At the blog My Daily Trek, Leticia wrote an excellent post on Demon Possession and Spiritual Warfare. In the comment section a liberal made the claim that demons don't exist. That is in effect saying that evil doesn't exist. If you don't believe in God it is nearly impossible to believe in evil or the Devil. Since Lucipher (a.k.a. Satan, the Devil) is a fallen angel I thought it appropriate to start with angels and then cover demons in a post later on. I am also posting a video on the fall of Lucipher below.
The Fall of Lucipher
6 comments:
I've been amazed to meet Christians, even a deacon in one particular... path, who believe the notion of angels is a myth. And their descriptions make them impossibly silly old notions. It does make me wonder what else from 'that old silly book' they also don't believe. All I can do is attest that I very much believe, as it was written.
I would rather be written off as a fool by a modernist than to be written off by God, or some such. While I haven't seen one, I also didn't get the chance to see and touch Christ's wounds. And that seems more preposterous, scientifically. And yet I very much believe that.
Next time I hear angels questioned I may well ask that very question. If too I may be shocked (not really) by some of the replies. *shrug*
Let me try that again (my fingers were cold and uncooperative the last time).
I've read too much - in my Bible and in other religious literature - to take the concept of demons and their activity lightly.
No matter what we say, there are many who will refuse to believe, even unto the very end. I have lived long enough and been through enough to know that demons and evil are all to real.
The 'Fallen Angles' took Adam's daughters, and the offspring were 'The Giants", who were men of renowned. Taught the DNA and genetics of the Humans by their fallen dads. Experimented, and came up with all those Greek Mythologies, Half man and half what ever--Cyclops, and other odd and scary creatures.
The Flood killed them off, but their souls did not have anywhere to go, not being created by Yahueh.
Roaming the Earth till dooms day for them-they are the demons and poltergeist. There are no ghost of dead people, but the demons that possess people- waiting for another host or just lingering around.
After the flood Angles were sent to us to teach salvation, but were corrupted by Hashatan and his fallen crew and took earth women and then again there are giants on this side of the flood (Goliath-Ogg, etc...), even in Roman times. Some say today - but don't show themselves in public.
Yahushueh gave the disciples power to cast out demons- but, they came across some that were not afraid of the disciples. Said, We know of Yahushueh but not of you, and tore off their clothes and sent them running in fear naked. So on their turf don't say 'get behind thee satan and flee by the blood of Yahushueh' or you could be hurt!
Anyway, this fun to research and calms the nerves.
But try and tell people there are no ghost and see the eye rolls.
They Say/We Say -
I think that the biblical passage you are referring to is in the 19th chapter of Acts, but they weren't disciples of our Lord. They were Jewish exorcists who tried to use the name of Jesus in their incantations even though they did not believe in Him and were not baptized into the Church He founded. They tried to cast out demons in the name of "the Jesus that Paul preaches". The demon replied "Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you?" They know of Jesus and His disciples who have the authority to command demons in His name, but they might not recognize the unauthorized use of our Lord's name by those who are not of the Body of Christ, and when they do not, they can resist. But true disciples of our Lord need not fear to confront demons in His name.
As for ghosts, I offer this point: the fact that there are demons does not prove that all paranormal phenomena are originate solely with them. It does not mean that the souls of those who are not saved and who die outside of God's grace never linger and haunt as a part of their damnation. That demons are often involved in such phenomena seems obvious enough. That the souls of the damned are not is less than clear.
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