DEMONIC DOMINATION

If you believe in the Bible, you already know that the world is under the control of Satan, the deceiver:

• And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 ESV)

His hold is so powerful and deceptive that nothing short of a miracle can break his hold:

• And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Nothing short of our Lord granting a change of heart (regeneration) can break Satan’s control. However, I must admit that I am just slowly beginning to perceive the extent of his control.

We perceive the effects his destructive deceptions in the decline and growing insanity of our once great civilization. However, I am beginning to see it in the lives around me. Recently, I’ve had extended conversations with two young men who even know that they are in the hand of Satan, are suffering because of this, but reject the only deliverance available.

They have many thin excuses for rejecting the Savior:

• They are too evil, past saving.

• They will fail if they tried to live as a Christian.

• They don’t want to be like the evangelicals by whom they had been raised.

However, to my surprise, I discovered all of these objections are just excuses. How do I know this?

• They admitted that they are evil deceivers.

• They were unable to answer my many biblical objections.

• They eventually wanted to terminate the discussion.

• They refused to allow me to pray for them.

• They admitted that they preferred to be destroyed rather than to chance Christ.

Needless to say, I was astounded by their willingness to be Satan’s captives. I tried reasoning with them:

• If someone gave you a gift of millions of dollars, no strings attached, wouldn’t you take it? Why then would you reject the greater gift of eternal life?

Both avoided the question. It seemed that, on some level, they realized that they were self-destructive, perhaps out of self-hatred.

They reminded me of Judas. Judas had felt remorse after betraying Jesus. He even returned the money he had been paid for his betrayal. However, instead of praying for the mercy of God, Judas decided that he would pay the price himself by his suicide.

We expect people to be reasonable and to rationally weigh the costs. However, Judas didn’t, and these two men wouldn’t. Perhaps they were determined to pay the price for their own sins.

They reminded me of the parasitized grasshopper. The worms would eat out his brain, take control of their hapless victim, and eventually coerce the grasshopper to jump to his death into a body of water so that the worms could complete their life cycle.

I asked them if they were content to allow Satan to take over and to destroy them. I explained that if they would accept the free gift of the Savior, they would have an amazing testimony and would be able to touch many lives. They remained uninterested.

For such willing prisoners, prayer is our only recourse.