The Devil is in the Details

       

One time Satan held a conference in order to devise some effective method to harm the Lord's work on earth. One demon suggested, "Let us go down and persuade men that there is no God." This, however, was rejected by the majority who stated that it was impossible for any intelligent man not to believe in the existence of God. How could they persuade men of the non-existence of God when they themselves believed that there is a God?

Another demon proposed that they should tell the people that Jesus Christ never really existed. This also was rejected since historical facts are historical facts, and Jesus Christ as a historical figure could not be denied. Then another demon suggested that they persuade everyone that death ended it all and that they should not worry about life after death. But this also was rejected because man would conclude that God must be a fool to have created man for this earth only.

Finally the most intelligent of the demons got up and said, "I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll go down and tell everybody to believe that there is a God, that belief in Jesus Christ saves, but you can get by just by professing faith and go on living in sin as you used to." Immediately this proposal was unanimously acclaimed, and ever since, the demons, Satan's agents, have been telling people to believe, but to live the way they want.

The book of Acts was written to give us the information regarding the growth of the Church from its birth until it reached Rome. In the 16th chapter the gospel is now penetrating the uttermost parts of the earth and has just reached Europe. In the city of Philippi a woman called Lydia was converted. She opened her home for Paul and his three companions- Silas, Timothy and Luke. Her home became their mission base. In Acts 16 Luke records the events that happened one day.

 ^“Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour” (Acts 16:16-18).

In one of the riverside prayer meetings, Lydia became the first European convert. Those prayer meetings immediately attracted a lot of attention from the devil. God moves and Satan counter-moves. He knows the power of the Word of God, and he knew what these men could do in Philippi if they got a chance. Satan also knows that prayer is a mighty weapon against his kingdom, and that if he can hinder prayers, he can hinder the work against his kingdom. So he prepared to adopt his most powerful tactic to derail Paul’s mission right at the beginning.

A demon possessed girl became Satan’s instrument. This girl followed the missionaries around crying out. And this she did for many days. The persistent disturbance was a spiritual opposition to the advance of the Gospel. The devil has two basic approaches to destroying Gods work on earth; either apparent alliance or outright attack. Of the two, alliance is by far the more dangerous. Infiltration is his first plan. If that does not work, then he gets outside persecution.

The slave girl’s relentless shouting shows spiritual warfare masquerading as helpful affirmation. Instead of violent persecution, the spirit used a subtle form of disturbance that could disrupt the missionaries and confuse the crowd. She was yelling at the top of her voice and she did this for many days. The constant repetition of these clamorous cries must have been a hindrance to the Apostle’s work, disturbing him as he talked to the others.

The demon-possessed girl was shouting a testimony to Paul’s divine credentials. Although it came from a spirit of divination her statement was accurate. So why didn't Paul welcome this? For the same reason that Jesus never allowed a person possessed of an evil spirit to give testimony to his divinity. Jesus often told demons to be silent, even when they told the truth about Him (Mark 3:11-12; Mark 5:1-8). Paul did not appreciate the free advertising from the demon. He did not need demonic recommendation or approval of his work.

Demonic open acknowledgment of God’s servants did not indicate submission; it served the spirit’s purpose to disrupt the missionaries and confuse the crowd. Paul knew that while the words were correct, the source and the setting indicated a subtle aim. Paul knew that if the girl was given audience, it would not be long before people in town began to think this girl must be part of his group. Can you see the subtlety of that? Satan planned to convince the whole population that this girl was a part of Paul’s work.

The enemy seeks to undermine the gospel’s credibility by having a demon advertise salvation. Satan would love to get non-believers to publicize Jesus Christ. Then one of two things happens. One, truth is originally proclaimed as bait to attract people. The moment they are sucked in, the truth begins to be mixed with error. By that time they cannot tell the difference between the truth and the error. Two, a false believers planted in what is believed to be a credible church or team dilutes or corrupts the reputation of the group destroying its ministry. Some of Satan’s most active and aggressive work is done in the name of Jesus Christ.

That is the story of every cult which bears the name of Christianity in the world today. They all began with a proclamation of truth, but soon error began to be intermingled, and eventually people were led right off the track. Most of the things, the cults proclaim are right. And that’s how people get sucked into them. They will speak the truth just long enough to hook you and then you are lost and damned in the error of the system. Christians must be careful about the sources of spiritual messages, recognizing that not all proclamations of truth come from Godly sources even when the facts sound correct. Jesus told his followers “

In Matthew 7 Jesus spoke some very sobering words “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves... Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me”(matt. 7:13-23).

Standing at the crossroads before the two gates are false prophets doing everything they can to push people the wrong way. They obscure the narrow way and push people onto the broad way. Following the narrow path involves sacrifice and commitment. It may not be easy, but it leads to eternal life and fulfillment in Christ. The broad way is appealing because it is easy and popular. However, it leads to destruction. In the broad road there is plenty of company. Popularity is never a measure of truth.  

Many people will go on the wrong road because of the many false prophets leading them that way. Gifts, influence and visible service do not establish that a person belongs to Christ. Miraculous works may attract crowds and impress observers, but they are not the final test of true discipleship. Signs and wonders can accompany both true and false messengers (Deut. 23:1-4; 2 Thess. 2:9-10). Many people will complete the broad way expecting acceptance into heaven only to discover they were deceived.

God said to Jeremiah “the prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place…The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries  and the delusions of their own minds” (Jer. 14:13-14). False prophets give platitudes that people want to hear, which are nothing but lies.

False prophets live a lie and strengthen also the hands of evildoers so that not one of them turns from  their wickedness (Jer. 23:14)., Despite the fact that false prophets are liars, they always have an audience. In Jeremiah 5:31, God says, "the prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?"

Matthew 7:15 tells us to ““Watch out for false prophets”. They are dangerous. We can all be easy prey for them. Don't ever expose your mind to the influence of false prophets. Don't pay attention to them; they pervert the mind and poison the soul. 2 Peter 2:1-3 warns that “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies… Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories”.

False teachers appear biblical enabling them to gain trust among believers. But beneath their religious appearance lies a destructive purpose. When they get in they begin to distort or deny God’s truth. What begins as a small deviation can end in eternal loss. Paul notes that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” and his servants “as servants of righteousness” (2 Cor.11:13-15). Jude says “they secretly slipped in among you” (Jude 4), stressing stealth rather than open attack.

The False teacher’s aim is to gain power, wealth or fame at the expense of souls. “ Those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom. 16: 18). Wolves will keep appearing in every generation, but a good shepherd equips His flock to recognize, resist, and remain true to God’s Word.  

 In the parable of the wheat and the tares Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘an enemy has done this” (Matt. 13:24-28).

Sowing of tares is proactive and strategic, not accidental. The enemy intentionally waits for vulnerability, plants deception that mimics the real thing and retreats unseen. Sleep often symbolizes spiritual complacency or lack of vigilance. The devil’s purpose is to introduce counterfeit life into the church. Tare closely resembles wheat in its early stages, making separation difficult before maturity. Counterfeit believers blend in until fruit exposes reality (2 Cor.11:13-15). Until the final judgment, genuine faith and false profession will exist side by side.

Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. Paul spoke to the demons in the authority of Jesus Christ. He addressed the real enemy, the demon itself. He recognized that her vocal interruptions were not coming from her own volition, but from the spirit possessing her. Addressing the girl would have been futile, as she lacked the power to stop the spirit on her own.

The spirit came out of her the same hour highlighting the power inherent in the name of Jesus. The demons immediate obedience proves Jesus’ supremacy over the demonic realm. By commanding the spirit to leave, Paul permanently broke the chains of her spiritual exploitation completely delivering her from spiritual affliction. Christ’s power is both real and present for those oppressed. His  mission was to set captives free, both spiritually and physically.