By Pastor Ken Lent
There is nothing like time consuming distractions to prevent God's people from properly learning and teaching God's Laws for the family and nation. God's grace and laws are the backbone of His Kingdom. If we are not focused on and dedicated to this Scriptural principle we lose most if not all of our calling to be stewards for righteousness in the Earth. Trying to repel supposed invisible devils, haunting ghosts, so called psychic fields or sci-fi lizard people is worse than a distraction. It is embracing false doctrine of which the Scriptures have much to warn against.
God's written Word tells us that there is no Big Devil Demon, Satanic Cosmic Mind, or King Serpent Lizard Man who is The Prince of This World. These ever popular but imaginary "trouble makers" are not taught anywhere in God's Word. Even when the Scriptures do mention ‘satan’ that word has to be correctly defined. This is the Hebrew word saw-tawn, which means adversary and it is used in many different Scripture applications and verses. It is merely a regular normal noun. However, when the translators of our English Bible capitalized this word from ‘satan’ (adversary) to “Satan” then a personal identity was thrust into the dictionary definition of that word. But nonetheless, there surely is an evil presence that has been an adverse force against Godly righteousness since recorded time.
Therefore, what is this adversary (satan) that is the god and ‘prince of the world’? Centuries ago many people believed that vampires and werewolves were the "evil presence" that ruled the darkness of wickedness. Peculiar isn't it, that since we have come into the age of the space shuttle, home computers, and Captain Kirk, that vampires and werewolves have stopped their night attacks against the population at large. Now who has come out of the woodwork? Lizard serpents that can shape shift into human form, psychically dominate your sub-conscience, and are hundreds of years more technically advanced than the Earth people they are conquering by stealth. Yes, going "Hi-Tech" has produced some very worrisome adversaries. But, are these any more real than the now boring vampires and werewolves that have gone into hiding?
What does God's Word of truth tell us? Is the "evil prince" of this world a lizard god, a gigantic invisible psychic force, or a devil king? Let's open our Bibles to face the plain fact of what God has told us all along. The Scriptures clearly describe the adversary of righteousness as two things. 1) Sin in our flesh and 2) Wicked people who oppose God’s government. God Himself can be "an adversary" if He is against us when we deserve it.
The word superstition is used only once in the Scriptures at Acts 25:19. It is when Paul is contending with the chief priests and elders of the jews, and those corrupt priests were interrogating Paul about “certain questions against him of their own superstition” (see verses 2, 5, 15, 25). In line with God’s truth taught by Paul, that word we see as superstition here is the Greek word Dice-ee-daheee-mon-ee-ah, Strong’s Greek Dictionary reference #1174 and 1175, which specifically means “fear of demons” (at 1169, 1142). ‘Superstitious’ is used only once as well in Acts 17:22; from the same Greek root words at #1169 (fearful) of #1142 (demons). Are we then to believe in that jewish doctrine? And why does God’s Word in the original text refer to belief in evil spirit beings and/or entities and their forces as superstition, not to mention allowing this doctrine to evolve now into lizard psychic devil beings that are tailored to a 21st century sci-fi mindset?
For the truth seeking Christian, there is a great spiritual danger in letting one’s understanding be overcome by this false judaic/papal/sci-fi teaching. That danger is a subtle but effective sabotage in one’s heart, of the true reason why Christ came in the flesh, and of knowing the purpose of His salvation for us. God's Word consistently tells us that Jesus Christ came to destroy SIN that reigned in our flesh; and not to destroy an imaginary "serpent devil" or "psychic evil power."
It is upon this spiritual fact of being saved from sin that our salvation securely rests. When this truth is received, the door to defeating Christ’s very real adversaries, ungodly people who hate His government, becomes unlocked as well. As the Scriptures teach, Jesus has enemies that actually are living beings, but these are mortal people with wicked dispositions who can be dealt with appropriately by lawful means. They are not spirit beings with mysterious powers and they are not controlled by a "cosmic vibratory influence" that makes them do bad things. They are simply carnal mortals who hate God and God's Laws and act accordingly.
Scriptures lay out the salvation truth and the ‘Prince of this world’ concisely. A very short review of exactly what sort of ‘devil prince of darkness’ it was that Christ destroyed by His crucifixion on the Cross, is as follows: (this is by no means a complete study)
Hebrews 2:14 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He [Jesus] also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might DESTROY HIM that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Romans 6:6 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him [Jesus], that the body of SIN might be DESTROYED, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Furthermore, what does the Bible teach concerning that which is the cause of death, the power of death, which entered into the world? A fallen angel devil, or maybe a New Age cosmic evil force, or an alien lizard god that entered the world? No, none of these are the cause of our death and problems. It’s none other than sin:
Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man [Adam], sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Master.”
Plainly, as we see above, SIN (not an invisible devil entity) is the cause and power of death. But, "hold on" you might say, "my preacher says that The Devil is the Prince of this world". And just what is the ‘prince of this world’ that reigns in the evil of men’s hearts? Is this prince a literal Devil called Satan as some teach? Again, no. God’s Word itself explains its own symbolism. It is sin which is ‘the prince who reigned’ over the world:
John 12:27 (Jesus said) “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the PRINCE OF THIS WORLD be cast out.”
Praise God, the Scriptures teach that Christ came to cast out this "reigning prince", however this "prince" is the same thing that we just read in the verses above where Christ destroyed the "devil" at The Crucifixion, that is namely SIN.
Romans 5:21 "That as SIN HATH REIGNED unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Master."
Romans 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, HIS SERVANTS YE ARE to whom ye obey; WHETHER OF SIN unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (a really good example here of how the Bible personifies sin as a ruler, a reigning prince, and a “his”.
Plus the Scriptures further explain that this “devil” who was condemned by the Cross of Jesus Christ, by which Cross that “devil” was destroyed and taken away from “his” rule, is actually sin itself. This is the salvation of the sacrifice of Jesus -- His triumph over sin, personified by the term we know as "the Devil". Christ didn’t condemn and destroy a spirit Devil or a lizard invader, rather He condemned and defeated sin for us:
Romans 8:3 "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:"
1 John 3:5 "And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin."
Yes, dear Christian brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh for the purpose of providing His kinsmen with the greatest of salvations: the destruction of sin in our flesh (the "devil") - by which destruction we are made pure unto eternal life in the eyes of our loving Heavenly Father. In that true salvation Christ has conquered SIN (the Prince of this world) for us, by which victory He has now set His servants free to teach His Kingdom government in the Earth with victory.
Adulterated doctrines about “Satan” and wasting valuable time in fighting an imaginary ‘him/it’ are obstructions to enforcing God’s Kingdom Laws. The faithful ones in Christ have much to do at this time in history and need not be entangled with misdirecting influences of institutionalized church councils or internet opportunists pandering fear, rather “but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). As the Scriptures tell us, Christ destroyed sin’s hold of death on us as He destroyed sin itself (the devil prince that reigned) on His Cross for all those whom He has chosen.
It is now our job to teach the Kingdom, God’s government for the family and nation. Part of that teaching is to stand firm for sound doctrine, for unsound teachings can lead to a domino effect of many misdirected actions. The young people and the truly searchers need your help in guidance. We are exhorted to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). God declares that the ‘prince of this world’ is sin, and that it need not dominate our lives any longer. Sin is transgression of God's Law (I John 3:4).
God bless in Jesus Christ our King,
Pastor Ken Lent
Faith of the Covenant Fellowship, Virginia
http://ezra98.yolasite.com
