(This article is written for my best friend recently diagnosed with ALS.)
Confused about recent events? Think that the world is upside down and evil is triumphing? This is my take on the situation. I believe in God, and even if you are an atheist, you should listen to what I have to say. I’m an old guy, and I’ve learned a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two. My advice is free, hopefully insightful, and may help clarify wicked events currently unfolding in the world today.
A very long time ago, there was a revolt in Heaven. Lucifer, an extremely beautiful, strong and powerful angel, rebelled against God (worst rebellion in history, as it turns out). Unfortunately, Lucifer convinced one-third of the angels in Heaven to support his revolution. Their mutiny failed. Lucifer and his co-conspirators were evicted from paradise. Lucifer earned a new moniker, the Devil or Satan. All of the beautiful angels who rebelled against God and were ejected from Heaven are now the unclean spirits or demons.
Hell is a horrible place to spend eternity. Satan and his demons were extremely angry at God for their banishment and future eternal punishment.
They vehemently hated all of the angels who chose to remain on Team God and failed to support their mutiny. Satan and his demons also loathed all human beings because we are God’s children. And whoever God loves, Satan and his minions fervently hate.
Heaven is the polar opposite of Hell:
Heaven is overflowing with a deluge of love. Hell will be filled with toxic hatred for everything and everyone.
Heaven is beautiful and bright. Hell will be ugly, dark, and filled with unquenchable fire.
Heaven is filled with beautiful angelic spirits. Hell will be filled with hateful, unclean demons.
Heaven is filled with saints loving God. Hell will be filled with tormented beings cursing God.
God loves truth and righteousness. Satan hates the truth. He is a pathological liar, known as Beelzebub, the “lord of the flies.” Satan is the personification of evil and the nemesis of good people everywhere. He is also the master of manipulation and deceit.
When we die, God warns us in the Bible that our final destination will be one of two places: Heaven (Option A) or Hell (Option B). There is no Option C. Atheists desperately hope in Option C, but one day, when they stand before almighty God, they will be unpleasantly surprised to discover that they have been conned. Unfortunately, their fate will be sealed forever.
God has given us free will, which is the ability to literally choose where to spend eternity. Satan and his demons fervently desire all human beings to spend eternity with them in Hell. They have no altruistic agenda.
God and all of His angels want human beings to spend eternity with them in Heaven. That’s where free will comes into play. You would think that everyone would want to spend eternity in Heaven, but unfortunately, based upon their behavior and beliefs, many humans are navigating a slippery path that leads directly to Hades.
Evil is metastasizing in the world. Rising murders, mayhem, rapes, assaults, corruption, anarchy and greed are indicators that some people either intentionally choose to go to Hell or don’t believe that Hell actually exists. Those poor souls erroneously believe that there are no consequences for evil behavior and will weep and gnash their teeth when condemned to Hell for all eternity. Those poor souls also falsely assume that death is final and are oblivious to the fact that death is just the beginning.
Satan and his demons are very cunning because they have been hunting human souls to steal for thousands of years. Some demons are confined, but many others are active in the world. Satan fears that his time on earth is rapidly drawing to a close and has shifted into hyper-drive to capture as many souls as possible. Human frailties are their specialty, and they have manipulated the media to propagate the belief that God doesn’t exist and that Satan is a comical cartoon myth. They also want you to believe that sacrificing everything (on earth) to acquire wealth and power is a golden calf worth coveting.
God wants you to know that he loves all human beings (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and wants everyone to spend eternity with Him in the kingdom of Heaven. God also wants you to understand that life on earth is temporal. We are born, we live, and then we pass away – like the grass. It’s the circle of life.
What do Demons hate? They hate it when you READ THE BIBLE, PRAY, GO TO CHURCH, AND EXHIBIT KINDNESS TO OTHERS. All of those activities really anger Satan and all of his minions. They are terrified when humans seek any type of relationship with God. They want you to curse God, deny His existence, and end up imprisoned with them in Hell for all eternity.
How long is eternity? This analogy has always resonated with me: Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world and weighs approximately 357 trillion pounds. That’s a lot of weight. Consider a bird that flies to that mountain once every million years and removes only one pebble. When Mount Everest has been completely worn away and the ground is flatter than a Target parking lot, eternity will just be beginning.
I sincerely want everyone to spend eternity in Heaven and not end up trapped in Hell. Don’t listen to demons; they fill you with fear! Read the Bible, which fills you with hope and offers amazing wisdom and understanding for those who are willing to hear.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not unto thy own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7, KJV).
Larry Brandes, Ph.D.