, if God is in it, it will always
be 100 percent correct. Neither Satan nor man can tell the future,
except on the basis of the past, and in the light of Bible prophecy.
But the very thing that men and evil spirits have never been able to
do, God has done again and again by His prophets.
Outside the Word of God no claims like these have ever been made and
fulfilled, either on a short-term or long-term basis. Here is where
the nonsense of astrology is most clearly revealed. Its absurd
generalizations and warnings, based on the supposed mysterious
influence of stars on human destiny, have never been proven to be
accurate. Millions can be cheered or dismayed by the implications of
the horoscope. Did you know that the Bible speaks directly to such
people? Listen to this in Jeremiah 10:2: "Thus saith the Lord, Learn
not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of
heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them."
There it is - an actual description of astrologers who become
fearful and dismayed over the signs of the heavens. Have you never
considered how insane it is to believe that those hard, cold chunks
of rocks in the distant heavens could influence your life? The old
pagan worshipers of the planets believed that their gods dwelt in
those stars, and the superstitious carryover has led 40 million
Americans to believe the fable.
What a time this is for people to trust in the God who made those
stars. The creature can never help us or hurt us, but the Creator
has a personal interest in everything He made. And His attention is
not given alone to the giant worlds that wheel and spin in their
orbits but to the smallest, weakest plant or animal that lives on
this planetary speck. How much more concerned He is with the human
family, created in His image, and ordained from all eternity to
glorify Him in the world. It is this same loving Creator-God who
guides the destiny of men, women, and children.
The astrological horoscope is a vain, empty cry towards dumb matter
which, itself, must be governed by the God who created it. To trust
in those dead stars and planets for direction is tantamount to
idolatry, because it places more trust in them than in the loving
God.
The truth is that all forms of new age, or occult, mysticism have
their foundation in the government of Satan. The Scriptures indicate
that he has organized levels of evil authority presided over by
legions of fallen angels. While God administers His program of life,
healing, and restoration through the messengers of light, Satan uses
evil angels to propagate confusion and deception.
What a picture of the great controversy as it is played out on a
cosmic scale and also in the lives of struggling individuals!
Spirits from another world are mobilizing forces beyond our
comprehension in preparation for the final engagement between good
and evil. Not one of us is an innocent bystander in this contest.
None can be neutral as the issues of truth and error separate the
inhabitants of planet earth into two mighty camps. With whose angels
will we cooperate? Where will our loyalties be placed? May God grant
that we shall be found at last on the side of those ministering
angels who will continue to be our companions throughout all
eternity, world without end.
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