The Realm of Darkness: Don’t Believe Your Eyes!

Acts 26:15–16 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen but also to the things in which I will appear to you;

When I was growing up, one of my favorite people was Mrs. Simmons. A widow that lived next door to my grandma; they were close friends. I was always welcome in her home and loved talking to her. She lived a very modest life, nothing special, her clothes, her car; all her possessions were just run of the mill things. The only thing that struck me funny was she had a maid living with her. They went everywhere together and she lived with Mrs. Simmons. When I was in my teens she died. I went to visit her maid at the house as it was being packed up and sold. I was concerned about this maid’s future…what she told me blew me away! Mrs. Simmons had been the bookkeeper for one of the richest gamblers in the USA! When he died he left her a fortune! She has given millions to orphanages around the world, and her maid was set for life! I left wanting to ask her for a loan!

We need to unlearn what we have learned about what we see…seeing should not be believing, because we only see the surface!

This Truth needs to be understood by believers! Paul thought his fight was with the Church, but found out it was really with Christ. This reality should free us as we stand for what God desires. So many believers take rejection and insult personally! This should not! No matter the topic, abortion, homosexuality, monogamy, etc. the fight is not with us. I don’t care if you make love to a lamppost; it is none of my business. But when you ask me what Scripture states and I share what it states, don’t get mad at me! Your fight is with the Author, not me!

The same is true when dealing with the enemy. Our fight is not with our government, or political groups, or even family members.

2 Corinthians 10:3–4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We need to slow down, say a prayer, and allow the Holy Spirit the opportunity to show us behind the scenes, in every situation! Your fight and frustration is not with your boss or your job, it is with the enemy of your soul that is using that circumstance to move you away from Christ-Like behavior and thoughts! If we are truly His child God has opened our eyes to this, we just need to see through those new eyes!

Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

The So What: How do you respond to circumstances? Reactionary or Proactive? Are only looking at this Pandemic  or are you seeing behind the scenes how the enemy desires you to lose faith and be controlled by fear? Is your trust in Government, the world market, or the God of supply?

The Realm of Darkness: I can't see you but I know you are there!

One of my favorite successful commercials was one concerning a TV. An Actor steps out into a room with a TV in it. He turns on the screen. The TV (Brand Y) screen is vibrant with sharp images and the colors are magnificent! What is not noticed is the camera dulls the rest of the room. You are watching this on your “Brand X” TV. You run to your wife and declare that we must get this new “Brand Y” TV! Neither of you stop to think that everything you just saw was on your “Brand X” TV screen! This company made a killing!   

Sometimes things are not really apparent until we stop and think about it for a while. In Spiritual warfare the enemy desires us to keep a fast pace, the last thing he wants is for us to move meditatively.

As we begin this series, we must be careful of the pendulum that we humans naturally move to: There is a demon under every rock – to, no demon activity at all!

Also be careful of the difference between theological teachings and biblical teachings. The terms “Possessed” and “Oppressed” are man-made theological terms, In the Scriptures, the word used is “demonized.” Only context can explain the intensity of the moment.

First, we need to look at the “Big” picture, and then get into the details.

It is about controlling Power.

         a. Control of power

Genesis 1:26–28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

        

Man was given dominion over the earth and had the opportunity to exercise his stewardship abilities. The fall changed that. Satan is now in control, under the umbrella of God’s sovereignty, of this world.

Luke 4:5–6 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

The good news is that this enemy…in the end is a defeated one.

Colossians 2:13–15 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Be Careful! Most believers know and even say we have the victory, and due to that we often become complacent to his strategies! I have learned that the hard way! Satan is the ultimate control freak, which is what caused his fall; he could not stand having someone in authority over him.

Discover questions: Who controls you, the Holy Spirit, or your sin nature? If you are a believer you have a personal Savior, do you understand you also have a personal enemy? God tells us not to fear, so how should we deal with our enemy.