"The greatest lie is that the devil-Satan doesn't exist"-(movie?)
Have you been deceived before? What about accussing someone for something they never did? Well, I have and I'm sure you have too. I have been watching some documentaries on WWII lately and false propoganda was used to deter each other in war. Well, life is like that too....
"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [1] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,"-Deuteronomy 18:10 (Old Testament-Bible Search)
Do you know Satan means "accuser"?
Also, deceiver, liar, cheater, heart breaker, etc....
Have you ever tried the following?
-Ouiji Boards
-tarrot cards
-pschyic readings (palm reading, etc..)
-horoscopes
-witch craft (e.g. Harry Potter)
-horror movies
-death metal music
-UFO beliefs
-got high on acid or drugs
-hypnosis
-pornography
-any above mentioned that your parents, family members, relatives, or anyone you lived with were involved (see down below "ministries")?
Above are just some activities that many of us may have ignorantly-innocently tried out (low to high extreme). What many of us don't know is that these activities are ways Satan uses to distract us from our loving God. These can be an open door to something that we never would expect. A week ago, this pastor on t.v. shared this story:
I got a call from this lady, who knew I was a pastor and asked if I could come to her house to solve this recent problem. (First of all, any man-espeically a pastor, should never go to a house of a lady by themselves). This lady, a married woman, told this pastor that she has been experiencing some unusual behavior (has started to sware a lot, got angry easily, having sexual thoughts as a happily married woman, etc...). The pastor asked when did this all started. She said, she has been curious and started to play with ouji boards and witch craft. The pastor told her that these activities has been known to open doors to "darkness-evil". This lady said, she would like to have this unusual negative behavior stop. The pastor remembered a story in the Bible: New Testament-Luke 8, where Jesus delivered/cast out demons from a possessed man into a herd of pigs. This pastor began to share this story. As he was reading Luke 8:26-39..
"When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured."
The lady started to make hsss...ing sounds (similar to the movie Exorcists, which can be very similar to reality!). The pastor continued to read and after reading the story-knowing the power of God's Words-He then said a similar prayer...
"In Jesus' name, I command you devil to get out of her!"
The hss...ing sound continued. The pastor described the unusual position this lady started to go into after all this. The pastor joke in his message, "It was a position that I never knew a person could get into" (the lady crouched and put her knees between her head wrapping around legs and arms together). After a continuation of the prayer above, the lady was finally delivered of the demons that got a hold of her when she invited them in through the demonic activities she innocently got herself ingorantly into.
The pastor encouraged the people in the audience to really get soaked into Jesus' teachings because it's power! Light in darkness!
"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. "-Ephesians 6:17
Now, have you ever participated in the following cults/religions?
-Muslim (see article (1)
-Mormonism
-Jehovah Witness
-Masonic Order
-Animism
-Shamanism
-Satanism (Church of Satan)
A Brief History of Satanism
"This video briefly speaks about this history of Satanism. This video is not for children, but it does document how the worship as Satan has developed over the years, leading many away from God. There are certainly some whether radical conspiracy ideas in this video, but Satanism itself is no laughing matter."
-consulting mediums or the dead
-More on this and others....(Leader U, comparative religions)
For a more bigger list, check out Watchman Expositor: Index of Cults and Religions A-Z. There are many stories for each one above, where many now Christians have been "delivered" from.
What is the main source of what you are seeking (eg. religion, church, doctrine, etc..)?
When I eat, I try to look at the labels of the box of the food I’m eating from (e.g. cereal, liquids, etc..) because I want to know what I’m putting in my body-especially all this health factor causing diseases:
cancer, heart disease, etc..that’s killing many of us Americans.
I believe we need to do the same when we are looking for “spiritual food”. What is the doctrine of that church, what is behind that doctrine, what is behind the man that wrote the doctrine? Is it Jesus?
Many are getting deceived into these “false religions” because of the outward appearance.
He uses words that we get offended with, like:
We can easily get offended by what people say? Next time someone says something that you might get offended. First calm down (patience, peace, etc...) and try to "understand" where this particular individual is coming from (e.g. family background or upbringing).
For example, I mentor this teenager and he got into a fight with a kid calling him names. I told him that this particular "bully" probably came from a rough home where he got picked on too, so he's letting out his anger or frustration on you-someone else weaker or lesser to him. Instead of getting back, I told this teenager to pray for him ("pray for your enemies") and try to understand that this "bully" has some family or past problems.
Below is a prayer from "Setting Love in Order" (pp 140) by Mario Bergner (former homosexual) that was said by a tranvestite. She was coming to a life in Christ and not wanting to get married because of her past hurts living with her dad....
"You say in Your Word, God, that You give only good gifts, but You have given me a snake. You have given me a snake for a father, and I hate You for this. I hate this snake, and I hate You. I hate You. I never, ever want to get married because I know You only have a snake for me. No thank You. I don't want any of this".
This is what God said to her according to the same person.....
"Kristin, I give only good gifts, and I didn't give you a snake [for a father] but rather a man who has been fearfully and wonderfully made in my image. I've called him to love Me and serve Me. I've called him to love and affirm you. Yet in his free will he has chosen to serve himself and to follow the cravings of his own heart rather than to seek Me. He has sinned against Me and against you. I call now to see the real person I've created. I call you now to forgive him and trust Me."
...more on forgivness
The list on cults, religions, etc... above can be very controversial, so here are some testimonies:
My experience so far has been little compared to others, but as I look back-I could probably pin point first my involvement with Death-Heavy Metal Music (there are positive Christian Heavy Metal Music, which I wish I knew when I was younger). I started listening to this genre of music because I wanted to fit in with a particular group in Junior/Middle High School. I ignorantly got myself into music that caused me to have very unsual negative behavior, which I never knew what I got myself into. I would have more of a high temper than usual, I would sing particular lyrics when I was mad or stressed about life, and I would hang these heavy metal posters with pictures of the devil around my room-with my Christian-Catholic stuff.
"19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."-Galatians 19-21
One Church to Heaven
When I came to a personal relationship with my Savior-Jesus Christ in 1995 during college at Morris, I went to look for a bible-believing church to grow in my new found relationship with God back in St. Paul. I was introduced to this Bible-Study, which they would read Scriptures before food! After going to this bible study in this home-setting several times, they would continue to invite me to their church. I told them that I really appreciated in learning about the Bible, but I already started to attend this other local church. They told me that their "church" was the only way to Heaven. I then started to re-think about this response. I then asked them, when I go back to school at Morris, where can I go. They insisted me to go all the way to St. Paul. After attending their Bible-study several more times, I slowly lost contact with them. I would begin to realize that I got myself into a cult. I found this Scripture...
"Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[2] my Father as well."-John 14:5-7
Indonesian Friend's Story
When I got back to UMM for my second year, it would just be a continuation of learning more about cults and demonic spirits. A Christian friend from Indonesia that helped me to know Christ, shared me some stories from his homeland that still gives me the chills...
Back in Indonesia, there are many witchcraft and rituals that "open the door" to the dark world. He told me one time when some Christians started to read the Bible to a young man, he started to hss... (similar to the story above). I have heard many stories similar to this from the international students I reach out to with my local church
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. "-Hebrews 4:12
Another story was when he was sleeping in Clayton A. Gay Hall Tower I, he had a dream of the devil attacking him. He woke up and felt the devil "physically" choking him, so he remembered the Bible-"In Jesus' name, I commmand you to leave"
There is a power in His name, which many have been healed (spiritually and physically)....
"By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see."-Acts 3:16
Ironically, a similar event happened to me, but it was in Clayton A. Gay Hall Tower II the next year-when I was an RA! I had this dream where my mouth was shut closed-spiritually and physically...
"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."-Matthew 8:12
During this, I felt and saw the presence of the devil in the corner of my room. I woke up and still saw this-a dream that became reality. I then said, "Jesus' name, I command you to get out".
Since then, I read my Bible, ask God to forgive me of all my sins each day, and do some intecessory prayer before going to bed.
I remember my senior year while living at Spooner Hall, we got a group of Christians to pray for our neighbors in our floor-hall some weeks. One of my sisters-in-christ shared how some of her floormates were messing innocently-ignorantly with a ouji board. We would pray for these ladies. Another story was some inside-facts we heard- there were a group of people that would pray against Christians around 2am. I believed they either practiced witch craft or Satanism. I think this incident got me more into intercessory prayer.
Yes, the Word of God is like a "sword". Another way to use it is through praise and worship music whereever you are.
Still don't believe that Satan and his gurus are real? Check these secular sites out and then read a cool story down below:
Dabbling With Demons
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old birdcage, and set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak.
"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me, swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad
and asked, "What you got there son?"
Well, that explained the empty birdcage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.
"Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, I'll kill 'em."
"How much do you want for them?"
Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you!!
You don't want those people!!"
"How much?"
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your blood."
Jesus paid the price.
The pastor picked up the cage he opened the door and he walked from the pulpit.
When I found out the activities I participated in the past were not pleasant in God's eyes, I asked God to forgive me. Also, I would later get deliverance from my own demons that came from these sins. Each day is a day of growing, and I'm not perfect-I'll never be. However, my goal is to be more "Christ-like" everyday, so I can shine His light brighter and brighter in the darkness world.
"22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."-Galatians 5:22-26
Some Follow-Up Website:
I'm a Paranoid or What?
Today (Tuesday, December 4th of 2007) I decided to write on this issue after witnessing an increase of ways the devil accusses one another or ourselves. I was at my church's Men's Retreat and was kind of suprised to hear the shares of some indvidual men I'm very close to. There was a time during the retreat where we got into small groups, where we shared-opened up our heart and ask the group to pray to God for our individual prayer request. I shared about my past deep sins just to open up to the men and was thankful for the encouragement from them. When a brother in Christ I've known for years shared about his struggles, I couldn't believe he was ever facing them. I feel it was totally the opposite of what I feel was God's will for him. I then encouraged through prayer by asking God to bless this invidiual of the work I felt he was doing for His Kingdome. Then another invidiual we prayed for shared about more "lies" the devil has planted in his mind. He shared how he felt that he is "worthless" and wanted to do feel that he isn't. Wow, I couldn't imagine that he was feeling this too, so I encouraged him with a Bible verse that brought a smile to himself.
I feel the Devil or "Accuser" tries to have us think "negative" (e.g. misunderstanding) towards each other our ourselves. It's a hindrance block to prevent us being more used by God to fulfill his purpose. It usually comes right when we are on "top" and making "progress" for God's Kingdom. We just need to keep absorbing his Word and overcome these blocks like a bulldozer.
Movies
VIDEOS:
THE GRINCH WHO STOLE HALLOWEEN
October 31 is just another date on the calendar. But to one evil spirit, the night is devoted to him, and Christians in every community pay him homage.
Copyright 2003 / Leslie A Turvey
He's the boy next door, a favourite uncle, a greying grandfatherly type. Once a year he may turn into a gruesome ghoul, a wicked warlock, or a creepy creature from the spooky lagoon. And he will turn your life into a nightmare. He's your average child molester, and your child is his prey.
Behind the mask he's not likely to be recognized when he kidnaps your son or daughter trick-or-treating door to door. As his car disappears into the dark the horrible realization sets in: your child will be raped, and likely murdered. A shallow grave will hide the body.
Some may think I'm the Grinch who stole halloween. But the Grinch is a saint compared to the demon-inspired molesters who will prowl the streets on the night devoted to satan.
"Oh, come on," you say. "Halloween's for the kids, and it's a lot of fun." Oh? Was it fun for the kid who bit into an apple, and got slashed by an hidden razor blade? Fun for the kid whose stomach was pumped to save him from arsenic-laced candies? Fun for the parents pacing tearfully in a hospital corridor, waiting for the doctor to tell them whether their child will survive? Fun for the family answering questions about a child's last known whereabouts, and showing the officer a shoe that got knocked off while their child was dragged helplessly into a car?
That family won't be thinking about satan, but they will have some enraged names for those who stole their child. Yet behind the kidnapping and the names and the anguished tears, there is a devil called satan.
Yes, satan is alive, and his evil is carried out every day by the boy next door, a favourite uncle, or a greying grandfatherly type. And he sets aside one night a year -- halloween -- to honour himself.
Why would anyone want to honour someone whose mind is filled with hate? The devil, satan, hates you, hates your kids, and even hates God. Yet people toss him off like Flip Wilson's famous comedy line, "The devil made me do it."
It's easy to believe there's no such being as satan. You don't see him walking down the street, and if you did, he wouldn't be wearing a red suit topped with horns. When something terrible happens we blame the people who did it, but are they really the ones to blame? They're only satan's agents who've been influenced do his dirty work.
Many churches have turned to having parties on October 31, with the young people dressing as bible characters. Although this seems to be a good alternative to trick-or-treating in outlandish costumes, the concept is still halloween. It’s impossible for man to make Godly what satan has appropriated to himself. God commanded that his people are not to study, the way of the heathen nations who worship gods inspired by satan (Jeremiah 10:2). He also commanded Israel not to ask about the heathen gods, and say we will worship our God in the same way, because their ways are disgusting and abominable to the Lord (Deuteronomy 12:30-31)."
Unfortunately, through their misguided idea that dressing as bible characters somehow makes halloween Godly, the churches teach their youth to do exactly what God says not to do. And while a youthful Mary or Joseph wend their way home, a ghoulish boy next door, a favourite uncle, or a greying grandfatherly type may be waiting in the shadows, ready to snare them as God warns us about in Deuteronomy 7:16.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leslie A Turvey
Back-Up References:
Halloween: Treat or Trick?
KIDNAPPINGS
Outreach Ideas
I used to be part of a campus ministry outreach in putting bible verses in chocolate candies that we would hand out at the Student Center. I decided to do this in 2006 to people I see.
WITCHES
Do you know why you see pictures of witches riding brooms? I remember growing-up, we would celebrate Halloween and it's characters. We thought it was fun and innocent. I started to research the origins and now I decided to stay away from this "celebration">
Related Sites:
The Truth About Halloween Part 1
"The biggest lie is the non-existence of the devil"-
Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!
Getting Offended?
-racism: Gook, Nigger, Honkey-White Trash/Red Neck
-physically handicapped:< retarted, developmentally disabled,
Personal Testimonies
Personal Stories: St. Paul to UMM-Morris, Minnesota
"way of the master,kirk cameron and ray comfort www.FreeCDTracts.com Satan's influence isn't always obvious. The father of lies is incredibly subtle. Among other things, he has infiltrated the Church and changed the message of the gospel. "
*see goodfight.org
Back in my junior year at UMM-when I was an RA, a sister-in-christ called all the Christians in-campus to play some form of praise & worship music in their rooms. She felt the need for all of us to do so after some negative incidents or atmosphere living on campus that particular evening.
Another personal story was an incident of fighting between love ones, I turned to the local Christian radio, which I had continued to be played all day long. The presence of God's love silent them and brought some peace and comfort to a very tense-uncomfortable environment.
Other Stories in the Public
"Demons...fallen angels�minions of Satan...evil spirits...they�ve been a source of fascination and fear since antiquity. Demons, and their influences on human beings, are a regular theme in movies and television. Do demons really exist...and can they interact with human beings? This is an especially important topic for young people who are increasingly fascinated with searching for spiritual answers in the occult. What harm is there in Dabbling with Demons? If demons exist how important is it to your life? Be prepared to be challenged on Beyond Today."
Example How Satan Torments Us
"Just some old birds," came the
reply.
"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.
"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em. I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em
fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"
"Oh, I got some cats. They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh??!!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing-they ain't even pretty!"
"How much?"
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?" The pastor reached his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's
hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other. How to hate and abuse each other. How to drink and smoke and curse. How to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
What's Next?
Reccomended Resources
*I had a chance to attend 2 weekends of counseling in the Fall of 1999. I still have my notes on counseling people with the activites/cults mentioned above
*an interesting movie about how the devils moves about the earth from one person to another person (somewhat similar to Exorcist)
imdb
Halloween
(see Irish origins)
If you know others who should read this article, please send it to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A servant of the only true and living God
"Vampires, devils, witches and ghosts. Houses decorated with images of black cats, goblins and carved pumpkins. Masquerading children walk the sidewalks chanting, �Trick or treat�. It�s been called the scariest and the sweetest night of the year. Yes, it�s time for Halloween. But have you considered why such peculiar practices are so popular? Why celebrate a holiday that emphasizes the morbid and macabre? Stay tuned to Beyond Today as we discuss �Halloween, Treat or Trick?�"
*see Beyond Today
*I went to take a Christian Counseling 2 Weekend Course in the Twin Cities on the Fall of 1999. This was when I first learned about links to kidnappings and the occult-Satanic Holidays (e.g. ironically, Jacob Wetterling, was kidnapped on October)
"... without an adult are wacko. More kidnappings have been reported on Halloween
than any other day of the year. There are a lot of ..."
Cory (friend) carves a pumpkin dedicating it to Dale Earnhartd (race car driver) with race car #3
Halloween Pumpkin that I had a couple friends (Jeff and Cory) carve "God is loved". Unfortunately, the pumpkin didn't last long!
Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials, from salem web
Wikipedia
Witch Voice a newsletter for followers
SALEM
"Salem" is derived from the Hebrew word "Shalom", and the Arabic word "Salam" both meaning "peace"."-from Wikipedia
I wrote this Bible verse with a permanent black marker "Ask the Lord of the Harvest"-Matthew
"The celebration of Halloween is hundreds of years old. Yet there are few who know its origins. It is the night of the celebration of the dead. What do the symbols such as ghosts, goblins, black cats, broomsticks and pumpkins represent? This extraordinary and revealing video will teach you the truth"
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