Do you like watching scary movies? I don’t. In my opinion, movies have gone way too far in horror and many other genres. These movies serve a couple of purposes in Satan’s agenda. First, they make evil and sin familiar and acceptable. They also can open a way for real demons to enter a person.

Are demons real? I read my Bible and see that Jesus says they’re real, so that means they’re very real. Humans have dabbled in the occult since Adam and Eve were sent out of Paradise. While living in the Garden of Eden and obeying God’s commands, they had protection. Then, an evil entity entered into the Garden. Just like us, Adam and Eve were protected from evil as long as they obeyed God and walked near to Him. God provided for all of Adam’s and Eve’s needs.

“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).

Mankind is rebellious, but God blessed us with free will, and we can choose how we use it. God gave Adam one rule. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

Adam was entrusted with that truth before Eve was created. That set the standard for men to be the leaders. After Eve was created, Adam may have been enthralled by her beauty and forgot his role as the leader of his family, but Eve decided to chat with Satan. Eve was deceived because of her choice and lack of faith in God’s truth.

Was it really Satan, or just a snake? Taking the whole truth of Scripture into consideration, yes, this was Satan speaking lies. Eve was deceived by Satan twisting God’s word. Doubt was placed in her mind, and she began adding to God’s word. God said not to eat the fruit, but Eve added to that, saying they weren’t even to touch it. By eating the fruit, God knew that it would become a part of Adam and Eve. Today, when we eat “junk food,” we make that sugar a part of our body, but Satanic deception is more evil and destructive to life than a poor diet. Eve added to God’s word by saying they weren’t even to touch the fruit or else they would die. That’s when Satan knew he could beguile her.

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

Satan is a liar, and Eve’s lack of discernment caused her to listen to this demonic evil, and she ate the fruit. It was tasty, and she didn’t drop dead, so she convinced Adam to also eat the fruit. “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7).

Attempting to cover sin is always uncomfortable, and fig leaves are very scratchy indeed. The Garden of Eden provided Adam with everything that he needed, and there was no death. Sin changed all of that. Temptation to sin is all around us today. For some reason, sin appeals to all of mankind. God says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

That’s pretty plain, but we put everything ahead of God. Mostly, we put ourselves before God, believing ourselves to be gods. We pamper our own egos, and pride is a downfall to our walk with God. We get angry if we feel someone has dishonored us. Riots happen because one group of people thinks the world owes them everything; pride causes sin. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Solomon had a lot of wisdom and wrote the Proverbs to teach us truth from God. In the New Testament, James tells us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Those are wise words. If you are admired and praised by fellow humans, you’re being judged by a faulty measuring tool. If you humbly obey God, He will lift you up. It’s much better to seek the Lord’s favor than human favor.

Sin looks appealing, but it only causes pain and suffering. Satan can make even the ugliest sin look enjoyable. Have you ever seen someone who is drunk? Nowhere in Scripture does God forbid drinking alcohol, but getting drunk is the sin. If drinking wine was a sin, God wouldn’t tell the Israelites they could buy alcohol with their tithe money (Deuteronomy 14:22-26). Jesus would not have turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). Jesus would not have drunk wine Himself if it was a sin, even though the religious leaders condemned Him for it (Luke 7:34). Scripture does caution against being drunk on wine. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Like Eve added to God’s words, so do many Christian denominations add to God’s words. Drunkenness is the sin. You might look at people who are drinking alcohol, laughing and seeming to have a lot of fun. The fun is only temporary, but the damage to their body can be devastating. Don’t misconstrue what I’m saying. I’m not telling anyone to drink alcohol. I’m just saying that God doesn’t forbid it.

There are many things that God forbids, but we tend to ignore His warning. “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

Today, we don’t sacrifice our sons or daughters by passing them through fire, but we condone abortion, which is an act of evil straight from Satan’s lying lips. Do you read your horoscope? Play with a Ouija board? Do you practice Yoga? All of these things are abominations to God and can open the doors for demon possession. The thing you must do immediately is repent of the sin and ask for God’s forgiveness. Then, don’t continue with the sin.

Why do you think God finds these things to be abominable? Abortion violates one of the Ten Commandments. “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). All sin is prompted by Satan and his minions. God loves you, and Satan hates what God loves.

When you listen to Satan’s lies, you open yourself up to demon possession. Demons are real. Jesus says they are real, and I believe Him. Today, there are many people who are treated for mental illness when, in reality, they have invited a demon into their life through the use of drugs, drunkenness, and dabbling with the occult. Christians have protection against demon possession because we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We can be oppressed by a demon but not possessed.

Demons can be cast out of a person; it doesn’t take a Catholic priest with magic water and fancy words to do it. It takes a Holy Spirit-filled Christian who understands the power of God. The Christian needs to have studied Scripture about demons, or things can go terribly wrong. Read Acts 19:13-16 to see what happened to some would-be exorcists who thought the name of Jesus was a magic word, but they had no faith.

When dealing with demons, it’s important to remember that they always look for embodiment. When one is rebuked in the name of Jesus, the door needs to be shut so they won’t return. “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).

Jesus spoke those words, and we know we can trust what He says. Jesus knew demons are real, and the Gospels are full of accounts of Him casting out demons.

How can we avoid demons? Walk close to Jesus. Don’t participate in activities that invite a demon to come into you. That means don’t use drugs and don’t get drunk. Too many people think Yoga is a nice stretching exercise when it is actually a process used to attract demons. The goal of Yoga is to invite in the kundalini spirit, which is a serpent spirit. Eastern mysticism of all kinds encourages releasing this evil spirit. Don’t participate in any meditation where you clear your mind and meditate on emptiness. That leaves your mind wide open to be filled with an evil spirit.

When you meditate, be sure you meditate upon Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to fill your thoughts. “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways” (Psalm 119:15). When you keep your thoughts and your heart turned to Jesus and the things of His glory, you won’t leave yourself open to demon possession. You will avoid demons.

We live in a time when demons are manifesting more frequently in UFO sightings, sleep paralysis, and more. The only way to avoid them is to keep close to the Lord. Put on His armor for the spiritual battle we are fighting.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Don’t try to fight the battle unarmed. It’s too bad that Eve didn’t have God’s armor on her when Satan came to deceive her.

Many things can open the way for demons to have rights to your life. Books that condone sin, movies that glorify evil, and video games that are filled with violence are just a few. Christians can’t dictate what the world accepts, but we can choose what we accept. When you choose to walk close to God, you will avoid demons corrupting your life.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment”
(Mark 12:30).

The more you study Scripture, the more insight you will gain into the heart of God. Is He your first love? Does it matter to you if you please Him or not? It should. Serving Him on earth is just a foreshadowing of serving Him in the afterlife. Serve Him with joy!

Let me ask this question. Do you love Him? What do you love about Him? Do you even know what He did for you? He humbled Himself and gave His life. He took your sin, which separates you from God, so that you can spend eternity with Him. It’s easy to say, “I’m a Christian,” but it’s not as easy to let our life speak for itself. Your life should reflect your faith. Eternity is just that… eternal. You have to choose now if you will spend it in Heaven or in Hell. Just remember, it’s your choice to spend eternity with God or in the lake of fire. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. If you have chosen Christ for salvation, show your love for Him by living for Him.

The Book of Revelation is very interesting. Chapter 4 begins with the Rapture of all Christians, then goes on to describe a beautiful place with God. Prior to that, Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven letters that Jesus dictated to John. These letters were written to real congregations that existed at the time, and when all seven letters are studied in order, they describe seven eras of church history, written in advance. They are a prophecy that is being fulfilled daily. Each era of Christianity faced difficulties, and there’s actually a little of each one in every era. The first letter was addressed to the congregation in Ephesus.

“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:” (Revelation 2:1).

Revelation can be intimidating to read, but that’s mostly because we forget to study all of Scripture. In this case, we only need to look back to chapter 1 to see that it’s Jesus who holds the seven stars and walks amidst the candlesticks.

What era in history does the congregation in Ephesus symbolize? It’s the first letter and represents the first era of Christianity. Most of the first Christians had come from a Jewish background and faced overwhelming persecution. When persecution in Jerusalem became intense, many fled to Gentile cities like Ephesus. The Gentile population there was very pagan in their lifestyles; they worshipped gods and goddesses who were, in fact, demonic and embraced horrendous sin. As the Spirit-filled Christians took up residence in the various cities, their love and devotion to Christ showed these Hell-bound pagans the love of the True God. Then the Apostle Paul came to town, and his mission work there established Christianity in the hearts of all the people of Ephesus.

It must have been a challenge to live a God-honoring life while dwelling amongst the demonic and sin-filled lifestyle prevalent in Ephesus, but those first Christians made a difference there. The letter which Jesus wrote commended them.

“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars: and hast borne, and has patience, and for my name’s sake has laboured, and hast not fainted”
(Revelation 2:2-3).

This reveals a couple of very important points. Jesus is watching us. He knows what we are all doing. He sees if you are patiently working to advance His truth among the unbelieving world around you. He knows if you are appalled by the evil that is everywhere or if you are dabbling in the sin. Do you follow every new trend within Christian circles? “Christian Yoga” (which is an oxymoron), contemplative prayer (not acceptable), New Age (ugh), and purpose-driven foolishness (run from it) are all trends that have no place in Christian circles. Put these and all wrong teachings to the test. Use Scripture to discern God’s truth. Jesus knows if you adhere to His truth or not.

Jesus saw that those early Christians had faith that wouldn’t fail. Some of them may have been amongst the crowd yelling “Crucify Him” when Jesus was on trial, but they also may have heard Peter speak on the day of Pentecost and repented. Peter preached a very convicting sermon that day, filled with the love of Christ. Peter’s words weren’t “seeker friendly” but spoke truth and touched the hearts of at least 3,000 people who were immediately baptized. These people fell in love with Jesus. Why? I would say that they realized who He was… God incarnate… and that they had committed great sin against God. Yet, Peter said they could repent and be forgiven. They realized that God had shown amazing love by stepping into His creation to spread the Gospel and forgive sinners. What wonderful love that is.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9).

That love is still available to us today. The secular world cannot understand, but Christians should certainly understand God’s love. We are sinners and make errors, but our sins have been forgiven.

“We love him, because he first loved us”
(1 John 4:19).

Everything we do should reflect Christ. We cannot work for our salvation, but works should be a result of our faith. Works don’t bring faith, but faith should be seen in works.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works”
(James 2:17-18).

Our works should always bring glory to God.

As we read this letter to Ephesus, we might think that these early believers had it easy. Sure, they were persecuted, but Jesus saw their works and was pleased. They stood against evil and wouldn’t listen to false teachers. They were doing wonderful works for God. Yes, Jesus was watching.

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou has left thy first love”
(Revelation 2:4).

What was their first love? That love should be our first love today. Jesus. We can do all the great things we want, but unless we love Jesus and do all for Him, our faith is dead. There are ministries with a huge number of followers, but Jesus isn’t their first love. As long as the ministry is raking in lots of money, the leaders are happy. It doesn’t matter to them if they are preaching a different Gospel than found in Scripture. It doesn’t matter to them if the full counsel of God isn’t being taught or that Jesus is compromised. The goal is to make money. They have left their first love. Jesus. The Gospel they spread isn’t found in Scripture.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him”
(2 Corinthians 11:3-4). 

It’s easy to point fingers at these megachurches, but then we need to get the mote out of our own eye. We must examine our own life and our motives. Are we true to our first love? Do we fellowship with fellow believers only if it doesn’t interfere with what’s on television? Do you intend to study Scripture in the evening but can’t fit it in because you’re too tired? Although you can find time to read the newspaper or stop off at the bar on your way home from work, you can’t find time for God. That’s sad. You’ve left your first love.

Many Christians have left their first love. Notice Jesus says they “left.” It’s a choice. People choose to allow the world to come between them and God. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus first loved us, and we must choose to love Him better.

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent”
(Revelation 2:5). 

Think back to when you first met Jesus. You had a burden of sin that weighed you down. Were you happy? By the standards of the world, you probably were. Then, you heard and received the Gospel message. Maybe a preacher actually preached a sermon that didn’t tickle your ears and make you feel good about your sin. You were convicted, not condemned. You saw that your sin separated you from God, and you were on the broad road to Hell. Many people think Hell doesn’t exist, or they think it’s temporary and you can work your way out of it. Others think it’s a place where all of your unsaved friends gather for a good time of eternal fun and games. Scripture makes it clear that Hell does exist, and there is no fun there. Your choice must be made while living in this life; there’s no second chance. It’s a place of eternal torment with no partying.

Satan is a liar, but he is good at making the unbearable look appealing. Don’t believe the lies; believe the truth that God gives us in Scripture. When you come to the realization that God won’t send you to Hell but your own choices will, that’s the time you recognize that you’re a sinner in desperate need of Jesus for salvation. That’s when you need to repent.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23).

Even though everyone has sinned, that doesn’t make sin acceptable. Jesus is our example, not worldly attitudes. All sin can be forgiven, but you have to repent. You need to change your mind about sin, and you will find forgiveness.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”
(Romans 3:24-26).

Thank You, Jesus, for your love and forgiveness of sinners such as me. I do love You.

When you realize your sins are forgiven, your love for Jesus will cause you to experience great joy. The weight of sin was a load that caused great unhappiness, but when that load of sin was forgiven, the joy was indescribable. Most likely, you shared your joy with others and felt compassion for others. Then, time went on. The world began to beat you up again. Maybe you felt persecution just like the Ephesians. Maybe you stumbled a few times in your walk with Christ, and you “…left your first love.” It’s not too late to get back into a right walk with Christ. “…repent and do thy first works.” Study Scripture. You will find out that God is ready to forgive.

Our sin nature will always be a problem to us while living on this side of eternity, but Jesus loves us enough to have allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked, spit upon, and crucified in order to offer us salvation.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”
(John 3:16-18).

That should make you love Jesus, and if you’ve left your first love, He will forgive you. Return to Him now.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.