Exorcism 1
Contents
SATAN: His Creation, Fall and Destiny
And the Spirit World The Exorcist, a motion picture about Satan and his demons, became a multimillion dollar box office attraction. Some considered the film a spine-tingling chiller, similar to Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. Others actually experienced the mysterious powers of hell unleashed during its showing. In fact, many reports concerned individuals who became violently ill or extremely frightened while viewing the film.
Still others made appointments with clergymen because they associated some of their personal experiences with the demonic powers portrayed in the movie. The Exorcist proved one thing-the devil and his army of demons are alive, heavily armed, and on the move! The late Pope Paul VI recognized this fact and stated, "Satan is alive and evil. Satan truly exists as an active force in the world. He is a dark enemy agent-a terrible, mysterious, fearsome reality, a live spirit, perverted, and enemy number one. The Pope went on to describe the devil as "a being of vast malignity, sophistication, and treachery, a spirit who is seducing; modern men with drugs, pornography, materialism, and the occult. Whole nations," he said, "have fallen under Satan's grip." In the Pope's view, "modern man relies too much on psychology, psychiatry, and sociology to explain the phenomenon of evil. And because of it, he loses his conception of a supernatural power of wickedness." I agree with the Pope in these statements.
Satan's Origin and Fall
The Word of God has much to say concerning Satan, and clearly describes his beginning, the fall from his original estate, and his eventual end. Let's look at these portions of Scripture in detail.
Ezekiel 28:14-18 tell us Lucifer (or Satan) was created to be the servant of the Lord God Almighty. You were the anointed cherub who covers: I established you: You were on the holy mountain of God: You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.
These verses contain a number of facts which should be underscored mentally. First, Satan was a created being ( Exo 28:15). Second, he was perfect in his original creation. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, (Exo 28:15). Third, Satan was the anointed cherub (Exo 28:14). The word cherub, in Scripture, always denotes "a spiritual being who is in close relationship to God." Fourth. Satan was appointed by God to hold an exalted position. You were on the holy mountain of God: (Exo 28:14). Fifth and finally, he sinned. Till iniquity was found in you. (Exo 28:15). This statement is in complete agreement with the rest of the Holy Bible. Satan's two major sins have to do with lying and pride.
Some members of the human race think that they are too good to be classified as sinners. Because they have never robbed, raped, or riddled a man with bullets, salvation to them seems unnecessary. Yet Satan fell from his exalted position in heaven because of the two sins which prevail in superabundance throughout our nation and the world-lying and pride. Scams, extortion, deception, exaggeration, bribery, and nearly every other kind of sin begins with lying.
The gossip of longtongued church members against other believers could also be listed under this heading. Indeed, most of one's motives for self-defence, self-glory, and primping before a mirror two hours each day fall within the classification of pride. Who dares contradict God when He emphatically states in Romans 3:10, There is none righteous, no, not one, or in Romans 3:23, For all have sinned .... Jesus said in John 8:44 that Satan was a liar, and the father of it. Lucifer's sin of pride is recorded in Ezekiel 28:17, Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
This same sin is also mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:6 which states that a minister is not to be a novice or a new convert, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. In other words, such an individual might fall into the same condemnations as the devil when his head swelled because of his exalted position.
The account of Satan's fall is also recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Here Lucifer's pride problem is obvious: "I will... I will... I will..." He should have seen a good optometrist for his "I" trouble! The same sin of pride dominates so many lives today. Still, great numbers of persons refuse to recognise the fact that they are sinners
Saran's Present Abode
The preceding verses establish the fact that Satan was cast out of heaven. However, this does not mean that Satan was cast into hell. The next statement will shock some. Satan has never been any where in the vicinity of hell, and neither have his demons! Their confinement there is yet to come. Presently the devil and his array of malignant spirits are in control of the present world system (see 2 Corinthians 1:4).
The turmoil in the Middle East Africa, Central America, and other world trouble spots is completely under his supervision. The leaders of communism fascism, and every false cult that scoffs the true God and His Word are under the same diabolical dictator-Lucifer! How can this be? The Bible informs us that there are three heavens (see 2 Corinthians 12:2). The first heaven is the atmosphere above the earth, the second heaven is the starry constellation or stellar heaven, and the third heaven is the abode of God.
Today, Satan is able to stand at the edge of the second heaven and cry out stinging accusations against the people of God. In fact, Rev 12:10 calls him the accuser of (the) brethren. The fact that he is in control of the first and second heavens is proved by Eph 2:2 which describes him as the prince of the power of the air. In addition, Ephesians 6:12 states. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. against spiritual wickedness in high places. The terra high places literally means "in the heaven,." or "in the heavenlies." Since it is plural in form, it refers to the first and second heavens.
One day soon, Satan's abode will again change, because he will be cast out of the first and second heavens to the earth during the Tribulation hour. This event will be the result of a battle between Michael the archangel and other angels, and Satan and his malicious spirits or demons in the heavens. And there was a roar in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon Satan: and the dragon fought and his angels (Rev 12:7).
Rev 12:8,9 inform us that Satan uses his position in the heavens: And (Satan) and his angels prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon...was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him. At that time Satan assumes a post here on earth and plagues the world as never before in history. If you think that demonic powers are present at the moment, just wait until the saints have been raptured away and Satan and his armies have taken full control of the earth. Life won't be worth living. Rev 12:12 states, Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is coming down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.
When Satan is cast to the earth, he will realize that the time of his confinement in the bottomless pit is at hand (see Rev 20:1-2) and that at best he has but 1,260 days to continue his, work (if this event takes place during the last three and one half years of the Tribulation hour). Undoubtedly, this is why Matthew 24:22 states, And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake (Jews and those who have been converted during the Tribulation) those days shall be shortened. Yes, the day is coming when all the demonic hosts now in the heavenlies will come to earth and release their judgmental powers on the world's citizens. Presently, Satan and his demons make visitations to the earth, ...going to and fro in the earth, and... walking up and down in it (Job 1:7). 1 Peter 5:8 warns Christians, Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
Satan's Demise
At the close of the Tribulation Hour which ends with the Battle of Armageddon, Satan and his demons will be put out of business for 1,000 years. Rev 20:1-3 describes the scene: And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and. bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottom less pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive (note the sin of lying once again) the nations no more.
As a result, world peace and universal utopia become a reality as the Lord Jesus Christ himself rules the world. Isaiah 2:4 tells us that men ...shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Don't blame war on God! Russia, China, their communist satellites, and all nations have better days coming.
Following the 1,000 year or millennial reign of Christ on earth, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit in order that those persons born during the Millennium may exercise their God-given free will and choose whom they will serve (see Rev 20:7-8). Amazingly, multitudes will turn from the Lord of lords and King of kings to the archdemon Satan! One simply cannot fathom the hardness of the human heart. Even after these individuals have lived, walked, and talked with Jesus for 1,000 years, they forsake the Saviour for Satan. No wonder the prophet Jeremiah said, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9).
Satan's Final Judgement
During this insurrection, Satan and his followers renew their attempt to usurp God's authority and throne taking up exactly where they left off during the Tribulation Hour. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem) ... (Rev 20:9). This time, however, they meet their Waterloo for fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Rev 20:9-10). Next, we discover that the devil-led, demon-influenced multitudes of all ages must stand before God to give an account of why they followed Satan. Rev 20:11-15 state, And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
What an awesome scene as every individual who has rejected Christ and is therefore of his father, the devil (see John 8:44), stands with Satan on this day of great judgment. Even worse, YOU will be there too if you have not asked Christ to come into your and be your Saviour.
If you are among those who are presently enamoured by witchcraft, sorcery, ouija boards, clairvoyants, horoscopes, fortune-tellers, palm readers, tarot cards, numerology, tea leaf readings, crystal gazing, voodoo, white magic, I Ching, telepathy, seances, astrological charts, or transcendental, meditation, beware! You may literally be in league with the powers of hell, ruin your life upon earth and miss heaven!
Today, however, there is still hope, for Jesus Christ God's Son loves you, died for you, and shed His blood for the forgiveness of your sins. He also rose again and sits at the Father's right hand to make intercession for His own (see Mark 16:19 and Hebrews 7:25). You can be saved this very moment if you will only repent of your sins (see Luke 13:3) and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour (see Romans 10:13). He will set you free from the power of evil which binds you. Receive Him now.
By Dr. Jack Van Impe