Satan Alive and Well On Planet Earth!

STS Readers:  (Originally posted for ‘Sounding the Shofar’ Facebook Group, 7-24-2012)

I started writing this as a response to my grown son, who was troubled with the recent killings at the Batman movie massacre in Colorado.  He has two teenagers who live in this bizarre world of ours.  As a mother, grandmother and a Christian, I decided to respond from a Biblical perspective and address it to mainly Christians.  WHY is there so much violence in the world today? Among the many lives cut short was a 6 year old child who had not even begun to live, and two servicemen who served and survived military time, only to return home and be senselessly slaughtered!

These were some of my comments:

In the Philippines I saw armed security guards with rifles or pistols at banks and ATM machines, and at fast food places everywhere, even at a gas station.  Maybe we should be in a more preventive mode in America also and search everyone at the door going into the movie theaters, have metal detectors in every public place, fast food places, and in every school and public institution for that matter! Why?  Because these have been places of bombings and killings!  ( Perhaps armed guards will be the norm for civil misbehavior with the recent rages of ‘flash mob rioting and looting’ in America that could easily have us become a ‘police state’!)

We need to remind ourselves that we live in a dangerous world that is ruled by Satan whose job is “to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).  We need to imprint this Bible fact upon the minds of our youth- that Satan is the REAL ENEMY of our souls.  Our responsibility as parents, grandparents, ministers, church youth leaders, esp., is to teach the Word of God which commands us to be a pure and holy people, separated unto God.  If most of the time we spend in church is used for singing and program activities, there is little time left for Bible study.  While we live in this world, believers should not be a part of, nor love the world with its appeal and attractions, fads and fashions, music and entertainment, and drive for money, fame, and pleasure.  This is what the Bible says in 1 John 3:15-17:

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

Why does it seem like we’re experiencing more and more violence and evil today? Our physical world is also changing because God’s judgment is now upon the earth, as well as the people, as it was in the days of Noah:

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filed with violence.  And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt: for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filed with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:11-13)

The Bible says in Isaiah 60:2 that the last days will be dark and filled with evil.

“For, behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:”…

The second part of Isaiah 60:2 says, “and gross darkness the people” means that evil thoughts and motivations will consume the minds of people as the deranged young man, possessed of the devil who killed the movie goers.

Jesus said in the last days it will be like the days of Noah, when the earth was filled with violence and corruption just before the great flood.

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered in  the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Mt 24:37-39)

Doesn’t this tell us that judgment is coming soon and that we should pay attention to the signs around us?  Only those who take heed to the Word of God and believe it, will persevere and survive the judgments coming upon the world.

When our youth involve themselves with the things of Satan, the prince of darkness, such as attending the diabolical movie ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ which is filled with massacre and killings, they  expose themselves to evil and thus risk danger to their own soul.  Anyone who intentionally gives Satan a door of opportunity to encourage his evil work, will ultimately suffer dire consequences as a victim, and many victims are destroyed by Satan whose intent is to take as many as he can to hell with him!

So my warning to all parents and spiritual leaders is to teach youth and adults, NOT TO PUSSYFOOT WITH THE DEVIL!  Herein is a truism:  Satan has GREAT POWER which he wields to do the works of darkness, and he is the MASTER OF MIND CONTROL.  When we give him our mind, instead of having on the mind of Christ, we will reap many D’s: Discouragement, Depression, Disillusionment, Deception, Despair, and Destruction, ending with Death, to name a few D’s.  The gunman in Colorado did not become possessed by evil overnight, but gradually over time allowed Satan to gain control over his mind.

I will continue posting more on this subject in Sounding the Shofar- The Enemy In Our Midst, about Satan’s strategies and devices to bring the downfall of Christians; how to overcome Satan and not be defeated by him and thus risk losing your salvation.

CONCLUSION:  In my eBook I wrote about the importance of God’s Word.  No Word of God=No Faith; No Faith=No Power; No Power=No Victory; No Victory means Satan has won.  You must believe that we are in a spiritual battle against Satan.  Avoidance of the subject of spiritual warfare and/or feigned or actual ignorance will spell your destruction as Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”... Satan is alive and well on Planet Earth!

Philippians 2:12 states, “…work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling.”  Attending church regularly or worshipping and praising the Lord does not ensure our salvation, but it is only having a relationship with God, knowing His Word and obeying it that will save us (Ps 107:20). Christians who don’t stand fast in the Word and in their faith will take a beating from Satan.  Our only protection against Satan is abiding in God’s Word, and obeying it.  Separate yourselves from the world and worldly people for your own good, for your safety, for your and your family’s protection.  Stand on this Word:

“Greater is He that is in us (Jesus) than he that is in the world (Satan, our adversary).”  1John 4:4

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