WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF SATAN’S DEVICES OR SCHEMES – PART 7
We continue this study of the schemes Satan uses to infiltrate all aspects of humanity. His influence is everywhere. We need wisdom and reliance on the Lord for the battle we are engaged in. We will examine two more of these schemes. God has allowed us to examine satan's schemes so we know them.
[24]. CHRISTIANS ARE PENALISED IN MANY WAYS WHILE WHAT IS EVIL IS PROTECTED
When a castle was built, it was protected and fortified by guards and towers, moats and drawbridges. These are all legitimate images of what a Christian should do in his and her life; churches as well need those measures. We need to guard what has been entrusted to us and stand in protection of our faith. {{1Timothy 6:18-21 “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves THE TREASURE OF A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. O Timothy, GUARD WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO YOU, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” - which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.”}}
The castle guard must be equipped with the full armour that brings us to Ephesians and the armour given. The towers on castles had several functions and they served as protection and lookouts. Jesus is our strong tower and the word is mentioned a few times in the Psalms such as this one – {{Psalm 61:3 “You have been a refuge for me, A TOWER OF STRENGTH against the enemy.”}}
The purpose of moats was to make a ditch barrier against the enemy so it would not cross over. Do Christians need moats in their lives? They most certainly do. They need to separate the access for the enemy. Examination must be made in each life so we can deepen the moat against the wiles of Satan for we are not ignorant of his schemes. {{2Corinthians 2:11 “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”}} He attacks spirit, soul and body. Our moats must strengthen against those attacks. One other thing. Vigilance is needed to keep the moat clear of any debris the enemy can use to ford the moat. In our lives that vigilance must be done so the demonic forces don’t have an access.
The purpose of the drawbridge was to grant access to friends and to deny access to enemies. Discrimination was needed to differentiate the difference and if not properly done, then we let the enemy slip in to our peril. All Christians must have functioning drawbridges and they must be inspected so that the chains and pulleys are kept in good order. The Master of inspection has to do that job, and that is the Lord. We must employ Him to keep our drawbridges working correctly.
What now of Satan’s devices and schemes? He wants to destroy our castles, and so will attack each of the four items mentioned here. We have been looking at various ways Satan implements his schemes in the world. We know some of the methods he uses. We ought not be ignorant but some Christians are.
The devil is building his own castles and reinforcing them. The filthiness of some of his methods is abominable. Take for example the sin of homosexuality. As Christians, we don’t go out of our way to attack homosexuals but we recognise that that sin, in essence, is just as destroying as fraud or murder or stealing or hate, etc., for all sin separates from God and earns the penalty of eternal damnation. However in Satan’s case, we know he not only promotes the sin, but protects it.
More and more legislatures are enshrining the practice of homosexuality and homosexual marriage into law with penalties for those who oppose those rulings. Speaking out against this may result in prison. The same applies to abortion. Satan has locked in laws through his demonic agents to protect his ongoing evil. A terrible thing is planned for Australia. The Federal Parliament is trying to introduce a “Disinformation and Misinformation Bill” that will penalise and silence all those who disagree with Government policy. That is lethal against Christians. They will be silenced (even in churches) from opposing gender distortions, abortion, the ruination and sexualising of children, and not supporting Palestinians. That is what you get by having a totalitarian government. The nation voted them in. The nation must love it that way.
There are two ways to stifle Christians in this world and Satan is using both. The first is to deny them rightful means, and the second is to legislate against them in a punitive way. The devil uses both. As I mentioned in an earlier matter, Christians are forbidden to be within 100 metres of an abortion clinic where the god Moloch murders the unborn in the metaphorical fire of abortion. Then the second means, the punitive one, is that Christians can be arrested, jailed or fined even for standing within that 100 metres praying. Such is the great hold Satan now has over the leaders of nations, than he reinforces all his territory through his governmental agents.
Can you think, even for one moment, 100 years ago what people of that time would have thought of what might be happening today? So far away from God have we strayed that all the evil seems as good, and all the good seems as evil. You people who do not believe in a Rapture followed by the Tribulation, what justice is it from God, if He did not intervene in the foulness of this world’s system? This Tribulation judgement must come to address the evil just like it came upon Sodom and came in Noah’s day, and came against God’s own people Israel for their sin when He brought Nebuchadnezzar against them.
What I said above about abortion applies equally to homosexuality. The same legislation applies, including penalty for speaking publically against it. We are in the last days of the Church age and everything is contorted and distorted. The Christians may feel they are at a disadvantage, and they are, but their citizenship is not of this world – {{Philippians 3:20-21 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”}}
Christians must not expect good laws to be passed for morality and godliness for it will not happen anymore. Fairness and decency have been sacrificed in the streets of Satan’s empire. God requires of us to live faithfully for Him and to live by faith. {{1Thessalonians 5:21-23 “but EXAMINE EVERYTHING carefully. HOLD FAST to that which is good. ABSTAIN from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body BE PRESERVED COMPLETE, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”}}
These words given to the Thessalonians are very applicable to us 1900 years after Paul comforted the Thessalonians – {{2Thessalonians 3:1-5 “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you, and THAT WE MAY BE DELIVERED FROM PERVERSE AND EVIL MEN for not all have faith, but THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, and HE WILL STRENGTHEN AND PROTECT YOU from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”}}
[25]. SATAN HAS THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM QUITE STRONGLY IN HIS GRASP
The judicial system is fundamental. God is a God of justice, which is why in Ezekiel and in nearly all the prophets, He exposes and judges unjust judges. He hates them; yea in recent years more corrupt judges are appointed to high offices. This is especially so in the USA where recent Senate committee hearings to question appointees for federal judge, and to examine the corruptness of the FBI, have been taking place. It is astounding that some of the worst biased, and corrupt appointees from the Biden administration have the ENTIRE Democrats support in these appointments. They will rubber stamp seriously flawed nominees. Then we could look at the hangman of a judge in Trump’s farce of a trial.
Where is justice? Rightness, honesty and godliness have taken wings never to be seen again. I say “never to be seen again” because in the last days of our Church age, things proceed from bad to worse. Paul said that in 2Timothy 3:13. God also spoke of the decline in the last days. As I write this Donald Trump I think is campaigning for the 2024 election on MAGA that means “Make America Great Again”. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if America was made great again, but it will not happen. It opposes the word of God. We will see things in decline from bad to worse. God is not going to bless a sinful people, a sinful nation, and apart from the Christians in the United States, then the whole nation is very sinful and will not repent now, so the United States will not be blessed. The days when it acknowledged God and His right, have gone. Faithful Christians hold on, for it will be very soon that the Lord comes to rapture His people. Praise the Lord!
Laws and judgements are made by judicial courts, so if you want to strangle justice and kill it, then you set your sights on the courts and the legal system, and on the legislators who set the parameters for the legal system, and that is exactly what Satan has done. His demons are all over so much of the legal system. The current US Administration (end 2023) is the most corrupt in American history. It is not just the USA that is being singled out. It is the most obvious one, but it is a worldwide trend. Satan owns the nations of the world, as the leaders and people have stepped away from God, so then the devil’s hold becomes more precise and more permanent. We lurch from bad to worse.
Should we be worried? No, we should not. We may be concerned, should be concerned, because Christians ought to be concerned about justice, but there is nothing the Christian can do about it. I want to repeat a verse from the last item above - {{Philippians 3:20-21 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”}} We do not belong to the world. It reminds me of a song from 70 or so years ago, “This world is not my home; I’m just a-passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
We know already that Satan aims at the top because when you own the top then appointments and influence will pass down from the top. Just what can Christians do? Well, I think the answer is simple and you may have other ideas, and if you do then write them down at the bottom of this sermon in the box. As I see it there are two main avenues we can pursue. The first is prayer of course. Our prayers must be directed towards those in authority as Paul enjoined on us – {{1Timothy 2:1-2 “First of all, then, I urge that ENTREATIES AND PRAYERS, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men; for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”]]
The second part of that prayer is that we pray for Christians who have positions of authority themselves. Then the SECOND point is that we recognise this is an evil and dangerous world and we must strengthen the lifeline between God and us. That is done through the study of the bible, prayer and the maintenance of Christian fellowship. We must ensure those things are securely in place.
In the bible a lot is written about justice; the justice of God; the murder of justice; unjust judges, etc.
{{Isaiah 5:7 “The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant. THUS HE LOOKED FOR JUSTICE but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.”}}
{{Isaiah 10:2 “SO AS TO DEPRIVE THE NEEDY OF JUSTICE, and rob the poor of My people of their rights, in order that widows may be their spoil, and that they may plunder the orphans.”}}
{{Isaiah 59:8 “They do not know the way of peace AND THERE IS NO JUSTICE IN THEIR TRACKS. They have made their paths crooked. Whoever treads on them does not know peace.”}}
{{Isaiah 59:14 JUSTICE IS TURNED BACK AND RIGHTEOUSNESS STANDS FAR AWAY, FOR TRUTH HAS STUMBLED IN THE STREET, AND UPRIGHTNESS CANNOT ENTER.”}}
Unjust judges come in for the greatest condemnation in the Old Testament. Today we have them everywhere. They are cancerous scourge in our nations. The judicial system is fundamental. God is a God of justice and hates corrupt judges and a corrupt justice system.
As I write this a highly biased (dare I say corrupt?) judge in New York brought in a mockery guilty verdict against President Trump. The whole judicial system of New York is lamentable. Satan has done his work well. He will always hate justice and makes sure his own ambassadors have high offices. I will not mention other striking miscarriages of justice in the USA. You will easily find them on Forbes on YouTube. They are known to God, and as the people in ancient Israel and Judah cried out for proper justice, so do people in our own time. Satan is in control of the judiciary more and more, so I do not expect justice to improve but will decline even further.
I saw a man the other day dressed in tatters and holding a bashed up set of scales. I asked him where he was from and he said, “I used to be the Controller of the whole national court system and it was my job to ensure we operated under fair and honest judges, and that the judicial system was transparent. With God’s help I sought to implement that. Then came along a charismatic person who began to get the ear of corrupt politicians, and soon there was a purge of the national courts with honest judges and magistrates being dismissed to be replaced by political appointments. I myself was kicked out as not representing the interests of a Great Reset in the new order of things. That charismatic fellow who did all this was Serpentius Twisty.” I think the message was clear enough. Satan has taken control of the judiciary as he has in education and all strategic areas of government.
However we do look forward to the time when this verse will operate (speaking about Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom) – {{Isaiah 42:4 “He will not be disheartened or crushed UNTIL HE HAS ESTABLISHED JUSTICE IN THE EARTH and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”}}
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
