JUNE 27

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

*** ***

1 John 1:7 & 9

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-13:

“ There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,  or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.  For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.  You shall be blameless before the Lord your God.”

James 4:7

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Psalm 2:12

“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”

***  ***

We are reading a book by Corrie ten Boom, with daily recordings she made to broadcast over Trans World Radio.  Her Dutch family  sheltered Jews during the Nazi invasion of Holland.  As a result, she, her sister Betsy and their father were taken to concentration camps in Germany. The Lord did many miracles to allow both Corrie and Betsy to bring the Gospel to the other women in their camp.   Their father was murdered in an extermination camp and Betsy was sick, dying just two weeks before Corrie and the rest were freed.  After her freedom, Corrie traveled the world, telling everyone even in remote areas, about salvation through Christ, besides radio and writing many books.  This one is entitled, “Not I, but Christ.”

*** ***

DEMON POSSESSION

Often we can find the reason for demon possession in occult sins.  This is very evident in the case of fortune-telling.  In Deuteronomy 18:10-13 we read:

“ There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,  or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.  For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.  You shall be blameless before the Lord your God.”

When I worked in Germany after the war, people often came to me saying they couldn’t pray.  They could not concentrate when reading the Bible or when listening to a sermon.  Often they were tortured by thoughts of suicide, an especially clear indication of the influence of demons.  Later I found out what the cause of this was.

Shortly after the war, many men and boys were missing in Germany.  Their relatives did not know whether they still were in concentration camps in Russia or whether they had died.  This uncertainty was terrible.  Some of these people went to fortune-tellers.  I don’t know whether they received any appropriate information, but this was the cause of the darkness I met later on when counseling. 

Because of this sin, the door had been opened to an evil power.  Often it was not difficult to convince people that this was a sin in the eyes of the Lord.  In Deuteronomy 18:12 the Bible clearly states that all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord.  Going to fortune-tellers shows that a person looks for help from the enemy instead of trusting God.

It was wonderful to explain how they could be set free.  Read 1 John 1:7 &9:

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

After realizing they had sinned, they could take this sin to the Lord, confess it, and ask forgiveness for it.  Then this promise became a reality.  The Lord forgave and cleansed them with His blood.  A heart He has cleansed with His blood He wants to fill with His Holy Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is, among other things, peace and joy.

Not only does fortune-telling open the door for the powers of darkness, but so also does participating in spiritualistic experiments.  Very often when I warned against fortune-telling and spiritualism or asked people whether they had ever participated, they replied, “I just did it for fun,” or “I did it but didn’t believe in it.”

Then I used this example:  In Germany there now is a wall through Berlin.  Formerly this was not there, but half of the city was forbidden territory for the inhabitants of West Berlin.  At some places the boundary line went through a wooded area.  Imagine a person playing in such a woods and accidentally getting into East German territory.

Then he would be arrested, and it would not help him to say:  “I just did it for fun.”  If one is in the enemy’s territory, one is in his power.  It is the same with sins of witch-craft one commits for fun.

Another very dangerous sin is wearing amulets.  We cannot be too strict about this.  Once I heard of a girl who was always ill.  Somebody gave her an amulet she was to wear around her neck.  The illness was cured immediately, but the child was very gloomy; she never smiled, and when she was twelve years old she tried to commit suicide.  An evangelist visited her and asked her whether she had an amulet.  She gave it to him but begged him not to open it.

He opened it all the same and found a piece of paper in it.  On it was written:  “I command you, Satan, to keep this body healthy until you have this soul in hell.”  The amulet was destroyed, and the child was set free;  but she fell seriously ill again at once.  Afterwards she was healed by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus.

Apart from the fortune-telling and wearing amulets and charms, the cause of being in darkness can also come through contact with false doctrines or people practicing demonic influence, such as palmists and magicians.  Reading horoscopes and being occupied with the sins of others and with people who are demon-possessed can also bring us into contact with evil powers.

It is not without reason that Paul warns Timothy not to lay hands on anybody too soon.  Hypnotism is also a danger.  The Bible very clearly points out that it is sin to get in touch with those who have died.  Reading wrong books also can bring us into great darkness.  All books on witchcraft and amulets should be destroyed.

In Indonesia during a great revival, again and again, those who surrendered to the Lord repented of their sins and burned and destroyed all items of witchcraft – idols, amulets, and occult books.  Because we live in such a grave time, every compromise is an especially great danger.  If we choose to be on Jesus’ side, we are the children of light in the midst of a dark generation.  But our choice must be very definite.   What joy that with Jesus there is forgiveness and redemption!

Dear Father, in Jesus’ name we pray that You will show us very clearly whether there is still any compromise in our lives, in our hearts, with Satan and his demons.  Thank you that You want to set us free and that you will cleanse us by the blood of Jesus, Your dear Son.  Please strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit. amen

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord