RESIST the Devil!
Good News Magazine
October 1959
Volume: Vol VIII, No. 10
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RESIST the Devil!

God's people are WARNED of Satan and his demons, called "wicked spirits in high places!" Some have not really HEEDED that warning! Here's what YOU ought to be doing about it!

   IS GOD'S Church totally IGNORANT of Satan's devices? With the past few years there have been increasing accounts of how some of God's own people have been molested by or even allowed themselves to become POSSESSED by DEMONS!
   WHAT IS WRONG?
   Is it because this Church, while priding itself on doing the very WORK OF GOD, of possessing a great amount of KNOWLEDGE of God's truth, is gradually becoming spiritually LUKEWARM?

Wanting "Experiences"

   Brethren, it's time to wake up and come to our senses! It's time we began to speak plainly. It's time you began to realize that God's ministers KNOW that there are MANY who, although CALLING themselves members of God's true Church, have NEVER BEEN CONVERTED! Repeatedly, we have mentioned this fact in sermons at the Feast of Tabernacles, and made it plain in articles in the "Good News" magazine.
   Perhaps, unwittingly, YOU are one who has "come to see the truth" and simply decided you should go along with it. You have decided, seeing the evils of the present world around you, and understanding the true doctrine of God, that you had better FOLLOW that true doctrine. Having made this cold decision, YOU begin to embark upon a life of "coming into the truth" WITHOUT HAVING EVER EXPERIENCED A REAL DEEP-DOWN REPENTANCE!
   Why is this important? Because Jesus said, 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). It is only through REPENTANCE that one can be given the Holy Spirit of God (Acts 2:38; 5:32). The apostle Paul wrote, "If any man have not the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, he is none of His" (Rom. 8:9).
   Without a real REPENTANCE, none can receive the Holy Spirit of God! And, mark you well, unless you have the Holy Spirit of God, you have virtually NO SURE PROTECTION from Satan's wiles and his demons.
   Many today are seeking "experiences." They want to come to the "experience" of FEELING that they are "converted." Many think they should FEEL something at the time of baptism. Others think that they should have an especially exhilarating or exciting FEELING at the time hands are laid on them for the receipt of God's Spirit. Yes — even some of those in God's true Church (at least, nominally) believe they should have a special EXPERIENCE, or get a certain "feeling" at the time they receive God's Holy Spirit!
   I cannot BEGIN to describe to you in plain print some of the revolting, horrifying, and thoroughly disgusting experiences which some have related to God's ministers, simply because they were MISLED, deceived of Satan the Devil, and fervently desiring some kind of an EXPERIENCE rather than desiring the Holy Spirit of God lawfully.
   Some have been ATTACKED by demons. They have found themselves virtually paralyzed while lying in bed, or in a car, while in a dreamy, half-asleep dazed state, and with their SPIRITUAL GUARD DOWN. They have been so completely paralyzed so as to be unable to either move or talk for a few moments until, after a frantic battle in their minds, they were finally able to call upon the name of Christ or to say, "The Lord REBUKE you" to the spirit! Brethren, this is SERIOUS. This is not just my "imagination." MANY of God's people have been molested, influenced, attacked, or, in some very few and widely scattered cases, even POSSESSED by Satan's foul, FILTHY demons!
   Perhaps you can begin to see, then, why it is so TERRIBLY IMPORTANT you come to understand the WHOLE TRUTH about this problem.

Satan's Purpose!

   Satan the devil is "the god of this age" (II Cor. 4:4). The apostle Paul calls him the "prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2). Jesus, when being accused of casting out demons by the spirit of Beelzebub, answered, "Every KINGDOM divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself — how shall then HIS KINGDOM stand?" (Matt. 12:25-26).
   Did you notice it? Jesus says Satan HAS A KINGDOM.
   Whether most "religionists" believe there is an actual devil or not — your Bible definitely says there is a devil! That devil is a fallen archangel, formerly called Lucifer, who took one full third of the angels of heaven with him in his rebellion! Christ says, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven" (Luke 10:18). And further reveals, "And his tail drew a third part of the STARS of heaven, and did cast them to the earth..." (Rev. 12:4).
   We know Christ shows in Revelation 1:20 that stars are symbolic for ANGELS. Satan, then, took one full third of the angels WITH HIM in his rebellion!
   Those angels are now called DEMONS.
   As demons, or fallen angels, they still have great powers. They are supernatural, created, SPIRIT beings! Their minds, their natures and characters have become so twisted, warped and completely perverted that they are in constant rebellion and hostility toward God! They have been Satan's henchmen in deceiving and enslaving this world, causing it to do Satan's will!
   Satan's purpose is to try to cause God's WORK to fail, to disrupt His plan — to cause some of YOU BRETHREN to fall!

The Nature of Demons

   But notice what Christ tells us about demons! Turn to Matthew 8:28. "And when He was come to the other side of the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out saying, 'What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God! art thou come here to torment us BEFORE THE TIME?"'
   Notice — these demons possessing the minds of these two asked Christ whether He had come to TORMENT them "before the time!"
   They thoroughly recognized they are to receive TORMENT in the future.
   There are many different kinds of demons. We find, in the gospels, that demons could afflict various parts of the BODY, without necessarily possessing the mind. NOTICE just a few examples. "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind, and dumb, and He healed him insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw" (Mat. 12:22). And, behold, there was a woman which had A SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY eighteen years and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, 'Woman, thou art loosed from that infirmity.' And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God." Later, in answering the ruler of the synagogue Jesus said, "And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom SATAN HATH BOUND, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" (Luke, 13:11-13, 16).
   Here are cases where individuals were dumb, blind, or stooped over with afflictions in various organs of the body other THAN THE MIND as a result of affliction by demons.
   Some demons are much more VIOLENT than others. "And one of the multitude answered and said, 'Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.'" After calling for the child to be brought to Him, notice how the demon possessing the child acted: "... And when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming." Jesus then cast out this violent demon and lifted up the child who was well and normal as before (Mark 9:14-29).
   But Jesus showed the reason the disciples COULD NOT cast out this violent demon was because they were not as yet converted and not CLOSE ENOUGH to GOD! "This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29).
   While the word "fasting" may not necessarily appear in all the original manuscripts, it is, nevertheless, certainly implied and is the vital prerequisite if we are drifting away from God!

Why Fear?

   The reason for this article is not to put members of God's Church in fear or terror of Satan's foul demons! Notice, rather — it is the demons who FEAR US! "Have you come to TORMENT us BEFORE THE TIME" (Mat. 8:29), the demons asked Christ. These demons were fearful of TORMENT. Jesus said, "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through DRY PLACES, seeking REST; and finding none, he saith I will return to my house from whence I came out" (Luke 11:24). Jesus reveals here that a disembodied demon is an uncomfortable, apprehensive, RESTLESS spirit — wanting desperately to get into and possess a body! God reveals that "FEAR HATH TORMENT!" (I John 4:18). Demons then are FEARFUL of their future judgment. James tells us, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and TREMBLE!" (James 2:19).
   NO, we are not to FEAR Satan or his demons! However, we are not to go to the opposite extreme of taking these things lightly, or of attempting to become "familiar" with demons, all the while "kidding" ourselves since we are not AFRAID of them, we need not AVOID them. God absolutely CONDEMNS TO DEATH anyone who will become FAMILIAR with spirits. (Lev. 20:27).

Do Not Be Ignorant

   The apostle Paul wrote, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for WE ARE NOT IGNORANT of his devices" (II Cor. 2:11). No, the APOSTLE PAUL was not ignorant of Satan's devices — but are YOU? Apparently, some of God's people have been completely IGNORANT of the devices of Satan — and completely WITHOUT DEFENSE against Satan's demons! Brethren, I am going to speak quite candidly. The ministers in God's Church have noticed a definite tendency, particularly AMONG WOMEN — and even more particularly AMONG GENTILE WOMEN to yield to the influences of spirit beings, and even to become possessed by them!
   This problem is not going to be conquered and put out of God's Church if we speak softly about it! The sad thing is — SOME OF THESE WOMEN HAVE DELIBERATELY, KNOWINGLY OPENED THEMSELVES UP TO RECEIVE FOUL SPIRITS, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE "SEEKING" UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES.
   There have been cases where God's ministers have CAST OUT demons from some, even to have those people open right up to receive the same spirit and seven others worse than itself back into them again! Jesus Christ gave a stark, frank WARNING of this very thing in a scripture I have already referred to. He said the demon will wander through dry places, seeking rest, and then try to come back to the house from which it went out. God's ministers, using the power of God and the authority of Jesus Christ, can CAST OUT these demons but ONLY YOU, with your WILL-POWER and by staying CLOSE TO GOD in PRAYER and beginning to really RESIST Satan the devil and his demons can guarantee that the demon will not come back.
   "FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against WICKED SPIRITS in high places" (Eph. 6:12). God tells us we WRESTLE in a constant STRUGGLE against wicked spirits who occupy high places in the darkness of this present society! It's about time we AWAKENED and became a little more INFORMED of Satan's devices, and know how to RESIST Satan the devil.

What You Should Do

   Brethren, again, let me speak very candidly. I remember one particular instance, where a young man came to me, telling me he was being molested by demons. I went through all of the scriptures in the New Testament directly relating to it, spelling out for him in simple order exactly what he should do. I encouraged prayer, and even FASTING with prayer. I encouraged more Bible study, and told him how to resist Satan the devil and exactly what he should do in the event any further molestation occurred. This man kept coming back again and again and again. I kept reinforming him of these same scriptures over and over again. He kept on coming back, and each time informing me the situation was worse. I rebuked him sharply on several occasions, WARNING HIM of the direction in which he was going. I told him God wasn't wrong, that the advice I had given him was directly from Jesus Christ, as revealed in His Word! I told him I, physically, could do absolutely nothing except to add my prayers to his — which I certainly did. Later, this young man became absolutely POSSESSED of these demons. It was THEN, that I found out FROM OTHERS that he had DELIBERATELY asked these demons to perform certain "interesting" acts in front of him. He had seen a toothbrush waltz around in his bathroom. He had heard various knockings, rappings, seen strange lights and other "curiosities." Instead of abhorring, detesting and totally REJECTING these "spiritual manifestations," HE WANTED MORE OF THEM! He was an "interested" onlooker. He might have said to himself, "Well, that's interesting — I want you to do it again!" He was directly laying himself open for possession of a foul spirit!
   And I know just as sure as I write this article there are SOME OF YOU — WHO HAVE DONE THE VERY SAME THING! And I adjure and admonish every single one of you in the name and by the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to QUIT doing any such thing, to get on your knees and REPENT of any such foul and obscene filth, and to call out to God for His protection!
   Here is what YOU ought to be doing. James says, "RESIST THE DEVIL and he will FLEE from you" (Jas. 4:7). Do you believe that scripture? Do you really believe God? God says if you RESIST the devil he is BOUND to FLEE from you!
   Notice! The apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!" (Gal. 2:20). Jesus Christ WHIPPED Satan the devil in the greatest spiritual battle that has ever been fought (Luke 4:4, Mat. 4:4). Jesus Christ is the SAME yesterday, today, and forever! (Heb. 13:8). If Jesus Christ is truly LIVING His life in you, then THINK of this:
   Demons are fallen angels. Angels are created beings. Your Bible says not anything was made without Jesus Christ — that He made EVERYTHING that was made. Therefore, Jesus Christ MADE ANGELS! Christ, then is the very CREATOR of these demons! He is the Great, Supreme, All-powerful RULER over these foul spirits, and they must OBEY Jesus Christ IMMEDIATELY!
   If Christ is really LIVING HIS LIFE WITHIN YOU, then the very One who created these foul spirits and is over them and rules them is living His life right within you! That means the demons are desperately AFRAID of YOU! You do not need to fear them — you need to respect and be wary and fearful of the consequences should you allow yourself to be tempted by them or to be influenced by them or become possessed by them. BUT YOU ARE NOT TO FEAR THEM.
   Here is the Bible "formula" for resisting Satan and His demons. If you feel an unnatural influence or anything of the kind say, "THE LORD REBUKE YOU!" (Jude 9). Call upon the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and begin praying to God.
   The apostle Paul wrote, "Do ye not know that the saints shall JUDGE THE WORLD? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? KNOW YE NOT THAT WE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS?" (I Cor. 6:2). Demons are fallen angels. WE ARE GOING TO BE THEIR JUDGES! And we are going to consign them to "foaming out their own shame, WANDERING STARS, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 13).
   Brethren, the answer to this problem is the same answer as any other spiritual problem which may ever come up. PRAY MORE! FAST MORE OFTEN! GET CLOSER TO GOD! LEARN TO "RESIST THE DEVIL" AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU!
   If you will do this, and stay close to God, you need have no fear whatsoever for yourself or any member of your family — because Satan the devil with all his millions of demons does not have the power to MAKE you commit a sin, think a wrong thought, or do one single thing contrary to the law of God. God has so ordained — and God will back up this fact in His word. May God help each and everyone of you to TAKE HEED, and begin to REALLY RESIST THE DEVIL!

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Good News MagazineOctober 1959Vol VIII, No. 10