It is not popular to believe in the devil today. Many Christian Churches have been down playing the existence of the devil for many years. The phrase, “The devil made me do it;” has caused the masses to laugh the devil out of serious conscious thought. Along with the programming power of cartoons; Children have been brought up to laugh at evil and add the devil to their list of fairy tale characters.
There could be no greater weapon of an adversary; then to convince his prospective victims that he doesn’t exist. The devil was not always the devil. He started out as a messenger of light and was created in beauty and perfection. God inspired the prophet Ezekiel to reveal the truth about the devil in a type of analogy or parable story of a King from Tyrus. The scripture verses below tell the story of the fall of a great cherub; one of three such angelic beings that actually cover the throne of God in Heaven. This is the LORD speaking:
Ezekiel 28:12-15 KJV Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. (13) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. (14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (15) Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (16) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
The rest of the story follows in the rest of the chapter and is also recorded in Isaiah 14; which describes the fall of Lucifer from God’s Grace; which resulted in him becoming the adversary of God, the devil and Satan. Elevated in his own mind by his vanity; he became in love with his own beauty and perfection. He desired to throw God off of His throne and to take over the universe.
Isaiah 14:12-17 KJV How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. (16) They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; (17) That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
The devil has little to no power of himself; he thrives on the power that we give him through being plugged into his message of lies. Sometimes he enlists a seemingly respectable individual and distorts truth through that individual’s lack of integrity so that we would look at God’s truth with the distain of the false messenger.
For two years, the son of a minister of a large church told people that he was dying of cancer. He wrote an incredible song that has inspired literally millions and it has been performed in mega church venues and televised around the world. The song has been my inspiration and one that I have drawn the LORD’s healing through its powerful words of truth. The song is Healer; by Michael Guglielmucci.
Healer
You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease
Pre-Chorus: I trust in You
I trust in You
Chorus: I believe You're my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my Portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need
Bridge: Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands
Unfortunately; the song writer and the deliverer of this healing song was a fraud. With his nose plugged with oxygen ports as he performed to the sympathy of the masses, Michael Guglielmucci was not dying from cancer; he wasn’t even sick; except for his sick mind and his overwhelming addiction to pornography. His deception crushed a lot of people’s hope and trust. We have seen individuals of great prominence and influence over even our entire country do similar things; Watergate; the Monica Lewinsky Affair; countless statesmen along with countless television evangelists; all who have lived a double standard and who have perpetuated lies upon the people. Though devastating; we must realize that this is all a part of carnal man led by a deceptive devil that is out to destroy our faith in God. The above listed groups of liars all either put their hands on the Holy Bible and swore truth or they preached out of it. Satan uses them to discredit the message by discrediting the messenger. It is the Apostle Paul who through the wisdom and inspiration of God sets this issue straight.
Romans 3:1-4 KJV What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? (2) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (3) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (4) God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
The words and power of Michael Guglielmucci’s song are divine; even though the man did not believe. We must remember that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. No human is infallible. God uses imperfect man to convey the Gospel. God used a liar, adulterer and murderer to reveal the broken spirit and broken and contrite heart that is of God and of the Holy Ghost; when He chose David to be King over all of Israel. He became a man after God’s own heart. David repented and changed. Michael Guglielmucci has come clean and confessed his sin; however, the damage that has been done will leave a black mark on singer song writers of praise music for years to come.
God’s word gives the church guidelines to hopefully prevent most of these types of catastrophes by detailing a standard for leaders in the church.
1 Timothy 3:1-10 CEV It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile. (2) That's why officials must have a good reputation and be faithful in marriage. They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved, friendly to strangers, and able to teach. (3) They must not be heavy drinkers or troublemakers. Instead, they must be kind and gentle and not love money. (4) Church officials must be in control of their own families, and they must see that their children are obedient and always respectful. (5) If they don't know how to control their own families, how can they look after God's people? (6) They must not be new followers of the Lord. If they are, they might become proud and be doomed along with the devil. (7) Finally, they must be well-respected by people who are not followers. Then they won't be trapped and disgraced by the devil. (8) Church officers should be serious. They must not be liars, heavy drinkers, or greedy for money. (9) And they must have a clear conscience and hold firmly to what God has shown us about our faith. (10) They must first prove themselves. Then if no one has anything against them, they can serve as officers.
These guidelines are good for all and each of us should model this standard in our lives. We have been called out of the world by God to be separate and to be holy. Live by truth and exemplify Christ in all that you do!
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