UPDATE 7-31-12
So, a UFO has appeared at the Olympics! Wow! But not so fast. There is overwhelming evidence that it was merely the Goodyear blimp. Here's some info debunking the Olympic UFO.
"Many peoples first impression after watching the video is if that UFO is possibly a blimp. So the question many have asked is, "Were any blimps flying over the stadium during the opening ceremonies?" And the answer is yes, indeed a blimp was operating during that time and in the same airspace as the object depicted in the previous video...
When looking at the video and still shots of the UFO, you can clearly see the similar patterns to that of the Goodyear blimp. As well, it is the same size. In addition, the previous photos provide night shots of the blimp which clearly match the UFO. If that's not enough, the following video link shows nearly the same scene as the UFO video. At 33 seconds into it, you'll see the blimp.
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_6pqlHoEqw"
Now on top of all this, there is also witness testimony of which all say it was a blimp."
"http://www.examiner.com/article/olympics-ufo-just-goodyear-blimp"
And the blimp prepped for Olympics duty.
"http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris37111/7657966198/"
Original post:
So, you're reading this because 1) a UFO has appeared at the London opening ceremony 2) you think one is going to appear 3) you subscribe via one method or another 4) your google-fu got you hear looking for something else
Well. First and foremost, if UFOs have appeared, ignore them, don't look or listen to anything being said about or by them. It's a lie. Read the articles below, and you will see what i mean.
This UFO invasion (or non-invasion if you read this after the Olympics and nothing happened) is actually a lie. Aliens are demonic entities as evidenced by the work of Joe Jordan at ce4research and by the testimony of Guy Malone, both of which are available online elsewhere. I also demonstrate that in the below articles.
In the meantime, call on Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, turn to Him accept Him. He loves you, died for your sins and rose from the dead as written BEFOREHAND in the Bible. By accepting and trusting in Him, you can be with Him and live through the end of the world, and the aliens will then be afraid of YOU.
UFOs 101
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2011/12/ufos-and-abductions-part-1-dark.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2011/12/ufos-and-abductions-part-2-what-do.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2011/12/ufos-and-abductions-part-3-alien-human.html
Betty Andreasson (multi-part series, January - February 2011 posts following this one)
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2011/01/alien-abduction-autopsy-betty.html
If calling on Jesus Christ and acceptin Him as Lord and savior stops abductions, what happened to Betty Andreasson? Ah, she wasn't abducted, she went willingly, and she also did not use her authority in Christ.
Ancient Aliens Debunked
Here are a number of claims from the ancient aliens show, properly researched and debunked. If the claims made in ancient aliens are untrue, then what is true?
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/05/flights-of-fancy-debunking-ancient.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2011/11/ufo-battle-nuremberg-1561-nuernberg.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/05/sky-anchors-away-legends-of-sky-sailors.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/06/ufo-over-jerusalem-red-sky-or-big-lie.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/06/caves-of-past-ancient-aliens-in-cave.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/05/starstruck-are-kachinas-really-ancient.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/06/ahhh-old-ancient-space-suit-trick.html
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/06/mirror-darkly-my-reflections-on.html
Because if the Bible is true (and it is) then the ancient astronaut theory must be false (and it is). Aliens didn't create us, the God of the Bible did, and He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us and cleanse us so we can be free from the evil inherent in humanity. If we accept Him.
The Bigfoot UFO connections
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/02/you-know-what-they-say-about-bigfeetbig.html
Sci-Fi priming us for the Great Deception
http://dontaskthatinchurch.blogspot.com/2012/06/does-not-compute-common-memes-in-sci-fi.html
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Fishy Origins of the Ichthys
Some time ago, i looked at the origins of the Star of David (Magen David) and found that there are indeed possible pagan origins for the star as well as a possible Jewish origin. To be fair to our Jewish friends, here's a look at the Christian Ichthys.
So, first off the ichthys is a popular symbol adorning many cars. It does not adorn mine because if i cut you off i don't want you to associate my (sometimes inadvertant) jerky driving behavior with my faith in Christ. Also, i was quasi-aware of pagan origins for the little fishy.
I don't know exactly where or when i had heard this, but somehow i tied the ichthys to the pope/cardinal hats and the pagan god Dagon. There may be some truth to that.
This article gives us a look at the various pagan origins, including a tie to dagon, but also to Venus (ishtar).
http://www.albatrus.org/english/religions/pagan/origin_fish_symbol.htm
The fertility motif is expounded on in this article, wherein we see that the fish was actually symbolic of a vagina. Yeah, that's right.
http://www.cracked.com/article_19909_6-famous-symbols-that-dont-mean-what-you-think.html#ixzz20S5TT9FZ
Despite this unapologetic evidence of pagan origins, Christians still think it's OK. "Christianity Today" basically says that we can take it over for our use.
"I don't find the pagan argument compelling. No symbol means the same thing to all people at all times."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/oct26.html
But if so, then we cant bag on Jews using pagan symbols for using the Star of David. Really, reclaiming a pagan symbol "for Jesus" is idiotic. That's like taking a pentagram and using it for Christian ends somehow and saying its now a Christian symbol. Maybe we can slap angels, saints and Jesus on a tarot deck, and do Christian fortune telling. (I'm sure someone has done that).
The persecuted Christians had a good reason for using it, but that doesn't mean we should use it 2000 years after the fact when persecution isn't prevalent (yet).
We shouldn't be using pagan symbols. In the Old Testament, God always commanded pagan paraphenelia be destroyed. Personally, I don't think the demons attached to that symbol care so much about what you call it since they originated it, and use it to serve their ends. You really can't change the meaning of a symbol. Well, perhaps you sort of can.
The Nazis coopted the swastika from buddhism (personally i would say the same demonic spirits at work) but in both cases it was still a pagan symbol for all purposes. Good luck changing the swastika back into a buddhist symbol. It's also the same reason no one grows a Chaplain mustache anymore. Hitler wore it, now its forever stigmatized.
The fish symbol is pagan, and using it to represent the body of Christ is sending mixed messages to the unsaved. (See the cracked article.
So, first off the ichthys is a popular symbol adorning many cars. It does not adorn mine because if i cut you off i don't want you to associate my (sometimes inadvertant) jerky driving behavior with my faith in Christ. Also, i was quasi-aware of pagan origins for the little fishy.
I don't know exactly where or when i had heard this, but somehow i tied the ichthys to the pope/cardinal hats and the pagan god Dagon. There may be some truth to that.
This article gives us a look at the various pagan origins, including a tie to dagon, but also to Venus (ishtar).
http://www.albatrus.org/english/religions/pagan/origin_fish_symbol.htm
The fertility motif is expounded on in this article, wherein we see that the fish was actually symbolic of a vagina. Yeah, that's right.
http://www.cracked.com/article_19909_6-famous-symbols-that-dont-mean-what-you-think.html#ixzz20S5TT9FZ
Despite this unapologetic evidence of pagan origins, Christians still think it's OK. "Christianity Today" basically says that we can take it over for our use.
"I don't find the pagan argument compelling. No symbol means the same thing to all people at all times."
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/asktheexpert/oct26.html
But if so, then we cant bag on Jews using pagan symbols for using the Star of David. Really, reclaiming a pagan symbol "for Jesus" is idiotic. That's like taking a pentagram and using it for Christian ends somehow and saying its now a Christian symbol. Maybe we can slap angels, saints and Jesus on a tarot deck, and do Christian fortune telling. (I'm sure someone has done that).
The persecuted Christians had a good reason for using it, but that doesn't mean we should use it 2000 years after the fact when persecution isn't prevalent (yet).
We shouldn't be using pagan symbols. In the Old Testament, God always commanded pagan paraphenelia be destroyed. Personally, I don't think the demons attached to that symbol care so much about what you call it since they originated it, and use it to serve their ends. You really can't change the meaning of a symbol. Well, perhaps you sort of can.
The Nazis coopted the swastika from buddhism (personally i would say the same demonic spirits at work) but in both cases it was still a pagan symbol for all purposes. Good luck changing the swastika back into a buddhist symbol. It's also the same reason no one grows a Chaplain mustache anymore. Hitler wore it, now its forever stigmatized.
The fish symbol is pagan, and using it to represent the body of Christ is sending mixed messages to the unsaved. (See the cracked article.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
It's Not Delivery it's Deliverance or Deliverance for Dummies
One of the things i was always curious about as an early Christian, and perhaps before was demons and spiritual warfare. Right up there in the middle would be casting demons out of people. My interest in this was before i had actually been spiritually attacked and realized the terror involved, and also i suspect alot of youthful arrogance was at play.
Like the foolish disciples in Luke 10:19 - 20, i wanted to rejoice in the fact that demons obeyed rather than my name being written in the Book of Life and that Christ had paid for the sins i should be punished for.
Even though we shouldn't seek this opportunity out (unless the Lord calls us to), we should be ready for it should the need arise. It's not something we should revel in, or use to glorify ourselves, but rather it should glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Ask a few people in your church if they could do deliverance. You'll probably find half the people will look at you like your crazy, the other half would probably just laugh at you. Maybe it's not that bad, but it might be. (Please comment if you have had a reaction.)
I have never once, that i can remember, heard a sermon on this in all of my time attending church. And even in the circles i travel in (listening to Revelations radio podcasts and Russ Dizdar) i don't know that i've heard a whole lot on this specific subject, though i have caught some information here and there. They likely don't dwell on it, as it's pretty straightforward for the most part. Or at least it should be.
+++DISCLAIMER+++
I have (thankfully) never had to do this, so what i am about to say has never been applied by me. Furthermore, this isn't something we should go around doing willy-nilly.
It is also potentially dangerous, so this is for a situation in which you KNOW a person is demon possessed. Follow the Holy Spirit's lead on whether you should apply this or not. Use your own discernment. I'm not trying to put this out there to make a bunch of Christian demon-hunting Rambos, it's just information i think will be helpful should the need arise. And its aomething ive always wanted to know, but never been "taught".
In addition, take physical safety precautions, making sure you enlist the aid of others, in the event restraint is needed.
Even more important is that you need to take the proper spiritual precautions. Most importantly (besides being saved), you need your armor:
Ephesians 6:13 - 17
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
+++End DISCLAIMER+++
First and foremost. Before you go around trying to exorcise or cast demons out, THE MOST KEY THING is, are you saved or not? If you try to cast a demon out, and you are not saved through faith in Jesus Christ, you are in big trouble.
Acts 19:13 - 17
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
If you're unsaved, you will fare no better. And even if you are, care is needed. You should also have at least another person with you, preferably more, praying constantly, singing praises to the Lord, reading scripture. It may also be possible that you may also have to physically restrain someone, so more people is better.
Second, don't be surprised, but the demons will probably know who you are and know information about you. In light of this, having a short account with sin is a good idea. I have heard stories where unconfessed sin will be an impedence in this work. It's a good idea anyways to regularly confess your sins to the Lord.
I have also heard that demons will try to tell you things about your future, and you should know better than to listen to them (recall that God forbids seeking advice from a medium). We'll come back to what do in a moment.
Here's an example of a demon knowing who a person is.
Acts 16:16 - 19
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Notice that Paul (eventually) shut her up, something that should you encounter a possessed individual, is a good idea. It's also something Jesus often did. He did so because it wasn't yet time for Him to be known as Messiah.
Luke 4:33 - 35
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
I would guess it's a good idea for us to silence them so we're not tempted to listen to them, but also so we are not distracted from our purpose in casting them out.
How do we tell if someone is actually possessed?
There are alot of supposed methods, some of which are based on experience. Russ Dizdar says they have "multiple eyes". I once saw a guy in a mental hospital, and i had a feeling he was possessed, his eyes did look funny, but i couldn't say if he was truly possessed or not.
Rather than relying solely on man though, let's see how the Bible can be applied. A recent interview on vftb.net with Doc Marquis and pastor Hoggard suggested this method. They claimed that one church often had demoniacs coming in, and to test them they had them read 1 John 1:7 out loud. Often, they could not because demons fear the blood of Jesus. It is an assurance of their ultimate defeat.
1 John 1:7
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 4:1 - 3 is one that LA Marzulli uses with some success.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Once you determine if deliverance is needed, it should be quite simple to cast them out. It's not an elaborate exorcism, it's not a long ceremony. You don't need a priest, but you should probably have people with that are praying, reading scripture and praising the Lord.
As Paul did in Acts 16, just command in the name of Jesus Christ for the demon to come out. Some argue that you should command them to silence and to not harm anyone. That's probably a good idea, but i have no experience and can't say for certain.
When you do it, have faith. Have faith in Jesus Christ, and His authority over the demons. Have faith that as Christ's representative, you you are relying on His authority to cast demons out. Our faith in Christ makes us one with Him, and so we draw from His authority, we have been deputized. As long as we command with faith, in His name, the demons obey. Because they fear and respect the sheriff, the must obey the deputies who wear His badge.
If you have no faith...
Matthew 17:15 - 20 (see also Mark 9)
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Here are some verses demonstrating how easy it should be to do this. Many of them are Jesus commanding (demonstrating His authority as God's Son), but the same principal should apply. Refer also to Acts 16 for how a Christian should do it.
Mark 9:25 - 26
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
Mark 5 (just read it)
Mark 9:38 - 39
38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Can all demons/evil spirits be cast out, simply by commanding in Jesus Christ's name? While the above steps should be sufficient to free someone from possession, sometimes the entity just won't budge. But wait, you said...
Here's the one exception:
Mark 9:28-29
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
That's right, some spirits will not leave even if we command. So, we must do prayer and fasting, in fact, if possible, that may be a good first step if given enough time. Once you've done your prayer and fasting though, you should be able to follow the above guidelines.
Something that has always made me scared, should i ever need to do deliverance. People who have cast devils out (amongst other things) in Christ's name will evidently be sent away at the final judgement. I took this to mean if i go around casting devils out, i won't go to Heaven. I was wrong.
Matthew 7:22 - 23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I have to fully confess, i do not know exactly what is going on here. It seems as though these people were trying to please God through what they've done, their works, rather than faith in Jesus Christ. They were self righteous, like the pharisees, they relied on "doing the right tgings" to okease God. If you have a good explanation, please share it. In short, it has nothing to do with the fact that they've cast demons out.
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Doctrines/Lordship%20Salvation/ray_comfort-matthew_723.htm
http://pastormark.tv/2012/02/09/tough-text-thursday-matthew-7-2223
One last thing, you shouldn't always cast the devil's out. So it seems at least. You should really only do a deliverance if it will lead to the victim of possession's salvation. In some cases, the person wants the devil inside of them, or they just don't want to be saved.
If that's the case, casting a demon out will be a bad idea. You will need to pray and get discernment from the Holy Spirit on the matter.
Matthew 12:43 - 45
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
This may not cover everything you need to know, but it was not intended to. This is merely my working theory, based on God's Word. Again, I've never done deliverance, though i have successfully rebuked demonic attacks from discarnate entities by 1) having a relationship with Jesus Christ. 2) calling on Him when i am under attack. And 3) rebuking the demons in His name.
Applying those principals and God's Word, this is my best guess at how to do deliverence. Please feel free to share your own experiences in the comments section, especially if you've done it before.
Addendum:
Nicky cruz's book, "one holy fire" has a good section on spiritual warfare thats worth checking out.
Like the foolish disciples in Luke 10:19 - 20, i wanted to rejoice in the fact that demons obeyed rather than my name being written in the Book of Life and that Christ had paid for the sins i should be punished for.
Even though we shouldn't seek this opportunity out (unless the Lord calls us to), we should be ready for it should the need arise. It's not something we should revel in, or use to glorify ourselves, but rather it should glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Ask a few people in your church if they could do deliverance. You'll probably find half the people will look at you like your crazy, the other half would probably just laugh at you. Maybe it's not that bad, but it might be. (Please comment if you have had a reaction.)
I have never once, that i can remember, heard a sermon on this in all of my time attending church. And even in the circles i travel in (listening to Revelations radio podcasts and Russ Dizdar) i don't know that i've heard a whole lot on this specific subject, though i have caught some information here and there. They likely don't dwell on it, as it's pretty straightforward for the most part. Or at least it should be.
+++DISCLAIMER+++
I have (thankfully) never had to do this, so what i am about to say has never been applied by me. Furthermore, this isn't something we should go around doing willy-nilly.
It is also potentially dangerous, so this is for a situation in which you KNOW a person is demon possessed. Follow the Holy Spirit's lead on whether you should apply this or not. Use your own discernment. I'm not trying to put this out there to make a bunch of Christian demon-hunting Rambos, it's just information i think will be helpful should the need arise. And its aomething ive always wanted to know, but never been "taught".
In addition, take physical safety precautions, making sure you enlist the aid of others, in the event restraint is needed.
Even more important is that you need to take the proper spiritual precautions. Most importantly (besides being saved), you need your armor:
Ephesians 6:13 - 17
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
+++End DISCLAIMER+++
First and foremost. Before you go around trying to exorcise or cast demons out, THE MOST KEY THING is, are you saved or not? If you try to cast a demon out, and you are not saved through faith in Jesus Christ, you are in big trouble.
Acts 19:13 - 17
13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
If you're unsaved, you will fare no better. And even if you are, care is needed. You should also have at least another person with you, preferably more, praying constantly, singing praises to the Lord, reading scripture. It may also be possible that you may also have to physically restrain someone, so more people is better.
Second, don't be surprised, but the demons will probably know who you are and know information about you. In light of this, having a short account with sin is a good idea. I have heard stories where unconfessed sin will be an impedence in this work. It's a good idea anyways to regularly confess your sins to the Lord.
I have also heard that demons will try to tell you things about your future, and you should know better than to listen to them (recall that God forbids seeking advice from a medium). We'll come back to what do in a moment.
Here's an example of a demon knowing who a person is.
Acts 16:16 - 19
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
Notice that Paul (eventually) shut her up, something that should you encounter a possessed individual, is a good idea. It's also something Jesus often did. He did so because it wasn't yet time for Him to be known as Messiah.
Luke 4:33 - 35
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
I would guess it's a good idea for us to silence them so we're not tempted to listen to them, but also so we are not distracted from our purpose in casting them out.
How do we tell if someone is actually possessed?
There are alot of supposed methods, some of which are based on experience. Russ Dizdar says they have "multiple eyes". I once saw a guy in a mental hospital, and i had a feeling he was possessed, his eyes did look funny, but i couldn't say if he was truly possessed or not.
Rather than relying solely on man though, let's see how the Bible can be applied. A recent interview on vftb.net with Doc Marquis and pastor Hoggard suggested this method. They claimed that one church often had demoniacs coming in, and to test them they had them read 1 John 1:7 out loud. Often, they could not because demons fear the blood of Jesus. It is an assurance of their ultimate defeat.
1 John 1:7
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 4:1 - 3 is one that LA Marzulli uses with some success.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Once you determine if deliverance is needed, it should be quite simple to cast them out. It's not an elaborate exorcism, it's not a long ceremony. You don't need a priest, but you should probably have people with that are praying, reading scripture and praising the Lord.
As Paul did in Acts 16, just command in the name of Jesus Christ for the demon to come out. Some argue that you should command them to silence and to not harm anyone. That's probably a good idea, but i have no experience and can't say for certain.
When you do it, have faith. Have faith in Jesus Christ, and His authority over the demons. Have faith that as Christ's representative, you you are relying on His authority to cast demons out. Our faith in Christ makes us one with Him, and so we draw from His authority, we have been deputized. As long as we command with faith, in His name, the demons obey. Because they fear and respect the sheriff, the must obey the deputies who wear His badge.
If you have no faith...
Matthew 17:15 - 20 (see also Mark 9)
15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Here are some verses demonstrating how easy it should be to do this. Many of them are Jesus commanding (demonstrating His authority as God's Son), but the same principal should apply. Refer also to Acts 16 for how a Christian should do it.
Mark 9:25 - 26
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
Mark 5 (just read it)
Mark 9:38 - 39
38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Can all demons/evil spirits be cast out, simply by commanding in Jesus Christ's name? While the above steps should be sufficient to free someone from possession, sometimes the entity just won't budge. But wait, you said...
Here's the one exception:
Mark 9:28-29
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
That's right, some spirits will not leave even if we command. So, we must do prayer and fasting, in fact, if possible, that may be a good first step if given enough time. Once you've done your prayer and fasting though, you should be able to follow the above guidelines.
Something that has always made me scared, should i ever need to do deliverance. People who have cast devils out (amongst other things) in Christ's name will evidently be sent away at the final judgement. I took this to mean if i go around casting devils out, i won't go to Heaven. I was wrong.
Matthew 7:22 - 23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I have to fully confess, i do not know exactly what is going on here. It seems as though these people were trying to please God through what they've done, their works, rather than faith in Jesus Christ. They were self righteous, like the pharisees, they relied on "doing the right tgings" to okease God. If you have a good explanation, please share it. In short, it has nothing to do with the fact that they've cast demons out.
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Doctrines/Lordship%20Salvation/ray_comfort-matthew_723.htm
http://pastormark.tv/2012/02/09/tough-text-thursday-matthew-7-2223
One last thing, you shouldn't always cast the devil's out. So it seems at least. You should really only do a deliverance if it will lead to the victim of possession's salvation. In some cases, the person wants the devil inside of them, or they just don't want to be saved.
If that's the case, casting a demon out will be a bad idea. You will need to pray and get discernment from the Holy Spirit on the matter.
Matthew 12:43 - 45
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
This may not cover everything you need to know, but it was not intended to. This is merely my working theory, based on God's Word. Again, I've never done deliverance, though i have successfully rebuked demonic attacks from discarnate entities by 1) having a relationship with Jesus Christ. 2) calling on Him when i am under attack. And 3) rebuking the demons in His name.
Applying those principals and God's Word, this is my best guess at how to do deliverence. Please feel free to share your own experiences in the comments section, especially if you've done it before.
Addendum:
Nicky cruz's book, "one holy fire" has a good section on spiritual warfare thats worth checking out.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I'm Saved! Um...Now What?
I'm a New Christian, Now What?
When i first became a new Christian, i had a lot of assumptions, most of them immature. I still thought that war and violence was OK, and that all the church i needed was Chuck Swindoll's daily show. I often felt, "i'm saved, let's end the world, send the wicked to hell" rather than showing Christ's love and forgiveness to the lost-so they can accept it.I also thought the best way to learn about spiritual warfare and demons was by reading New Age fare rather than God's Word which explains it far more truthfully.
Over the years, i've struggled finding a church, finding my role in the Body of Christ and in finding God's will for me (generally and specifically in life). Perhaps my wanderings would have been shorter, and my struggles more bearable had i 1) been discipled and 2) knew what to do upon becoming a Christian. Getting saved is just the beginning.
So here's a few things that would have helped me, hopefully they will help you, recently saved individual.
This isn't all necessarily straight from the Bible, just a few things from my own experience. I don't want to make a habit of blogs from my own experience, but in this case it is helpful to learn from my mistakes.
1) are you really saved?
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, accept that He became a man in a real body died for our sins and rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. Then YES! You are saved! Nothing can take that from you!
This is a pretty decent breakdown of the specifics, but in addition to this link, John 3:16, 1 John 1:9 and many other scriptures give us what we need to know and do to be saved. In short, it's faith in Jesus Christ as the solution for our sins.
http://www.gotquestions.org/how-can-I-be-saved.html
2) Get and read a Bible (at least daily)
2 Timothy 3:16
One of the key things in your new relationship with God through His Son Jesus is listening to what He says. We can listen to what God has to tell us through His Word, the Bible. No other source will give us the heart and mind of God. Also, when you read, ask God to speak to you. He often will.
Furthermore, I believe that the answer to every question can be found in the Bible if you look hard enough. It may not be a specific answer, but God will eventually lead you to the truth of a given matter if you pray and seek Him.
Which Bible should I read?
The answer is whatever one you will read regularly (as long as this edition hasn't changed God's word to fit their own agenda).
Many recommend the King James Bible. Personally, i had a hard time getting anything out of it for daily reading. Still, it is good for study (concordances) and the problems with it are widely known. So get one as a resource, or use the online versions of it for study. I have a phone app (mysword) that has the KJV (and 2 other versions) and also hotlinks to the strong's greek and hebrew from the KJV.
Blue Letter Bible Website is great, as it's searchable AND they have an extensive amount of commentaries. If you encounter a chapter or verse that's confusing, go to BLB and you'll have great resources to see what God's trying to get across to you. I can't recommend BLB enough if you want to do serious study of the Bible. One particular highlight is that they have Isaac Newton's commentaries.
As far as daily devotionals, i personally use the NLT (new living translation). It's a study Bible with a green cover and i have gotten a TON out of it. It is a little spendy though, though i think i got mine at walmart a long time ago at a good price. To this day, i can't remember why i bought it.
What i personally like is it's in today's language, and often strives for the most precise meaning of a word or phrase. They also have a decent commentary for many verses, though i don't always agree with it based on other commentaries. They also have other great study resources.
The downside, price and also some phrases aren't as accurately translated as they could be. All in all, i like it for daily reading.
So, in summary, the NLT study Bible, the good ol' KJV and Blue Letter, not in that order.
3) Find a good church to go to
(You may also like to find a good mentor, use the same criteria as a guide.)
One of the most common questions ever (not to me, but some Christians) is probably "what church should i go to?" Or which one is right?
As pointed out in my previous post, I have struggled with this. What i can tell you is that no specific denomination is right, as within each denomination are individuals who may not be on the level. Hence the need for Acts 17:11 and similar passages.
Here are some questions to consider in choosing a church.
Do they follow the Bible and consider it the authoritative Word of God? Do they take it seriously? Does the pastor?
Does the church focus on a specific social (or other) issue as opposed to Jesus Christ and Him crucified?
Is there false teaching? (Prosperity gospel, salvation by works)
What is that church's statement of faith? You can tell alot from that. I do have one, but it's not super-obviously located and one of these days i plan to fix that. A pretty good one can be found here:
http://www.gotquestions.org/faith.html
Some things to avoid:
- Obvious apostasy. This would be specifically ELCA and Anglican churches that have adopted a supportive stance on gay clergy. Many of these buildings are decorated like a bag of Skittles with rainbow banners in front of the church, and I've even seen a Presbyterian church with a rainbow out front. The rainbow isn't always a clue, but if you dig deep enough, you'll find out the truth on this. A church's stance on the homosexuality (or even other sin issues) should be clear. And if they endorse it/accept it, avoid that churxh.
- Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses (and i hear 7th day adventist) are not denominations, but basically cults. In at least one of these, salvation by works is prevalent. Further, there is kind of wacky teaching on Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1)
- Avoid any church that has you praying to anyone but God, in the name of His Son Jesus. Any church having you pray ANYTHING to Mary, a statue or a saint is teaching falsely. Sorry, but most if not all Catholic churches would fall into this category.
- Avoid any church that holds mans's teachings and traditions above the Bible. I don't mean to hate on Catholics, but this is a huge thing with Catholic church.
But it's not just the big C. ANY denomination can be and is guilty of this, and no denomination has the market cornered on truth. You can however, find good churches in most denominations. Just take that denominations traditions with a grain of salt
- in Star Trek, the Ferengi have a saying. "Never trust a man wearing a better suit than your own."
Now, a pastor's suit (or lack thereof) isn't necessarily an indication of his trustworthiness. Many pastors wear a suit because it's respectable, and a sign of professionalism in our culture. But there is a line that shouldn't be crossed. Does the pastor look like a "pulpit pimp"? Does he drive a porsche? do they have excessive bells and whistles in the building? Is there an emphasis on giving money to the church so God can bless you?
Probably a good idea to skip that place.
On the flipside, a poor church isn't necessarily right either. The roof of my church leaks sometimes, but if the pastor's teachings were off, i'd take a hike.
- Contemplative prayer
Really an issue to itself, but avoid it and any church that offers it. It's essentially mysticism and meditation masquerading as prayer. I probably used to do it when i went astray.
http://www.gotquestions.org/contemplative-prayer.html
- dominionism
Anything with a "seven mountains" thing going on. Derek Gilbert did many great shows on this for his view from the bunker (vftb.net) and the blog Herescope also has great articles. Both name names.
Here's a basic look
http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-dominionism.html
Finally, with any church or ministry, follow Acts 17:11. Test anything that is preached by God's Word.
4) Cutting ties
One mistake i made in my early walk with Christ is that i didn't completely turn my back on sin. In fact, some of it i wasn't sure was sin (or i suspected, but justified it).
Here's some ways to cut ties.
Did you come out of the occult or New Age? Wicca?
Get rid of your books that teach how to do those things! Anything that can lead you back into that path, get rid of it. Even more, don't give them away, or sell them, but totally get rid of them. Many people advocate burning the books and paraphenelia (oujia boards, tarot decks, perhaps even stuff as "innocent" as Fate magazines). Burning them is scriptural (Acts 19:19) and if you choose to rid yourself of these items in this way, do so safely and taking proper safety measures. If you need a permit to burn, acquire one.
Can you just throw them away? Thats difficult to say. By doing that, there is a possibility someone else may acquire them and be drawn in themselves. In the case of tapes or CD's, perhaps breaking them would be sufficient. Burning may release harmful chemicals.
Personally, i have some UFO books i bought in recent years for "research" but honestly, i may end up getting rid of them.
All of this holds true for pornography as well. Don't make excuses, get it out of your house! Keeping it around potentially leaves an open door to Satan, or at least makes it easier to fall into temptation. Make a clean break. Safely burn books and magazines, safely break any DVDs or tapes.
It has been my experience that NOT getting rid of these things early on, and even justifying them WILL trip you up. Furthermore, getting rid of and destroying them is Biblical and is a demonstration of your changed life.
5) Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:12.
It is real, and you probably will experience it. Especially if you have occult or porn in your past.
My pre (and post) salvation New Age dabblings gave me the opportunity to experience spiritual warfare first hand.
I had sleep paralysis a number of times, and once i even saw what's known as a "shadow person" and i've had a few encounters with demons in dreams. The more recent experiences are not ones I've sought out. In all of the cases i can remember details from, calling on Jesus Christ, asking Him for help put a stop to the event immediately. If you're unable to speak, then just think "Jesus" calling to Him, and that's worked for me too. Trust me God can read our minds, and knows what we need before we do.
In short, Jesus Christ stops satan and his demons from attacking us. Because, Jesus is the name above all names.
Phillipians 2:9 - 10
And all of the spiritual powers are subject to Him.
1 Peter 3:22
6) Get Baptized!
I was Baptized as an infant via the Catholic church. And there's no problem with infant baptism, I'm not for or against it necessarily. But even if you were batized as a baby, do so upon your conversion at the first opportunity. Getting baptized is an external sign of your new internal commitment. I was baptized as an adult and I'm glad that I did it, because it was something that I chose to do. Baptism doesn't save you, but it is good to be baptized as an adult. Dr. Michael Heiser's Naked Bible did an excellant job covering what exactly Baptism is and does or doesn't do. Dig that up if you want more info. I believe it can be obtained via revelations radio
While not authoritative, these guidelines should help you as a new Christian. More importantly, as you consider these things, do so prayerfully asking the Lord to lead you. God will lead you where you need to go. I hope, new Christian that these suggestions lead you closer to the Lord and His plan for your life. It's not an easy road, but it's the only one worth traveling.
When i first became a new Christian, i had a lot of assumptions, most of them immature. I still thought that war and violence was OK, and that all the church i needed was Chuck Swindoll's daily show. I often felt, "i'm saved, let's end the world, send the wicked to hell" rather than showing Christ's love and forgiveness to the lost-so they can accept it.I also thought the best way to learn about spiritual warfare and demons was by reading New Age fare rather than God's Word which explains it far more truthfully.
Over the years, i've struggled finding a church, finding my role in the Body of Christ and in finding God's will for me (generally and specifically in life). Perhaps my wanderings would have been shorter, and my struggles more bearable had i 1) been discipled and 2) knew what to do upon becoming a Christian. Getting saved is just the beginning.
So here's a few things that would have helped me, hopefully they will help you, recently saved individual.
This isn't all necessarily straight from the Bible, just a few things from my own experience. I don't want to make a habit of blogs from my own experience, but in this case it is helpful to learn from my mistakes.
1) are you really saved?
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, accept that He became a man in a real body died for our sins and rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. Then YES! You are saved! Nothing can take that from you!
This is a pretty decent breakdown of the specifics, but in addition to this link, John 3:16, 1 John 1:9 and many other scriptures give us what we need to know and do to be saved. In short, it's faith in Jesus Christ as the solution for our sins.
http://www.gotquestions.org/how-can-I-be-saved.html
2) Get and read a Bible (at least daily)
2 Timothy 3:16
One of the key things in your new relationship with God through His Son Jesus is listening to what He says. We can listen to what God has to tell us through His Word, the Bible. No other source will give us the heart and mind of God. Also, when you read, ask God to speak to you. He often will.
Furthermore, I believe that the answer to every question can be found in the Bible if you look hard enough. It may not be a specific answer, but God will eventually lead you to the truth of a given matter if you pray and seek Him.
Which Bible should I read?
The answer is whatever one you will read regularly (as long as this edition hasn't changed God's word to fit their own agenda).
Many recommend the King James Bible. Personally, i had a hard time getting anything out of it for daily reading. Still, it is good for study (concordances) and the problems with it are widely known. So get one as a resource, or use the online versions of it for study. I have a phone app (mysword) that has the KJV (and 2 other versions) and also hotlinks to the strong's greek and hebrew from the KJV.
Blue Letter Bible Website is great, as it's searchable AND they have an extensive amount of commentaries. If you encounter a chapter or verse that's confusing, go to BLB and you'll have great resources to see what God's trying to get across to you. I can't recommend BLB enough if you want to do serious study of the Bible. One particular highlight is that they have Isaac Newton's commentaries.
As far as daily devotionals, i personally use the NLT (new living translation). It's a study Bible with a green cover and i have gotten a TON out of it. It is a little spendy though, though i think i got mine at walmart a long time ago at a good price. To this day, i can't remember why i bought it.
What i personally like is it's in today's language, and often strives for the most precise meaning of a word or phrase. They also have a decent commentary for many verses, though i don't always agree with it based on other commentaries. They also have other great study resources.
The downside, price and also some phrases aren't as accurately translated as they could be. All in all, i like it for daily reading.
So, in summary, the NLT study Bible, the good ol' KJV and Blue Letter, not in that order.
3) Find a good church to go to
(You may also like to find a good mentor, use the same criteria as a guide.)
One of the most common questions ever (not to me, but some Christians) is probably "what church should i go to?" Or which one is right?
As pointed out in my previous post, I have struggled with this. What i can tell you is that no specific denomination is right, as within each denomination are individuals who may not be on the level. Hence the need for Acts 17:11 and similar passages.
Here are some questions to consider in choosing a church.
Do they follow the Bible and consider it the authoritative Word of God? Do they take it seriously? Does the pastor?
Does the church focus on a specific social (or other) issue as opposed to Jesus Christ and Him crucified?
Is there false teaching? (Prosperity gospel, salvation by works)
What is that church's statement of faith? You can tell alot from that. I do have one, but it's not super-obviously located and one of these days i plan to fix that. A pretty good one can be found here:
http://www.gotquestions.org/faith.html
Some things to avoid:
- Obvious apostasy. This would be specifically ELCA and Anglican churches that have adopted a supportive stance on gay clergy. Many of these buildings are decorated like a bag of Skittles with rainbow banners in front of the church, and I've even seen a Presbyterian church with a rainbow out front. The rainbow isn't always a clue, but if you dig deep enough, you'll find out the truth on this. A church's stance on the homosexuality (or even other sin issues) should be clear. And if they endorse it/accept it, avoid that churxh.
- Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses (and i hear 7th day adventist) are not denominations, but basically cults. In at least one of these, salvation by works is prevalent. Further, there is kind of wacky teaching on Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1)
- Avoid any church that has you praying to anyone but God, in the name of His Son Jesus. Any church having you pray ANYTHING to Mary, a statue or a saint is teaching falsely. Sorry, but most if not all Catholic churches would fall into this category.
- Avoid any church that holds mans's teachings and traditions above the Bible. I don't mean to hate on Catholics, but this is a huge thing with Catholic church.
But it's not just the big C. ANY denomination can be and is guilty of this, and no denomination has the market cornered on truth. You can however, find good churches in most denominations. Just take that denominations traditions with a grain of salt
- in Star Trek, the Ferengi have a saying. "Never trust a man wearing a better suit than your own."
Now, a pastor's suit (or lack thereof) isn't necessarily an indication of his trustworthiness. Many pastors wear a suit because it's respectable, and a sign of professionalism in our culture. But there is a line that shouldn't be crossed. Does the pastor look like a "pulpit pimp"? Does he drive a porsche? do they have excessive bells and whistles in the building? Is there an emphasis on giving money to the church so God can bless you?
Probably a good idea to skip that place.
On the flipside, a poor church isn't necessarily right either. The roof of my church leaks sometimes, but if the pastor's teachings were off, i'd take a hike.
- Contemplative prayer
Really an issue to itself, but avoid it and any church that offers it. It's essentially mysticism and meditation masquerading as prayer. I probably used to do it when i went astray.
http://www.gotquestions.org/contemplative-prayer.html
- dominionism
Anything with a "seven mountains" thing going on. Derek Gilbert did many great shows on this for his view from the bunker (vftb.net) and the blog Herescope also has great articles. Both name names.
Here's a basic look
http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-dominionism.html
Finally, with any church or ministry, follow Acts 17:11. Test anything that is preached by God's Word.
4) Cutting ties
One mistake i made in my early walk with Christ is that i didn't completely turn my back on sin. In fact, some of it i wasn't sure was sin (or i suspected, but justified it).
Here's some ways to cut ties.
Did you come out of the occult or New Age? Wicca?
Get rid of your books that teach how to do those things! Anything that can lead you back into that path, get rid of it. Even more, don't give them away, or sell them, but totally get rid of them. Many people advocate burning the books and paraphenelia (oujia boards, tarot decks, perhaps even stuff as "innocent" as Fate magazines). Burning them is scriptural (Acts 19:19) and if you choose to rid yourself of these items in this way, do so safely and taking proper safety measures. If you need a permit to burn, acquire one.
Can you just throw them away? Thats difficult to say. By doing that, there is a possibility someone else may acquire them and be drawn in themselves. In the case of tapes or CD's, perhaps breaking them would be sufficient. Burning may release harmful chemicals.
Personally, i have some UFO books i bought in recent years for "research" but honestly, i may end up getting rid of them.
All of this holds true for pornography as well. Don't make excuses, get it out of your house! Keeping it around potentially leaves an open door to Satan, or at least makes it easier to fall into temptation. Make a clean break. Safely burn books and magazines, safely break any DVDs or tapes.
It has been my experience that NOT getting rid of these things early on, and even justifying them WILL trip you up. Furthermore, getting rid of and destroying them is Biblical and is a demonstration of your changed life.
5) Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:12.
It is real, and you probably will experience it. Especially if you have occult or porn in your past.
My pre (and post) salvation New Age dabblings gave me the opportunity to experience spiritual warfare first hand.
I had sleep paralysis a number of times, and once i even saw what's known as a "shadow person" and i've had a few encounters with demons in dreams. The more recent experiences are not ones I've sought out. In all of the cases i can remember details from, calling on Jesus Christ, asking Him for help put a stop to the event immediately. If you're unable to speak, then just think "Jesus" calling to Him, and that's worked for me too. Trust me God can read our minds, and knows what we need before we do.
In short, Jesus Christ stops satan and his demons from attacking us. Because, Jesus is the name above all names.
Phillipians 2:9 - 10
And all of the spiritual powers are subject to Him.
1 Peter 3:22
6) Get Baptized!
I was Baptized as an infant via the Catholic church. And there's no problem with infant baptism, I'm not for or against it necessarily. But even if you were batized as a baby, do so upon your conversion at the first opportunity. Getting baptized is an external sign of your new internal commitment. I was baptized as an adult and I'm glad that I did it, because it was something that I chose to do. Baptism doesn't save you, but it is good to be baptized as an adult. Dr. Michael Heiser's Naked Bible did an excellant job covering what exactly Baptism is and does or doesn't do. Dig that up if you want more info. I believe it can be obtained via revelations radio
While not authoritative, these guidelines should help you as a new Christian. More importantly, as you consider these things, do so prayerfully asking the Lord to lead you. God will lead you where you need to go. I hope, new Christian that these suggestions lead you closer to the Lord and His plan for your life. It's not an easy road, but it's the only one worth traveling.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Denomination Domination: What Does the Bible say About Denominations
Denominations
John 17:21
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
All true believers in Jesus Christ are one, as in the Body of Christ. Why then, are there so many denominations, versions and flavors of Christianity?
Maybe a better question is, what does the Bible say about denominations? Before you ask, yes it certainly does have something to say.
For starters, a good possible overview of general denominations is in Revelation 2 - 3 Jesus Christ Himself gives letters to the churches. This is a whole 'nother study, but one interpretation of these letters is that each church represents an aspect of a period in Church history. Ephesus, the Apostolic Church until the Laodicean Church which is basically us now.
A good look at the theory (with a highly pro-Catholic slant can be found here.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mysticalrose/rev216.html) Chuck Missler's recent series suggests that from Thyatira onward, these churches will continue until the Great Tribulation or Jesus returns.
Some "experts" and this theory have described that Thyatira (Revelation 2:18 - 29) is actually the Catholic Church. This would make Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) the Reformation of course.
Thyatira gets good marks for charity, faith and such, but really misses it on the idolotry point. Well, specifically meat sacrificed to idols anyways. And Catholicism does have alot of charity, traditionally. Look at Mother Theresa.
I really can't judge the actual faithfulness of Catholics, but i would suppose that devout Catholics probably do have alot of faith. "Faith in what or who?" exactly, would be a great question to consider at a later time.
But then Jesus mentions the whole thing about idols. Say what you want, but just about every Catholic church i've set foot in is full of idols.
Yes, they are.
These are statues made in the image of a saint (we are all saints in Christ) or Mary or even Jesus. But people pray to the statues.
"An idol is an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed or any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idol
As Missler sort of said, those in the Protestant camp, especially those who DO think Thyatira is Catholicism should really take a long hard look at Sardis. There doesn't seem to be much good said about it.
Many then believe that puts us in Laodicea now.
So take a good look at those and you'll basically see that both denominations (Catholic and Protestant) have alot of repenting to do.
A thought not original to me, but one I should mention. In Luke 13, Jesus could be describing denominations as well.
Luke 13:18 - 21
18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
In verses 18 and 19, the Kingdom of God is described as a mustard seed but it grows into a tree so large that birds take roost in it. The mustard seed could possibly represent that all it takes to enter God's Kingdom and be right with Him is a little faith. But in this story, it grows into a large tree, whereas mustard plants should be small. Perhaps it grew into a tree because each denomination "branched off" and continued to grow.
Catholicism grew and grew, then came Lutheran-ism, then that continued until you had Calvin and Methodists, Baptists and so on til today where we have stuff that looks like a denomination, but has rejected sound doctrine. There's a long list of who these might be.
The Church (aka the Kingdom of God?) Has grown to a "tree" and birds (demonic powers, false teachings) have taken roost in the tree.
Verses 20 and 21 continue the metaphor using leaven, another symbol typically reserved for sin and unrighteousness. Sin tried to hide and conceal itself in God's Church, something paralleled with Jesus' parallel of the wheats and the tares.
Nearly every denomination has had some scandal or has slid to compromise morally to fit with the times. The Anglicans (i think) ordained homosexual bishops. Catholics have pedophile (and some say possible satanism) in their ranks. Lutherans (of the ELCA anyways) and at least some Presbyterians have also ordained gay clergy. Indeed, the birds have been roosting and the leaven has been rising for a while.
Yet we know that the gates of Hell will not prevail against Christ and His true remnant Church as promised in Matthew 16:18.
It's clear to me the Bible (not surprisingly) anticipated the nonsense of denominationalism. At best, denominations represent God's way of reaching people using different methods. Slightly less than best, they're man's best and feeble attempt to understand God's Word and what He would have of us. At worst, they represent Satan and man's attempt to control and divide the Body of Christ.
The only thing i can really say about denominations is that we need to get away from the teachings of mere men (myself included) and focus on what the Bible says. Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:2 - 4
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
I'm guilty of straying from that as well, explaining this, or debunking that. At the end of the day, any given issue is either glorifying God, glorifying Jesus Christ or it isn't. And if it isn't, we should really question if it belongs in our lives or not. Yoga, qigong, Edgar Cayce, Nostradmus, conspiracies and UFOs. Do they glorify Jesus? Do they brind us closer to seeking His face. No way! Perhaps a 2 hour yoga/conspiracy, etc. session could become a Bible reading/prayer session instead. i don't know. Is anything in our lives of satan? Get rid of it!
Addendum
My experience with denominations.
Don't take this as a judgment, it's just what happened with me. It also possibly demonstrates the effects of what happens when birds are roosting where they ought not to be and what happens when a baby believer listens to them sing.
Also, I'm a hard person to deal with (probably) and my many failed friendships prove this. So, i wholly admit there are factors that are my fault. Also, look at their doctrine, and compare it to God's Word, the Bible. If it doesn't line up, then don't go with it.
In the end, i believe that God can use different denominational styles to reach certain kinds of people. It's when we get too wrapped up in deciding which one is right, or placing too much faith in one line of man's thoughts that we get into trouble. Don't exchange God's glory for man's pharisaicalism. Nor should we be too ecumenical, saying anything goes.
When i was saved at 19, i still lived at home with my parents. We didn't really go to church. Ok, we never did. But on the few times i did go as a child it was to Catholic mass with my grandma. So, after a year or two of listening to Insight for Living, i decided i needed to find a church. I wanted to expand my relationship with God, connect with other believers my own age, and of course eventually meet the right girl.
Catholic Church
Catholic churches are indeed beautiful and grand. The artwork is some of the finest, the organ music, i loved it. I suppose the art could be a way to show people the Bible stories, and one could use it to witness. At least the Catholics still sing good hymns as opposed to love songs with just the word "Jesus" added in. I also liked the Saturday and wednesday services.
What i didn't like is kneeling, (sort of, sort of not) to a statue (Mary? Not Mary?) before i sat down. So i didn't. I also found it hard to connect with anyone, so i didn't. Outside of the usual peace be with you spiel, there wasn't really anyone i could talk to. Luckily, a Catholic lady i know recently told me that was normal, and something they were bad at. It also seemed pretty dead, with folks repeating phrases in the Mass with no emotion. Many of which, were phrases i didnt know.
Later on in more recent years i felt there was a (superficial?) connection to Buddhism. You have the whole monastary thing, prayer beads, repetition of specific prayers by rote. All in all, Catholicism just didn't work for me. I'll reserve my personal opinion on Catholicism as Jesus Christ will be the one to judge them as with every church.
Lutheranism
Basically the same stuff as Catholicism, minus all of the images.
Presbyterianism
I sort of fit in here... for a while. What i liked is that the people were very friendly and for the most part accepted me. The sermon and services were all good. The fellowship aferwards was fun and even the Bible study was fun.
But, there were bad things here too. The worst were my own fault i suppose. First, i basically let the pastor be God's message to me, rather than spending time in the Word. Sure, i had time in the word, but i used it as an excuse for laziness.
Second, the pastor admitted this himself, that Presbyterians had "ordered" the Holy Spirit right out, with all of the manmade rules and books of order and whatnot. There was also a lack of Biblical application in doing things. And the pastor himself questioned (not totally directly) the literalness of scripture and he sort of focused and directed all of his sermons on how to apply the Bible to his pet social issue, which was admittedly an important one. But also one easily dealt with in the moment of true conversion.
We also selected two pastors who didn't measure up to the standard in Timothy (the one about being husband of one wife, etc. And of course, they did not work out.
There was also alot of politics. Literally, we voted on stuff alot.
I was also put in a leadership position for the singles ministry, which ultimately failed. I had alot of faith issues there, but no one really checked me out. I was later put in charge of teaching highschool kids sunday school mainly because no one else wanted to do it. Again i failed there too. I was at my most backslidden, and yet i was given this great responsiblity. Whatever all that is worth. So i guess that shows the grace extended to others, but also a lack of discernment and reliance upon God's word.
I then settled on a non-denominational church, which has fit me the best so far.
So take all that don't build doctrine on it, don't change your denomination because of it, thats just where I've been. Rather than a bird roosting, I've been a monkey hopping from branch to branch.
John 17:21
"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
All true believers in Jesus Christ are one, as in the Body of Christ. Why then, are there so many denominations, versions and flavors of Christianity?
Maybe a better question is, what does the Bible say about denominations? Before you ask, yes it certainly does have something to say.
For starters, a good possible overview of general denominations is in Revelation 2 - 3 Jesus Christ Himself gives letters to the churches. This is a whole 'nother study, but one interpretation of these letters is that each church represents an aspect of a period in Church history. Ephesus, the Apostolic Church until the Laodicean Church which is basically us now.
A good look at the theory (with a highly pro-Catholic slant can be found here.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mysticalrose/rev216.html) Chuck Missler's recent series suggests that from Thyatira onward, these churches will continue until the Great Tribulation or Jesus returns.
Some "experts" and this theory have described that Thyatira (Revelation 2:18 - 29) is actually the Catholic Church. This would make Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) the Reformation of course.
Thyatira gets good marks for charity, faith and such, but really misses it on the idolotry point. Well, specifically meat sacrificed to idols anyways. And Catholicism does have alot of charity, traditionally. Look at Mother Theresa.
I really can't judge the actual faithfulness of Catholics, but i would suppose that devout Catholics probably do have alot of faith. "Faith in what or who?" exactly, would be a great question to consider at a later time.
But then Jesus mentions the whole thing about idols. Say what you want, but just about every Catholic church i've set foot in is full of idols.
Yes, they are.
These are statues made in the image of a saint (we are all saints in Christ) or Mary or even Jesus. But people pray to the statues.
"An idol is an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed or any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idol
As Missler sort of said, those in the Protestant camp, especially those who DO think Thyatira is Catholicism should really take a long hard look at Sardis. There doesn't seem to be much good said about it.
Many then believe that puts us in Laodicea now.
So take a good look at those and you'll basically see that both denominations (Catholic and Protestant) have alot of repenting to do.
A thought not original to me, but one I should mention. In Luke 13, Jesus could be describing denominations as well.
Luke 13:18 - 21
18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
In verses 18 and 19, the Kingdom of God is described as a mustard seed but it grows into a tree so large that birds take roost in it. The mustard seed could possibly represent that all it takes to enter God's Kingdom and be right with Him is a little faith. But in this story, it grows into a large tree, whereas mustard plants should be small. Perhaps it grew into a tree because each denomination "branched off" and continued to grow.
Catholicism grew and grew, then came Lutheran-ism, then that continued until you had Calvin and Methodists, Baptists and so on til today where we have stuff that looks like a denomination, but has rejected sound doctrine. There's a long list of who these might be.
The Church (aka the Kingdom of God?) Has grown to a "tree" and birds (demonic powers, false teachings) have taken roost in the tree.
Verses 20 and 21 continue the metaphor using leaven, another symbol typically reserved for sin and unrighteousness. Sin tried to hide and conceal itself in God's Church, something paralleled with Jesus' parallel of the wheats and the tares.
Nearly every denomination has had some scandal or has slid to compromise morally to fit with the times. The Anglicans (i think) ordained homosexual bishops. Catholics have pedophile (and some say possible satanism) in their ranks. Lutherans (of the ELCA anyways) and at least some Presbyterians have also ordained gay clergy. Indeed, the birds have been roosting and the leaven has been rising for a while.
Yet we know that the gates of Hell will not prevail against Christ and His true remnant Church as promised in Matthew 16:18.
It's clear to me the Bible (not surprisingly) anticipated the nonsense of denominationalism. At best, denominations represent God's way of reaching people using different methods. Slightly less than best, they're man's best and feeble attempt to understand God's Word and what He would have of us. At worst, they represent Satan and man's attempt to control and divide the Body of Christ.
The only thing i can really say about denominations is that we need to get away from the teachings of mere men (myself included) and focus on what the Bible says. Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen according to the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:2 - 4
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
I'm guilty of straying from that as well, explaining this, or debunking that. At the end of the day, any given issue is either glorifying God, glorifying Jesus Christ or it isn't. And if it isn't, we should really question if it belongs in our lives or not. Yoga, qigong, Edgar Cayce, Nostradmus, conspiracies and UFOs. Do they glorify Jesus? Do they brind us closer to seeking His face. No way! Perhaps a 2 hour yoga/conspiracy, etc. session could become a Bible reading/prayer session instead. i don't know. Is anything in our lives of satan? Get rid of it!
Addendum
My experience with denominations.
Don't take this as a judgment, it's just what happened with me. It also possibly demonstrates the effects of what happens when birds are roosting where they ought not to be and what happens when a baby believer listens to them sing.
Also, I'm a hard person to deal with (probably) and my many failed friendships prove this. So, i wholly admit there are factors that are my fault. Also, look at their doctrine, and compare it to God's Word, the Bible. If it doesn't line up, then don't go with it.
In the end, i believe that God can use different denominational styles to reach certain kinds of people. It's when we get too wrapped up in deciding which one is right, or placing too much faith in one line of man's thoughts that we get into trouble. Don't exchange God's glory for man's pharisaicalism. Nor should we be too ecumenical, saying anything goes.
When i was saved at 19, i still lived at home with my parents. We didn't really go to church. Ok, we never did. But on the few times i did go as a child it was to Catholic mass with my grandma. So, after a year or two of listening to Insight for Living, i decided i needed to find a church. I wanted to expand my relationship with God, connect with other believers my own age, and of course eventually meet the right girl.
Catholic Church
Catholic churches are indeed beautiful and grand. The artwork is some of the finest, the organ music, i loved it. I suppose the art could be a way to show people the Bible stories, and one could use it to witness. At least the Catholics still sing good hymns as opposed to love songs with just the word "Jesus" added in. I also liked the Saturday and wednesday services.
What i didn't like is kneeling, (sort of, sort of not) to a statue (Mary? Not Mary?) before i sat down. So i didn't. I also found it hard to connect with anyone, so i didn't. Outside of the usual peace be with you spiel, there wasn't really anyone i could talk to. Luckily, a Catholic lady i know recently told me that was normal, and something they were bad at. It also seemed pretty dead, with folks repeating phrases in the Mass with no emotion. Many of which, were phrases i didnt know.
Later on in more recent years i felt there was a (superficial?) connection to Buddhism. You have the whole monastary thing, prayer beads, repetition of specific prayers by rote. All in all, Catholicism just didn't work for me. I'll reserve my personal opinion on Catholicism as Jesus Christ will be the one to judge them as with every church.
Lutheranism
Basically the same stuff as Catholicism, minus all of the images.
Presbyterianism
I sort of fit in here... for a while. What i liked is that the people were very friendly and for the most part accepted me. The sermon and services were all good. The fellowship aferwards was fun and even the Bible study was fun.
But, there were bad things here too. The worst were my own fault i suppose. First, i basically let the pastor be God's message to me, rather than spending time in the Word. Sure, i had time in the word, but i used it as an excuse for laziness.
Second, the pastor admitted this himself, that Presbyterians had "ordered" the Holy Spirit right out, with all of the manmade rules and books of order and whatnot. There was also a lack of Biblical application in doing things. And the pastor himself questioned (not totally directly) the literalness of scripture and he sort of focused and directed all of his sermons on how to apply the Bible to his pet social issue, which was admittedly an important one. But also one easily dealt with in the moment of true conversion.
We also selected two pastors who didn't measure up to the standard in Timothy (the one about being husband of one wife, etc. And of course, they did not work out.
There was also alot of politics. Literally, we voted on stuff alot.
I was also put in a leadership position for the singles ministry, which ultimately failed. I had alot of faith issues there, but no one really checked me out. I was later put in charge of teaching highschool kids sunday school mainly because no one else wanted to do it. Again i failed there too. I was at my most backslidden, and yet i was given this great responsiblity. Whatever all that is worth. So i guess that shows the grace extended to others, but also a lack of discernment and reliance upon God's word.
I then settled on a non-denominational church, which has fit me the best so far.
So take all that don't build doctrine on it, don't change your denomination because of it, thats just where I've been. Rather than a bird roosting, I've been a monkey hopping from branch to branch.
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