On Messages and Mystics

     We need to be careful when we go demon hunting. As Christians we understand that the world we live in is fallen and at odds with the God we serve. We know that we can't simply trust what seems to be good and must be even more careful of the things that claim to be good. There is so much out there than will teach us wrongly or influence us in a negative way. However, not everything is actively backed by the powers of evil.

     Technically yes, everything that is not of God is part of the world system like a person still wired into the Matrix, but that doesn't mean that everything out there is intentionally trying to deceive and destroy our morals and beliefs. We need to be careful no to see demons in every shadow and monsters around every corner. To do that is to give the real enemy more power than he already has. It makes us paranoid and scared. We need to be aware of the dangers without obsessing over them and keep an eye out for enemies without focusing on them too much.

     One important aspect of this is perceiving and understanding the nature of the attack on God's good plan and purpose. We are Christians, and as such we actually hold to a very rational faith. Everything we believe makes logical sense. Even if we don't understand it all, God does. We need to remember that this is not a war of magic or mystery, it's a battle over ideas. The devil is a strong and powerful adversary but not because he wields God-like power. The devils tool -his only tool- is deception. He cannot create, he cannot control those who are saved, and he cannot simply make things happen, he can only talk. Grant it, he is quite good at it.

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.

He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth,

because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,

for he is a liar and the father of it.”

(John 8:44)

In scripture there are very few instances of anything miraculous happening due to the working of evil. Mostly we see this in the book of Revelation but even then it's as a part of the divine plan for the punishment of the earth.

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon,

out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

For they are spirits of demons, performing signs,

which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world,

to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

(Revelation 16:13-14)

The point I'm trying to make here is that we are battling ideas and propositions not mystical leanings and dark magical influences. The devil can't slip some sort of evil signal into your mind and corrupt you without your knowledge. The corruption he can bring about is by convincing you that what you once thought was wrong is really alright.

     Remember Christian, that evil is not a force and sin is not a power, it's a choice. What we call evil is the willful decision to go against God. Objects and symbols and signs cannot be 'evil' because they have no will They can make no choices and can perform no actions. Remember that Jesus told us that we have sinned not when we've finally acted but when we've thought about it.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old,

'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'

"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause

shall be in danger of the judgment.

And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' (worthless) shall be in danger of the council.

But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

...

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her

has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

(Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28)

     Finally, lets not forget one very important fact. The unsaved people of this world are indeed enemies of God as the Bible says, but that doesn't mean that every one of them is actively and willfully trying to destroy others. Most people are just living their lives as best they can and doing all they can to ignore the truth of their own sinfulness. Most people are so used to deceiving themselves that they don't even realize the truth anymore. So I very much doubt there are many intentional conspiracies against God and Christianity, against goodness and morality. I think most people have simply come to believe a lie and are trying to defend what they see to be truth. Remember, only one man was ever born perfect and we were all saved from our sin.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,

nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,

nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified,

but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

     So please, don't waste your time looking for hidden symbols or subliminal messages luring us to evil or corrupting our minds. They're not and they can't. This another of the devil's clever smokescreens used to keep us chasing ghosts instead of focusing on the real problem. Men and women all around us are lost and there is only one way for them to be saved, the grace and salvation that comes from Jesus Christ.