“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
The darkness of this world is the home of evil spirits. Darkness speaks of the environment in which evil flourishes. Satan rules in the darkness of this world. Deception is a type of spiritual darkness. This is because the environment of deception is the breeding ground for evil spirits.
Darkness is simply the atmosphere of deception under which Satan operates. Our defeated foe flourishes in the deepest darkness. He stands no chance when we come out into the light. This is why Satan hates the Word of God so much. Jesus is the Light that destroys Satan’s influence over men.He is the Word of God. The Word of God is a light that shines in the darkness. Demon activity is greatly reduced where the Word of God is taught. That is why it is essential to be constantly nourished by the word of God through sermons and personal Bible study.
“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:5 NKJV
The power of Satan against the church can be likened to several wars and confticts in the world today. When a super-power fights against an inferior army, the weaker side often knows that he Does not stand a chance in open conventional warfare. Therefore, he hides and fights from a position of secrecy, deception and darkness. This often results in guerilla warfare and terrorist activities.
For instance, the army of Israel is far more superior to the armies of the Palestinians; the Palestinians do not stand a chance against the military might of Israel. Israel is even said to be a nuclear power. Because Palestine does not stand a chance, they resort to surprise suicide attacks and terrorist activities. Hijacking planes and killing members of the Olympic squad of the Israelis are just a few examples of the kind of warfare that the weaker army engages in.
Terrorist attacks like the one on September 11 are other examples of a weaker and smaller army fighting against a gigantic force. Similarly, the army of demons arrayed against the church,is no match for the power of God. The weapons of our warfare are mighty.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,” II Corinthians 10:4 NKJV
Satan trembles at the mention of the name of Jesus. Demons shiver when we sing about the blood. When they see the blood, they pass over. The Word of God is a mighty sword, which slices fallen angels and evil spirits into shreds. In the realm of the spirit, we are a nuclear power fighting against an army of natives brandishing swords.
Because the devil has no chance against us, the mainstay of his operations is through deceptive tricks. The Bible calls these “the wiles of the devil”. Our greatest effort therefore must be to uncover the tricks and the traps of our illusive enemy.
Believe it or not, one of the most successful tricks of the enemy is to make people believe that the devil does not exist. This amazing lie is so successful that the devil has used it on multitudes of unsuspecting Europeans. Most European nations are plagued with hordes and hordes of demons. The neat pavements and quaint roads with perfectly arranged buildings will deceive the unspiritual into thinking that all is well. I believe that Europe is the darkest continent on this planet. It contains the most immoral, and godless communities on earth. The devil is very successful in Europe because he has convinced them that he does not exist. Through this powerful deception, Sodom and Gomorrah have been recreated.
The more our eyes are opened spiritually, the more the wiles of the devil will be exposed. It is only the power of Christ that has the authority to confront demonic activity. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today. What makes Him the same yesterday, today and forever? The answer is simple. He does the same things today that He used to do years ago. Years ago, He healed the sick and cast out devils. Today, He still heals the sick and casts out devils. Years ago, He visited people’s homes and blessed them. Today, He still visits our homes and blesses us. He raised the dead two thousand years ago and is still raising the dead in today’s world. He is the same.
Accept it! Believe it today. Jesus is alive and He is stretching out His hand to minister to you now. He has not changed at all. He loves to do the things He used to do. That is a hallmark of the ministry of Christ. I have personally seen the Lord Jesus healing the sick and casting out devils today. He has not changed. Do not let the devil deceive you. The things you read in the Bible are real and are still happening Bible is one of the highest kinds of deceptions is to think that the Bible is just a history book describing the miracles of a Jewish zealot who is not relevant. this modern, computerized society.
There are still mad men like the mad man of Gadara and Jesus still heals such people. There are still many epileptics, who convulse and foam at the mouth. The power of Jesus still heals such people. There are still many, many women with gynecological problems like the woman with the issue of blood Jesus still heals such gynaecological diseases. There are many blind people in the world today. There are now schools for the blind. Christ Jesus opens blind eyes today. I have seen blind people receiving their sight in my ministry. There are many lame people in the world. Jesus is still healing such people.
Is it not amazing to note that the problems are still the same? The plagues that confronted humanity two thousand years ago are still the same. In spite of medical advances, these problems do not seem to go away. It is comforting to know that Jesus is still a healing Jesus. As you read this book you can expect the power of Christ to confront the evil powers of Satan in your life.
How does Jesus heal today? He heals today through His body. He is the head and the church is the Body of Christ. No matter what the good intentions of the head are, He needs the cooperation of the hands to do His works. Your head may decide, “I am going to read this book,” but it is your hands that will be used to lift the book up. Without the hands doing their part, the good intentions of the head cannot be realized. That is why the church must have healing and casting out of devils as a principal activity that goes on alongside preaching.
We are the hands and the feet of Jesus today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Allow Him into your life right now to heal you, to touch you and to set you free.
With Love, Esinam.
(Excerpts from Demons, by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills)
Virtuous Living 