Satan's Organization

The title of today is Satan's Organization. You could title it a lot of different things. We gave a sermon two weeks ago about exposing the wiles of the devil and how the church is the one that is going to expose the wiles of the devil and expose the devil for what he really is. In our day and age, we see innocent men, women and children gunned down in the street in their homes or public places. We see innocent men, women and children blown to pieces, blown to smithereens by what is called suicide bombers.

How have the people of the world come to the point that they are so filled with hate for their fellow man that they're willing to die to kill a person who is made in the image of God? We're all made in the image of God. I think sometimes we tend to overlook what that really means. One of the main reasons why the Bible teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves is because we're all made in the image of God. We all have that potential of becoming spirit-born sons and daughters in the kingdom of God.

In Genesis 1, 26 and 27, we're very familiar with, and God said, let us make man in our image and our own likeness, so he made them male and female, made he them. So God created male and female. He ordained the great institution of marriage and family.

I venture to say the greatest institution on the face of the earth is the Church of God. The second greatest institution on the face of the earth is the family unit, the God-ordained family unit. Look at James 3 in verse 9 with regard to how God, because we are made in his image and what that means deep down, it should mean deep down in our being with regard to recognizing that in verse 8 in James 3, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James is warning about the use of the tongue, but the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. Therewith, bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made in the similitude of God, the homeosis, the similitude of God.

So God wants us to respect one another. Look at Matthew 5, 21. So how could anyone have been so filled with hatred of fellow man and do it in the name of religion that he would give his own life to kill others so that he, according to some of their teachings, so that he could inherit eternal life and be awarded with 72 virgins in the world to come? In Matthew 5 and verse 21, you have heard that it was said by them of old time, you shall not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. For I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. So how would a person in the name of God be willing to give his own life just to kill people that did not believe the way that he believes? Could there be a great spirit world that is behind so much of the evil that is going on in the world today? And whosoever shall say to his brother Oraika shall be in danger of the counsel, but whosoever shall say you fool shall be in danger of the fire. So God obviously expects us to respect one another because we are made in the image of God and we have the potential of being spirit-born sons and daughters in the family of God. It was God's intent that members of the human family walk in a reconciled position with one another and with God the Father and Jesus Christ. But humankind has been deceived and that in some cases by religion to the point that they believe that they can gain eternal life by killing innocent people. Men, women, and children, it doesn't matter. People who are made in the image of God. It is difficult to understand how anyone could be so deceived, but could we be deceived in other areas of our belief system? God shall love humankind that he created a spiritual realm of angels, angelic beings to minister to the heirs of salvation. Look at Hebrews chapter 1 verse 13. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 13. How many times have the angels intervened for us?

I know I've been in several traffic situations in which I believe something must have intervened. Some being must have helped out here because it looked like for sure we were going to crash. In Hebrews 1 verse 13, but which of the angels said he at any time set you on my right hand? He never did. Until I make your enemies your footstool. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation? So there is an angelic realm. There is the evil spiritual realm led by Satan the devil. There is the angelic realm.

But one of these beings and three angels are mentioned, archangels by name, in the Bible. Gabriel, who is basically the messenger angel that brings tidings and help in various situations, along with Michael, who is apparently signed to Israel. We'll read that verse a little later.

But one of these beings, one of these archangels, rebelled against his state of existence and desired to replace God. If you would, turn to Isaiah 14 verse 12. Isaiah 14 verse 12. I've often speculated that one of the main reasons why Satan rebelled was that, as it talks about in Ezekiel 28, how he looked at himself, of how wise he was, how beautiful he was, and all of his great attributes that he began to think about what his future was.

And I believe that God shared with him, to some degree, the plan of salvation, whereby he was going to bring sons and daughters to glory in his family, not just by creation, but by a spiritual birth. So, in Isaiah 14 verse 12, How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How are you brought down to the ground, which did weaken the nations?

Satan rules in anger. Satan is an oppressor. He, of course, parades as an angel of light. For you have said in your 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, and some commentators in translation bring out that, actually, his intent was to displace God as the ruler of the universe.

Yet you shall be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit, to shield. They that see you shall narrowly look upon you and consider you, saying, Is this the one that made the earth to tremble and did shake kingdoms? That made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of the prisoners? Satan is a tyrant. He rules in anger. He is an oppressor. But yet Satan is able to sell death. How in the world can you sell death? So you must have to appeal to the very basic nature of humankind. Satan, as I mentioned earlier, apparently did this out of jealousy, that is, this rebellion, because he was not going to take a back seat to anyone, especially to frail human beings.

He was not even going to take a back seat to God. He was going to be, number one, I will be like the Most High, or I will replace the Most High. Now let's look at James chapter 3, beginning in verse 13, we're going back to the book of James once again, once again to chapter 3, that we see here the fruits of jealousy. The fruits of jealousy. Satan the devil, Cain and Abel, Moses and Moses, brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, you take too much on yourself.

Moses, the fruits of jealousy are listed here in James 3, beginning in verse 13. Who is a wise man and an endude with knowledge among you? Let them show of a good conscience his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish, for where in being and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. No evil work is excluded. And of course, we see the machinations of men going on, livening in color, her face, every day of every week now, and the tremendous strife and contention that exists among the leaders of the nation, man against man, neighbor against neighbor.

Satan's strategy is to destroy all the potential sons of God and replace the kingdom of God with his kingdom of demonic spirits. As we shall see, he has planted his agents in key control points in all aspects of the world's societal structure. That includes all of its institutions, governmental structures, societal structure, educational system. And he walks about as a roaring lion, as it says in 1 Peter 5, verse 8, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Does God really mean what he says in 1 Peter 5, 8? Satan walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Yes, he means it. And Satan hates you and desires you to be dead, to be destroyed eternally. So why are the nations of the world and the leaders of the world in such a state of decay and disarray at this time in human history? We'll look at Psalm 2, and very in just a few short verses, the reason is given quite graphically as to why the nations and the leaders of the world are where they are.

Why do the heathen or the nations rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth, the leaders of the earth, set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, cast them, cast away their cord from us, and he that sits in the heaven shall have them in derision. The Lord shall have them in derision, then shall he speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sword as pleasure. The reason they do it is because they do not want God to rule over them, and that has been the great question from the Garden of Eden to the present time.

Who will rule in the kingdom of men? Will Satan the devil or will God? I think we're most all familiar with 2 Corinthians 4, 4, where it says Satan is the God of this world. Let's turn to Ephesians 2. In Ephesians 2, on Sunday nights, oftentimes, I go to bed and I'll just see what the ministers of the churches of the world are preaching on Sunday. And so this Sunday night, I turned into a fellow. In fact, his headquarters is out of Meridian, Mississippi. He's on one of those stations on direct TV, and he was talking about the evils of the day, and he said, it is the mind of men.

The mind of men sends out these powerful impulses, and the minds of men are continually upon evil, as it says in Genesis 6. Much of what he said was true, but then he said that the minds of men, just the force behind the minds of men, is causing all the evil of the day. In his whole discourse, which lasted about 25 minutes, he never mentioned Satan the devil. In Ephesians 2, verse 1, And you hath he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, where in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conduct.

In times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ. By grace are you saved.

By God's divine favor, he ordained a great plan of salvation, whereby our sins can be paid for. They can be remitted. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Satan, the prince of the power of the air. And so I listen to others. Are they going to talk about Satan? One person finally mentioned Satan.

Jesus called Satan the prince of this world in John 12 and verse 31. The prince of this world, but he said, Be of good cheer in another place, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. Jesus Christ triumphed over Satan the devil and over death and over every obstacle thrown his way. Satan had the power of death over mankind until Jesus Christ came on the scene and conquered sin and death. Let's look at Hebrews 2.14 back. Well, it's forward. Actually, we were in chapter... Well, that's Ephesians, I guess. In Hebrews 2, in Hebrews 2 and verse 14.

Hebrews 2 verse 14.

So once again, Satan had the power of death over mankind until Jesus Christ came and he conquered sin and death. That's why Satan tried so desperately to kill the four fathers of Jesus Christ before he was born and then tried to desperately kill Jesus after he was born and continually wars against the people of God and the things of God. In Hebrews 2.14, For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took the same speaking of Christ, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on himself the nature of angels, but he took on himself the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things that behooved him to be like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himself has suffered being tried, tested, tempted, he is able to succor them that are also tried, tested, and tempted. So Jesus Christ broke the power of Satan the devil. Satan especially hates physical Israel and the church of God. Really, really hates the church of God.

We read this last time two weeks ago, we'll read it again today, in Revelation 12 and verse 9 with regard to hating physical Israel and hating the church of God. Satan the devil, Revelation 12 9, which we probably could quote.

As we're getting to Revelation 12 and verse 9, I'm talking about Satan hating physical Israel and the church. More and more, you hear negative comments about Israel, the nation of Israel, especially in Europe. It began, anti-Semitism is alive and well in Europe and more and more spreading to this country and many of our politicians. Of course, you've heard about the squad of four and one of the members of that squad, in particular defaming Israel.

Yesterday, U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said that U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East cannot be pro-Israel. He went on to say, which you could partially agree with this part, he went on to say that it has to be pro-region. You want peace for the whole region. And he said the actions of Prime Minister Netanyahu was to blame for much of the unrest in the Middle East. By the way, Bernie Sanders is a Jew.

In Revelation 12 and verse 9, and the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceives the whole world. Didn't say part of the world. He said he deceives the whole world. He and his angels were cast out, which deceives the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And heard a loud voice saying, in heaven now is come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night. And so that is one of the chief characteristics of Satan the devil and his agents is to make accusations. To make accusations oftentimes that are not true, to throw out little innuendos, to create doubt, sow seeds of discord.

And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb. That's the only way that he can be overcome.

In every sense of our activities, whether it be we sinned or whatever else, we go to God in Christ and ask for forgiveness. And through the blood of Christ, if we repent and exercise faith, the sins can be remitted and will be. And by the word of their testimony, the word of their testimony, Matoria, there's the Greek word there that means the record, the witness, the testimony, what they say. They stand firm. There's a time coming in which those that are alive at that time will be brought before kings and rulers through magistrates and judges, and it will turn unto them for a witness, a Matoria, a testimony. Think not what you're going to say because God will give you a word to say. Of course, on the other hand, there will be those who seek to save their lives, who will even betray one another, as it talks about in Matthew 24. And by the word of their testimony, they love not their lives unto the death. They love the truth so much that they were willing to die for it. Continue now in verse 12. And what are we talking about? Satan hating physical Israel and the church. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens and you that dwell in them, woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil has come down unto you having great wrath, because he knows he has but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth a man-child. And it is evident that Jesus sprang out of Judah, Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness, into a place where she is nourished for three and a half years from the face of the serpent. So some will be protected, not everyone by any means. Some, as it says, they love not their lives until the death, and some will be martyred. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman. And the flood can be symbolic of an army, that he might cause her to be carried away out of the flood. And the earth helped the woman. Here's God's supernatural intervention. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the food, the food, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was mad with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, and which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. So there is no question that Satan will increase and intensify his attack upon physical Israel, upon the the church of God.

Now, one of the main reasons why Satan hates the church so much is because it is through the church of God that his words and deeds will be exposed. Exposed for what he really is, as it says in John 844. That Satan is a liar and a murderer from the beginning. And he believes that if he can destroy mankind, he will thwart God's plan. So Satan has developed an organized governmental structure for achieving his goals. Maybe you don't think about Satan being organized to any degree. He is always planning, scheming, conniving, controlling as much as possible. He has an invisible governmental structure. Each Gentile nation apparently has a prince demon assigned to it. And Satan constantly tries to set up world government apart from God and destroy Israel. So we see this organizational structure in chapter 10 of Daniel. Let's go there. Daniel chapter 10. Of course, you should read chapter 9 in conjunction with Daniel 10. But in the interest of time, we go to Daniel chapter 10. We'll start in verse 1.

In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar. And the thing was true, but the time appointed was long, and he understood the thing and had understanding of the vision. In those days, Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, so it was at least a form of fasting. Neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth. Neither did I. I know it myself at all, till three full weeks were filled. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the river, which is a deco, then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed with linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Eufass, and goes on describing the body of that person. Now we come down to verse 11.

And he said, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I'm going to speak, stand upright, for unto you am I sent. And when he had spoken the word unto me, I stood trembling. Then he said, Fear not, fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I came for your words. It's in chapter 9 of Daniel. Daniel seeks to understand the prophecy of Jeremiah, the 70 weeks prophecy, and he begins fasting and praying, and asking God to reveal to him the answer. And so the angelic being was ready to come to his aid, but you notice verse 12 here, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty-one days, twenty-one days. There was this spiritual battle going on. The king of Persia withstood me twenty-one days.

But lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. So this being was so strong that withstood him that he needed the help of Michael as well, for I am come to make you understand what shall befall your people in the latter days, for yet the vision is for many days. And so we see that there is a prince of Persia. There is one who withstood the messenger trying to get to Daniel to reveal to him the essence of the prophecy. Now verse 20, Then said he, Know you, wherefore I come unto you. And now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia? And when I am going forth, lo, the prince of Grisha shall come. So Alexander the Great conquered that part of the world, and then the Grishans came to power. See, but it says the prince of Persia was against his spiritual wickedness in high places. But I will show you that which is noted in the scripture of truth, and there is none that helps me in these things but, Michael, your prince. So great spiritual warfare is being waged, and Satan is very jealous for his kingdom. Now in contrast to Satan's system, as we've already noted from Hebrews 1, verses 13-14, that angels or ministering servants sent to the heirs of salvation, that God has organized the faithful angelic realm to help and serve the heirs of salvation. Here we see an example of it where Michael came to help this one, who was battling the king or the prince of Persia. And then after he came to Daniel, said, I've got to go back and do battle with the king of Persia, and then that of the prince of Persia, and then the prince of Grisha. You know, when we bless the little children, there's something interesting there. Look at Matthew 18, verse 10. Say, God has not left us helpless in any sense of the word. We have invisible strength, not only God's spirit, but we do have the angelic realm, I believe what the Bible says, ministering servants sent to the heirs of salvation. So we're not left helpless.

In Matthew 18, 10, take heed that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven. For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost. And so we have the blessing of the little children, and we ask God to put his angels round about us. And those angels oftentimes that intervene on our behalf oftentimes we're not even aware of it. In some cases we may look back and think, well, I wonder how that happened. Israel has Michael assigned to it, or to them, to protect it. If you look at Daniel 12, we were in Daniel, so in Daniel 12 and verse 1 it says this very clearly with regard to Michael who came to help the angelic being there described in Daniel chapter 10. Daniel 12, 1, and at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince which stands for the children of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time, and at that time your people shall be delivered every one of them that shall be found written in the book of light.

Apparently Satan will think during the tribulation that his mission has been accomplished because of what it says here and because of the look of Matthew 24 forward there because of what it says with regard to how dire circumstances are going to be during the time of the great tribulation. In Matthew chapter 24 verse 21, 24-21, for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, and at that time or ever shall be, and except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Satan will be out the time of Satan's wrath trying to destroy human beings. Then if any man shall say, and even though he hears Christ, or there believe it not, for there shall arise false Christ and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. And we can each want to ask ourselves, am I one of the very elect? You know, strangely and paradoxically, humankind has had a fascination with Satan the devil ever since Eve's encounter with Satan in the Garden of Eden. Israel worshiped devils from the time they were brought out of Egypt to the coming of Christ. Let's just note a few of these verses here that describes that and how that they turned to devils. Here's the one that delivered them from Israel. Reign manna from heaven gave them meat in the wilderness, fought their battles, brought water out of the rock, he parted the Red Sea. You could go on and on with the many miracles that they had seen and witnessed during their journey to the promised land. Yet what did they do? Look at Leviticus 17. Leviticus 17. Leviticus 17, we begin in verse 1. Leviticus 17, 1, and the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and saying to them, this is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying, What man, soever there is in the house of Israel that kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or that kills it out of the camp, and brings it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation? See, before this time, the patriarchs, the head of the households, how offered sacrifice. Once the tabernacle was raised up in the wilderness and later the temple, they were to bring it there.

To offer and offer unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, blood shall be imputed unto that man, he that has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among the people. Read verse 4 again. I misread it, I believe.

If he brings it not, brings it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer and offer unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, blood shall be imputed unto that man, he is shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among the people, to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offered in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savor unto the Lord. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, in whom they have gone a whoring. Thus shall this shall be a statue forever throughout their generations. Then shall they say unto them, Whatsoever man there be in the house of Israel, or in the strangers which sojourn among you, that offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and brings it naught, and the door of the tabernacle of the congregation to offer it unto the Lord, even that man shall be cut off from among the people. So God wanted them to stop offering to the devils and to false gods, and that is scattered throughout the pinnitude, first five books of the Bible, in Deuteronomy 32 verse 15. Let's go there. Deuteronomy is to a large degree restates and summarizes the four preceding books. In Deuteronomy 32, I've said oftentimes, and if you haven't read the last three or four chapters of Deuteronomy, a lot of prophecy is contained in those three or four chapters there at the end of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 15. But Jezaron waxed fat. Jezaron is a symbolic name for Jerusalem. But Jezaron waxed fat and kicked.

You're waxing fat. You are grown thick. You're covered with fatness. Then he forsook God, which made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods. Now, what did I introduce this section with? Mankind's fascination with demonic themes. With abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to gods, to gods whom they knew not, to new gods which came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the rock that beget you, you are unmindful and have forgotten God that formed you. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters. So there are several other scriptures that I could read that shows that Israel even went to the point—let's read Psalm 106, beginning in verse 36. It was even to the point that they sacrificed their sons and daughters to the false gods. Human sacrifice. Yes, human sacrifice was offered by the Israelites in Psalm 106 and verse 34.

They did not destroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them. Many of the chapters in the Bible briefly recount historical events, either in a positive or negative light with regard to mostly negative of their failure to do what God had commanded them to do.

But were mingle among the nations and learned their works. It's a very important verse. But were mingled among the heathen of the nations and learned their works. And they served their idols, which were as near unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. Can you imagine sacrificing your child to a false god, inspired by Satan the devil? And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and their daughters, when they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

Thus were they to file with their own works, and when a whoring with their own inventions. And some of the verses in the Bible are so reflective and descriptive of what is going on today that it is incredible.

So once again, there are spiritual battles being constantly waged in heavenly places. Now I want us to go to Isaiah chapter 5. In Isaiah chapter 5, we see that for a period of time, how long, God set a hedgerow around about Israel. We talk about us being the inheritors of the blessings of Abraham. And it seemed for quite a long time, yea, even maybe two hundred years or so, or we might stretch it if we go back to Jamestown in the 1600s, that it seemed that America just prospered in so many different ways. Yes, we can talk about the sins of the past, and now we have people who want to destroy the history of the past. Let's get rid of the pictures of George Washington, the statues of Robert E. Lee, and it goes on and on and on. And on. In Isaiah 5, now will I sing to my beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. He fenced it and gathered it. He put stones there and planted it with the choices, vines, and built a tower in the midst of it. And also, he made a winepress there, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes, largely because of what we just read in those verses previous.

And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge I pray you between me and my vineyard.

What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done to it? Wherefore, when I look that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes. And now go to this, I will tell you that I will what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up, and break down the walls thereof, and it shall be trodden down, and I will lay it waste. It shall not be pruned nor digged, but there shall come up briars and thorns, and I will command the clouds that they reign not upon it. And it goes on describing, finally saying woe to those who call evil good and good evil. So it seems for many years, even in this nation, we were to some degree protected from the wiles of the devil. The demons seem to have been kept at bay.

An interesting thing happened in the opening of the House of Representatives a week ago. Patrick Conroy, who is the official chaplain of the House of Representatives, he is a Jesuit priest, prayed to cast out all the spirits of darkness on the House floor Thursday morning during his opening prayer. Cast out the demons out of the House of Representatives. It seems that the hedgerow began to fall in the 1960s with the advent of the hippie movement in the Vietnamese War. Drugs and Eastern mysticism began to pour in from the east. The drugs were called psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic means mind bending because it bent the mind. People would experience wild trips, hallucinations, imaginations. Some of these drugs were made from natural sources, and some were made by chemists, or not real chemists maybe, but chemical concoctions like LSD. You hear about people who went on a trip, an LSD trip.

In the early 70s, I was academic dean at the college here, and we were seeking to get permission from the government to accept international students.

Of course, I was only three or four years from a state university at that time, and someone said, oh, they have said, some of the legal people in Pasadena have said, well, you can't have international students in Texas. I said, all kinds of campuses here, colleges, have international students. We'll fill out our application, and we'll be approved. And so I filled it out. Of course, it took the help of many people, and eventually, personally, we took it to Washington, D.C. at that time to the secretary of education, and his assistant actually met with me in his office in Washington, D.C., and we gained acceptance. In order to gain that acceptance to enroll international students, we had to get permission from three universities in the area that would receive our credits, that would honor our credits. And so I personally visited SMU, East Texas State at that time. It's now in Texas A&M at Commerce, and Stephen F. Lawson University. Well, on my trip to SMU, SMU is there is on that busy central freeway there in Dallas, in one of the ritchie parts of Dallas. And so I finally found a parking place and went into the student center, and I heard this oriental kind of music, just playing and playing, playing, and I got closer and closer. And when I got inside the student center, there were all of these people sitting on the floor dressed in white. The males had their heads shaved with a little tiny sprig of hair at the crown of their heads. They were practicing Hare Krishna religion.

The Hare Krishna cult was established in New York during the 1960s, even though its belief system is based on traditional Hinduism, it began to be a western phenomenon. And the Hare, the Hare Krishna movement has gained a foothold in several religions around the world. For them, the door to salvation is through what they call Krishna consciousness, that you do this chant so much that you get into a state of euphoria and enlightenment, and you eventually merge with the spirit world. And you can imagine what spirit world it is. So from there, I made my way to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and he approved us. So did the same thing at East Texas State and Stephen F. Austin.

That's just an example there of what was happening in the 60s and the 70s.

And now, of course, America prides itself in multicultural diversity. All of these cultures have their gods and forms of religion.

That needs to sink in deeply to everyone. Of course, if you were to say that on public airways, you'd be stoned in today's world. They have their gods and forms of worship. It says in Acts 4, verse 12, that there is one name given under heaven whereby men must be saved. Of course, that name is Jesus Christ. And so, with regard to Christianity, to the faith that we preach, it is inclusive. It's everybody. Is he the god of the Jews only? No, he's a god of all nations. But the way is exclusive. There is only one way. There is only one way. None other name given under heaven whereby men must be saved. Look at 1 Corinthians 10, verse 20. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 20, Paul leads into this.

Chapter 8 and 9 and parts of it that talk about sacrificing, about eating meat, sacrifice to idols. He makes this statement in 1 Corinthians 10, 20. But I say unto you, the things which the Gentiles, the nations, sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. I'm reading the Bible. This is not my words. They sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils.

You know, it's amazing those, I think, along these lines when I read something like this about Daniel and Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego, that they went, in essence, to what would be called graduate school in Babylon, and yet they remain faithful and true to the faith.

It's needless to say that all religions are not of God. Satan seeks out the control points of society. Society is controlled by government, economics, media, and the various social and educational institutions. The age-old truism that God and family are the very fabric that holds a society together is under attack as never before. The intellectuals, along with their think tanks, along with the gullible agents, attack God and family. The prevailing attitudes of our societal structure and values have been relegated to the junk heap of human history. We don't want to hear about that.

Satan has gotten to our leaders. Our leaders are determined to blend our nation with the rest of the world. Satan is in control of government and false religion. Jesus tells us that even in the church there are terrors. These are the words of Jesus Christ. They're not my words. Don't go say, Ward said there are terrors here. Let's turn to Matthew 13. I'm not saying terrors here specifically here or any other place. I'm just saying this is what Jesus says, and we'll read it. You know, one of the things that Paul told the Ephesian elders, I believe it was, I am not slacked to preach the whole counsel of God, the whole counsel, the whole Bible, not shying away from political correctness or any other correctness, but preach the whole counsel of God. Now, in Isaiah, it talks about those who want to hear smooth things. They don't really want to be challenged. In Matthew 13, verse 24. Matthew 13, verse 24. Another parable put he forth, Jesus Christ unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed terrors among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the terrors also. So the servants of the household came and said unto them, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Well, you know, if that's the case, how did these terrors get here? Whence hath the terrors come? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? And he said, No! Lest while you gather up the terrors, you root out also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together, first the terrors, and bind them in bundles, to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn. These are the words of Jesus Christ. He spoke a parable unto them, saying these things. Now continuing with the parable, in verse 36, Then Jesus sent away the multitude and went into the house, and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the terrors of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the terrors are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, the end of this age, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the terrors are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do lawlessness, and shall cast them in the furnace of fire, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Son in the kingdom of their Father, who has ears to hear, let him hear. So we see here how that God even allows some of these things to take place. Now, Satan is in control of the economic system based on credit and debt, a system geared to enslave and oppress nations and its peoples. The news is brought to us by the major corporations who profit from human greed. War is one of the world's main economic endeavors.

This past week, members of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and members of the Republican Party met with the president, and they agreed on a budget which will greatly increase the debt ceiling. And it was to be voted on either late yesterday or maybe voting on it today. The House is about to adjourn for a six-week vacation, but I don't know if they passed it or not.

War is one of the main economic endeavors. So let's look at Joel 3. Here's where we are, to a large degree, in the world today. With regard to this, the United States spends more on armaments than all the nations put together. That's a fact. You can look it up. In Joel 3 and verse 9, of course, we sell armaments all over the world. In Joel 3, 9, proclaim you among the nations, prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears, let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, come up all you nations, and gather yourselves to gather round about. There cause the mighty ones, your mighty ones, to come down, says the Lord. So the nations are scrambling for armaments and arming themselves to the hilt. To a large degree, Satan and his agents shape the people's attitude toward religion and the various values that we see advocated today. Satan is already worshipped by some. Revelation 13, 8 says that if the time is coming when all the world will worship Satan the devil, everyone will worship him except those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Brother and I am talking about where it is today. Our children are basically brainwashed before they ever even go to school. Television is the second-grade socializing force in America. Now, you couple that today with the video games, and I have two little great-grandchildren. One is just turned seven, and the other is four and a half. They can run circles around, most of us, me included, on the cell phone and to some degree on the computer. We have the ever-present video games that has captured the minds of millions. Some people are so addicted to them, they're as addicted to them as they are opioids and some of the other addictive narcotic drugs. Satan is basically in control of education. Evolution is taught as a fact, a scientific fact. The only thing standing between Satan and world dominion is God, the Church of God, and the family. We need to wake up to our calling and what our responsibility is. Satan hates the family because it parallels the spiritual growth and birth process.

He also hates the family because the family provides some area of respite that is a protection from the areas in which Satan's influence is so great, from the sea of demonism that floods the earth. The family stands in the way of world government because a nation is nothing more than a family grown large. But Satan and his agents have planted in all control points government, religion, economics, media, education. His agents continually wage war against the family, and you know the names of many of the movements that have done it. And so we have the LGBTQ agenda now that is gaining more and more traction, more and more acceptance throughout the land, and it is now becoming, quote, mainstream. Satan's original name was Lightbringer, and his agents will pose as Lightbringers. Oh, its toleration, its love. We've got to give everybody, regardless of their lifestyle, we've got to treat them all the same. Satan's agents pose as intellectual swabs sophisticated, well-versed in Satan's arguments. Many use the Gnostic approach. I have special knowledge for you. Those who don't agree with him are belittled, discredited, criticized by the elite. Another strategy when trying to get others to accept the so-called light they're bringing, they will say that so-and-so is to be pitted. He just doesn't understand. He's not yet been enlightened, but when he is, he too can become self-actualized. You know, I gave a sermon recently on who is the angel of God's presence.

So I got in the mail the first part of this week from 300 West Green Street. Some of you in the audience are familiar with that address.

And it was from the religious group that bought the campus there, and they had listened to that sermon. They were so glad I had said a few things that I'd said, but they wanted to help me to become totally enlightened.

And so they sent several pages.

After creating Messiah, God then created the rest of the universe.

So that's one of the big heresies, the old Arian lie that Jesus is a created being. Of course, they call him Yeshua.

That Jesus is a created being. And so we see that you are slightly enlightened, and we're glad to hear that. We want to congratulate you on it. But really, we want you to become totally enlightened. And so we're sending you this. Anonymous from 300 West Green Street, Pasadena, California. Interesting world that we live in today.

Well, brother, I'm about three-fourths through my notes, but I shall not. I shall not go overtime. For some, it's way over time already.

We have a real archenemy, as we know before us, of Satan the devil.

So what are we to do? We must not fall into any of Satan's traps. We must cling to the absolute promises of God's Word. And Jesus Christ is sitting on the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. God's thoughts are ever taught us, it says in Psalms. It also says in Matthew that the hairs on her head are numbered. But not even a sparrow falls to the ground unless God is aware of it. The apostle Peter writes, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God wants us to be full of hope with eager anticipation. We lose hope when we get our minds off the big picture. When we want our thing right now, that's vanity. If we insist on our right on our thing right now, we will never make it. We must develop patience. We tend to forget that it rains on the just and the unjust.

And God also prunes every vine that brings forth fruit, so they bring forth even more fruit. So expect trials, troubles, tribulations. But we can be more than conquerors through him that loved us and gave himself for us. Paul said, if we have hope only in Christ in this world, we're of all men most miserable. But we do have that hope of eternal life in the kingdom of God. We must never forget, seek you first the kingdom of God in his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Put on the whole armor of God and stand. Stand for the truth. Be faithful to the end.