Who's Fooling Who?

 

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness: whose end shall be according to their works.  
2 Corinthians 11:14-15

The power of God is the visible demonstration of His desire to reveal Himself to man. Spiritual power is God's Kingdom in action. It brings spiritual life.  God is the source of power and has many ways He reveals His power on earth. But God's great power does not go unchallenged.  There is still a power struggle going on in the world today. It is not a war of flesh and blood though that is certainly occurring even as I speak. It is the struggle of a very challenging counterfeit rebelling against God.  That counterfeit is Satan.  This time I’m not speaking about our wayward self-nature or the influences of the world – but Satan, He’s truly a challenging imitator.  It was Apostle Paul in his efforts to teach us to take heed, that said:

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  2 Corinthians 2:11

 Satan has a powerful organization. His followers can do powerful acts. And yet, Jesus informs us that Satan is not the one to fear and he’s definitely not the one to bow or surrender to – the one we must fear is God; he has both the power to take our life and the authority to cast our soul into hell. So, he’s the only one we need to fear.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.  Luke 12:5

Just know God has greater power. Jesus said:  

. . . Greater is He (Jesus) that is in you than he (Satan) that is in the world. 1 John 4:4

We know through the word how Jesus came with great power and authority to destroy the evil works of Satan and how Jesus delegated power over all the power of the enemy to believers.  He left us with strategies and tools for facing the power of the challenging counterfeit.

The first step in overcoming the power of Satan is to recognize that Satan imitates God's power.  

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  John 8:44

God, through His Holy Spirit gives us a measure of discernment. It is an unusual ability given by God to immediately discern the intent or motive of another person's spirit and know if the spirit working within them if they are good or evil. Use it to determine whether people's spirits are of God or Satan. 

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

In addition to this, God has provided other methods of detection. 2 Peter 2 and the book of Jude lists the characteristics of people with seducing spirits to help you identify them. No matter how spiritual or powerful a person may appear, evaluate him on the basis of God's Word.

Because Satan imitates the power of God through supernatural manifestations of miracles, signs, and wonders, God has provided a way to evaluate ministries. Jesus compared men to fruit trees:

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.  Matthew 7:18, 20

Satan can imitate spiritual gifts and God's power, but he has no imitation for a holy life exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit which includes . . .

. . . love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance . . . Galatians 5:22-23

Evaluate ministries by spiritual fruit instead of supernatural manifestations of power.

In order to recognize false doctrines of Satan's teachers, apostles, prophets, and ministers, we must know what is taught in the Word of God. Paul told Timothy:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Even though Apostle Paul was a great spiritual leader in the early church, the believers at the city of Berea checked everything he said by God's written Word:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Acts 17:11

To avoid being deceived by Satan's power, examine everything that is taught in light of God's Word. Evaluate the lives of those who are teaching powerful doctrines or performing signs and wonders.

We should not accept any teaching, doctrine, revelation, or miracle that is not in harmony with God's Word. The power of Satan often attracts believers through so-called "special revelation of new truth." People claim special dreams, appearances by angels, visions, voices, or other supernatural events. But Apostle Paul warned:

. . . but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from Heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.   Galatians 1:7-8

 and which does not come to pass:

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:22

We should not accept any revelation that leads us away from God and the truth of His Word

If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder he foretells to you comes to pass, and if he says, Let us go after other gods—gods you have not known—and let us serve them, You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being.  You shall walk after the Lord your God and [reverently] fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:1-5

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.  Proverbs 21:16

God warned Israel to avoid every type of Satanic influence:

. . . destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. Numbers 33:52

God gave specific instructions to the Israelites. Israel was to have no contact with the work of Satan in any form:

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  You must be blameless before the LORD your God.  The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.  Deuteronomy 18:9-14

We too should destroy anything we own that has to do with witchcraft or the work of the devil. This includes idols, lucky charms, potions, amulets, crystal balls, games, divining devices, and other similar items. Destroy any evil literature and music that does not glorify God. This is what people did in the New Testament when they became believers:

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Acts 19:19

We should not spend time in places where there is evil influence.  The Bible records that God manifested Himself in special places such as the Old Testament temple and the upper room of a house on the Day of Pentecost. It is equally true that Satanic power can be manifested in special places dedicated to evil. This includes places where evil pictures are shown, drinking and riotous behavior is occurring, seances are being held, worship of Satan is occurring--anywhere sinful practices are going on.

We should avoid such environments, because Satan's power is especially strong there. We cannot pray, "Lead me not into temptation," and then put ourself in such a place:

. . . and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.  1 Corinthians 10:20

We should not associate with false leaders, teachers, prophets, ministers or apostles:

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  1 Thessalonians 5:22

God's organization, the true church; the body of Christ, is more powerful than that of Satan:

(God) hath put all things under His (Jesus) feet, and gave Him (Jesus) to be the head over all things to the church. Which is His body . . .  Ephesians 1:22-23

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Ephesians 3:10

Jesus is the head of the Church. Believers are the body. If all things (including Satan and his religious structure) are under the feet of Jesus, then they are also under our feet because we are the body. "Under the feet" means they are under the power and authority which God has delegated to us.

Jesus said we have power over "all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). This includes spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan and his hosts challenge God's power, but they certainly are not a threat to Him or His people. The Church is actually to demonstrate God's power to these evil principalities and powers!

Through the Gospel, Prayer, His Holy Spirit, love, and the Word we understand the principles of God's power, and will not be deceived by or ignorant of the counterfeit works of Satan.

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