[Faith-talk] Satan and the Saint, Part Five for Tuesday, July 1, 2014

[Paul]

Hello and good day to you all.  Before we continue in this series, and so I don't forget myself, the answer to Sunday's Bible trivia game was Joel 1.  And now here is the late Dr. Ralph Montanus with Part five of his series.  Please note the obviously prophetic utterances the Lord gave him.

During the past few days, we have been examining the four demonic categories given by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6, verses 10 through 12.  Thus far, we have touched upon principalities and noted that their dominion is powerful.  They affect rulers, parliaments, and various legislative bodies on the face of the earth.

Then, if you remember, we dealt with powers and saw how these demonic entities influenced one's mental and emotional well-being.

The next category is the rulers of the darkness of the world.  These demons appear to be very active behind what is known as "organized crime"; such organizations as the Mafia, the Mob, or the Syndicate.  What law enforcement agency is not cognizant of the organized criminal element which, in the past, included Murder, Inc.? Nothing but perhaps the names of criminals have changed.  It is still possible to hire thugs who, for a price, will "liquidate" someone whom they have never even met.

These demonic emissaries of Satan are behind such activities as organized prostitution and the drug traffic.  The latter is highly controlled by mobsters who smuggle into our country everything from marijuana to potent drugs such as opium and heroin.  They also break down the moral concepts of our youth and quickly get them addicted to hallucinogens and barbiturates, thus leading them to become hardcore drug addicts at an early age.  Actually, it was not too long ago (1986) that the chief mobsters from all over the United States met in the state of New York to plan their overall strategy.

What is behind all this sinister, lawless activity? It is the rulers of the darkness of this world.  All underworld activities are influenced and empowered by them.  Undoubtedly, much of the organized gambling carried on in various casinos and in noted cities, even in the United States, may be traced to organized crime.  This receives its impetus from those demons who are characterized as rulers of the darkness of this world.

It is true that the child of God has three specific enemies arrayed against him--the world, the flesh, and the devil.  Yet, it is the world which becomes most subtle in influence and power over the believer.  We seldom are aware of the fact that, very gradually and almost systematically, the world gets a hold upon believers.  While we are definitely told that the world is at complete enmity with God and that we, as believers, are not to be participants in its activities, I am of the opinion that less and less heed is given to this area by professing Christians.

When the Bible speaks of the "world" in this sense, it is speaking of this age, which is clearly referred to as being evil and in rebellion against God.  I am certain that many believers reading these lines can remember, years ago, the great emphasis placed upon separation from this evil age.  There was much stress placed upon separation from worldly individuals and places of amusement which included the theatre, night clubs, dance halls, and other such entities loved and patronized by the world.

Today, one meets professing Christians who feel that there is nothing wrong with their attandance at such worldly places of amusement.  Yet, they little realize the vast influence upon their moral concepts and their spirituality, as well as their walk with God, becoming disturbed and disoriented.  Yet, the rulers of the darkness of this world--and shall we stress the latter part, namely, this world--have the children of this world under their control and are determined to lure them so that one can hardly distinguish between them.

I am of the opinion that the nearer we come to the end of this age--this evil age, this age whose God is Satan himself--the greater the breakdown of spiritual values and the outward semblance of worldliness which will make its inroads into the Church and its activities under the domination of the rulers of this world.

I am sure that the average Christian could easily enlarge upon the varied activities and ever-increasing boldness of this category of demonic power.  The wise, sober and diligent Christian is well aware of God's exhortation to him found in Titus 2, verses 11 through 13.  It would be well for every believer to commit these verses to memory and to repeat them again and again.  Let Titus 2:11-13 be written on the tables of your heart.  Let your life be monitored by them--yes, permit the blessed Holy Spirit to bring them to your attention every day of your earthly pilgrimage!

Let us quickly examine them:  "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."

You will note that ungodliness and worldly lusts are to be denied by the child of God, and the emphasis of his life in this present world, or present age (for the words "world" and "age" are synonymous here) is that he live soberly, righteously, and godly.  Remember that this present age is evil.  In this regard, let us also commit to memory Galatians 1, verses 3 and 4, wherein we are told:  "Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."

Inasmuch as our Lord died for our sins so that He might deliver us from them and not permit us to be partakers of this world, this evil world, we are told (returning to Titus) the way He expects His children to conduct themselves.  In other words, as children of God, our deportment is most essential in this evil society.

Note the way we are to live--soberly, righteously, and godly--in this present age.  While the world is steeped in sin, rebellion and great ungodliness, the child of God is to live differently.  Remember, my dear brother and sister in Christ, that you are to live soberly, righteously and godly, not in Heaven, but in this present world, which is an evil world.  In the light of this, we can more clearly understand the Apostle John's exhortation to believers in I John, chapter 2, verses 15 through 17:  "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

My dear believer in Christ, remember that the rulers of the darkness of this world are arrayed against you as a believer and will jeer at you, make all kinds of remarks regarding you, through the lips of those whom they possess and who are also characterized in the Bible as the children of this world.

But regardless of such onslaughts, it is still our duty and privilege to be obedient to our Lord and to have no association whatsoever with the influences of the rulers of the darkness of this world, but rather to deny them and live to the glory of God--soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

This concludes part five of this series.  We have three more to go.

There are two comments I'd like to make here, if you are still with me.

Dr. Montanus wrote that the rulers of the darkness of this world will make inroads into the Church.  I wonder what he would say if he were still living and seeing homosexuals as bona fide ministers of the Gospel? And, to add insult to injury, let's not forget that the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire several years ago openly installed a gay bishop.

The other comment I'd like to make, and I personally found this interesting, is something found in either I or II Timothy, I'm not sure where.  If any of you are familiar with the Greek New Testament, there is a word tucked into one of these verses, namely "pharmacopoeia." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess that this word is the one used for "drugs." Maybe one of you are more familiar with the original Greek New Testament can look this up and share it with us all.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe more than ever, individually and collectively, in this evil age in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow Part 6 will be presented.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul