Standing Firm Against Satan's Lies

Satan's lies against the church are often subtle. But they can also be direct, as can his actions. He can use people to influence members' lives. Let me tell you about Pastor Sam. As his suburban church thrived and honored God, he felt his ministry could hardly get any better. Hundreds of people found Christ through the ministry of this New York church. Pastor Sam found church growth to be one of the most exhilarating things he had ever experienced. A seminary even gave Sam an honorary Doctor of divinity degree in recognition of his excellent work. Preaching to hundreds of people weekly fulfilled his life dream. Sam did not take into account that the enemy might want to undermine this great work. He didn't reckon with the fact that great victory invites great danger. Perhaps spiritual pride had set in. While a believer is occupied with the blessings of God, the devil schemes to steal it all away. Satan's scheme in Sam's church was to appear as an "angel of light." A well-groomed lady with position, power, and money joined the church. This "sister," whom we'll call Angeline, quickly won the hearts of the church leaders through her charm, physical presence, and downright "spiritual" ability. In a short time Angeline was given a major position of leadership. She befriended and visited every family in the church. She spent thousands of dollars of her own money on new equipment for the ministry. Over the next two years, she became deeply enmeshed into church life. A willing worker, a "humble" friend, she seemed to be sent from heaven. This all changed abruptly. Early one Monday morning, Pastor Sam went by the church to retrieve something he left the evening before. When he walked into the building, he received the shock of his life. This woman had stayed in the building Sunday night. During the night she had erected an alter behind the pulpit. On the altar lay the pictures of most of the families in the church. Candles were burning and Sam soon realized some sort of ceremony was taking place. In time, he was to find out this was actually a satanic ritual meant to claim every soul in the church. Shortly after Pastor Sam walked in on her a male voice spoke through Angeline. The voice told the pastor there was a church of several thousand members in the area, and the voice said it knew the exact date the pastor would resign. It promised him the pulpit as the next senior pastor if he would cooperate with the voice. Sam ignored the voice. He turned, went to his office, and called the police. They removed the woman, and the items on the altar were burned. Sam thought this was the end, but mass confusion gripped his people. Sam invited me to help stabilize the situation. This woman, who had appeared to be so spiritual and committed, was actually an emissary of Satan. Sam told me Angeline was later identified as part of a satanic cult operating in the area. I knew it would be difficult, but Sam believed God was in the situation (as He always is), and for three weeks I counseled individual families ten hours a day and preached each evening. The revelation of candles burning before member's pictures sent fear through the congregation. During this time I met with every family in the church, discovering problems and sins that had "spun out of control" during the time of this woman's tenure. We prayed for the Lord's wisdom and searched the Scriptures for His answers. For instance, one family I'll call the Dakins had turned to alcohol during this very difficult time in the church. It started with Angeline bringing the family a bottle of wine when she came to visit. She would quote the Scriptures where Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for his infirmities. However, it seemed as if Angeline had some sort of unique insight into this family situation, for before the husband and wife became Christians they both had been alcoholics. During this time of mass confusion they went back to comforting themselves with alcohol rather than the Word and people of God. By the time I was able to spend an afternoon with the Dakins, they were addicted to alcohol again and it was on the verge of spinning out of control. I believe this woman purposely set up the Dakins to bring destruction in their lives. Thankfully, God was able to work through that, and as I talked with the husband and wife, they both repented of the sin with many tears and asked God to redeem the situational. Later that day Mr. And Mrs. Dakin asked their children's forgiveness for the example they had set and how they had sinned before them. Still later yet they expressed repentance to the entire church. What was the enemy's lie here? Yes, you were once addicted, but now that you are Christians you are stronger. This may even be scriptural." Over that time, the Lord graciously gave light and understanding and soon restored the church. At the same time. Pastor Sam's eyes opened to the reality of warfare: Satan walks around roaring like a lion seeking whom he may devour. The church lost several families. Some could not believe Angeline could do such thngs, and felt the church has misunderstood her and overreacted. One family chose to believe Angeline's accusation against the church leaders, despite her Sunday night burning in the church. Three other families said, in essence, "If the leadership has no more discernment than this, we don't feel protected here." And thus they went elsewhere. Angeline had sown her wicked seeds. But the church recovered; indeed it is a growing church, one where the Lord is being honored. But the question remain: How did this woman gain such power in the church? The truth is, there are many people like this. Few worship Satan, but they are under his influence and open to suggestions. They may not even realize they are simply pawns of the devil. But they invade and then infect the church with the kind of turmoil that can split it, lead people into sin, or provoke doctrinal shifts that render the church unusable by God. No church is immune from the implant of a satanic infiltrator. Again, they May not be a part of an organized cult or satanic group. Disgruntled "Christians" coming from another church may serve the enemy just as skillfully; so can long-term members who disagree with one another and began to choose sides. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Joy of Discipline

Please take the time to read Psalm 94 in it's entirety. The subject of being Chastened comes up in this psalm. David was a man after God's own heart, however he did not get a pass when it came to God's discipline. The Lord was faithful to him in that "He disciplines every son He receives." In the context of being chastened David was able to write “When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”- Psalm 94:18-19. God loves us far to much to let us wander off in sin and to go our own way, which ends in destruction. In His faithfulness He brings us back to Himself, and He corrects us with His holy discipline. "The psalmist calls the chastened one a "man" in the best sense, using the Hebrew word which implies strength. He is a man, indeed, who is under the teaching and training of the Lord" (Charles Spurgeon). What should we do when we are under discipline? Praise God for His love and faithfulness toward us. We then realize God's love is supporting us, and in the midst of child training it's His consolation that brings joy to our soul. Where is your anxiety level on a scale of 1-10. David said when his anxiety was great (a 10),What did he do? He looked to the Lord, and the Lord supported him and brought joy to his soul. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferances, and local church meetings.

Spiritual Warfare and the Immoral Corinthian

Please read I Corinthians 5:1-5; II Corinthians 2:5-11. We live in a day of sexual openness in society and at times in the church. A pastor friend said he was in a restaurant recently and a young woman who used to attend a Bible believing church was his waitress. She told him how she was pregnant by her live in boy friend. She said she was looking forward to having a child. The irony of this is she knew who this pastor was and did not show any type of embarrassment or remorse for her life style.This bring us to God's standards concerning immorality among His people. Paul gives us the example of a man involved in an immoral relationship with his step mother. Paul commands that this brother involved in flagrant sexual sin be delivered to Satan so that his spirit might be saved. "Deliver him to Satan" is excommunication, which puts him into Satan's arena, outside the protection of the church. This judgment does not come lightly; it is made in the name and with the power of the Lord Jesus. There are two possible meanings for "the destruction of his flesh" 1. Destroying his sinful lusts. 2. Destroying his physical flesh (death). In some way, both senses may be involved. On the flip side of this coin, the man repents and the church refuses to restore him. Note the passage above. Plummer in his commentary said "That Satan should take man by sin is proper for him, but that he should do so through man's repentance is too much, for repentance is our weapon, not his" When we do not appropriately forgive others, Satan is able to gain an advantage (to defraud for the purpose of gaining what belongs to another) over us. He does so by overwhelming both the offender with excessive sorrow, and us with unforgiving hearts. Paul was aware of Satan's schemes, and we must be also. Paul was aware of Satan's schemes, and we must be also. When we refuse to forgive a repentant offender by not allowing him or her to resume fellowship with us, we are giving Satan an opportunity to defraud that person of his or her rightful participation in the body of Christ.

Pauls thorn and yours

Please read II Corinthians 12:1-10. God is sovereign in all his dealings. Satan is God's Satan and the Lord uses him for His kingdom purposes as He sees fit. We see Satan's involvement in church discipline. "Turn such a one over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh" In the following we will see Satan's work in the Apostle Paul's life. We are to fear the Lord and Him only. The evil one is never to be a fear object. In this passage of Scripture the Lord pulls back the curtain and shows us His purposes for enemy activity in His servants life. Paul was 'caught up' (i.e., raptured) in a vision of the third heaven (the same as "Paradise." The fact that Paul was not permitted to speak further and that such things were incommunicable in human terms shows that a more detailed knowledge is not of significant importance either to his argument or to the church as a whole. To keep Paul from becoming conceited over his vision, he was given a thorn in the flesh. Over the centuries many ideas have been purposed for the "thorn in the flesh" from human opponents to temptations to physical problems. God purposely left it ambiguous because the ambiguity of Paul's problem makes it easier for us to relate our own "thorns" to it. I believe every Christian I have ever met could point to their own "Thorn in the flesh." To some it was poor health, or a wayward child, perhaps continuing financial struggles, or an unsaved mate, etc. How was it a 'messenger (lit. 'angel') of Satan? It need indicate not more, than that his stake through the flesh was satanic in origin, attributable to demonic agency, though permitted by God and overruled by Him for His servant's good. Whatever it was, Paul was not given victory over it, though he prayed three times for its removal. God's purpose was greater than mere removal of the Thorn. Rather, He used it as His sovereign tool to shape Paul into a humble servant, totally dependent on God's grace in all he did. Do you realized God is giving you sufficient grace for your "thorn?" Have you thanked Him for the work that is being accomplished in your life because of it? The will of God is always good.