Spiritual Darkness

Spiritual Darkness

By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© April 7, 2013
www.pastorkennedy.com

We have finished a short series on the Holy Spirit and then a message on the Angelic Host. Today we are concluding an overview of the supernatural by studying what the Bible says about Spiritual Darkness.

The Good and Bad; the very Good and the very Bad
It is evident that there can be good in the world, but it is also critically evident that there is bad…and sometimes it is very bad.

God is good.
God created all things.
In God’s creation, in order to allow
for the will of choice to be
imbedded in His creation,
the outcome of this freedom of choice, of necessity,
was the opportunity to repulse good – and, thus,
to embrace rebellion against God, resulting in evil.
God did not create evil for evil’s sake,
but He allowed it, for the sake of the integrity of choice.
Our choices clearly reveal to God
if there is sincere evidence of
honorable Love for Him.

The Angelic Rebellion
We are given a glimpse of an angelic revolt against God in the books of Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Revelation. These angels were created by God to be beautiful, dynamic, and powerful supernatural beings, but they too had the integrity of choice. Through Lucifer’s rebellion against God, an army of angels chose to be included in his rebellion: wanting to be like God and have His unlimited power. All who followed Satan were cast out of their lofty and powerful positions in heaven.

The fallen angels were cast down to earth and Lucifer was allowed to establish his kingdom here after deceiving Adam and Eve. Satan used the same deception as he did in heaven to stir up the angelic rebellion. He told Eve that partaking of the forbidden fruit would make them wise, like God Himself.

Because these supernatural beings do not have earthly bodies, they often seek influence or control over human beings, evidencing their power through human beings. This is seen in Satan’s desire for power through control of various kings, rulers and persons, which he feels will give him power to accomplish his own ends (such as entering Judas to betray Jesus Christ in Luke 22:3-4).

Luke 22:3–4
3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.

Satan’s History Revealed
We see the embodiment of evil in world rulers, by Satan, who lusted for ultimate power and authority throughout history: Seen in the supernatural description of the king of Tyre (Ez. 28:12-17), and the king of Babylon (Is. 14:4), as Satan empowered humans who gloried in his power. The Scripture’s Inspired descriptions reveal the origination and background of the evil one and the demonic host.

Ezekiel 28:12–17 (Satan embodied the king of Tyre to achieve his power and desired outcome.)

12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“ ‘You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence, and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, O guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

Isaiah 14:12–14 (Satan embodied the king of Babylon, Is. 14:4, to achieve power)

12 How you have fallen from heaven,
O morning star (Lucifer kjv), son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”

The Antichrist
This embodiment of evil will be found in the final, world-dominant antichrist (“man of lawlessness”) who is coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Descriptive Traits of Evil
In the previous passages, what are words or phrases that shout out to us about the character of Satan and those who accept his spirit to rebel against the Most High God?

• Wickedness
• Violence
• Sin
• Pride
• Corruption
• [Power]
You said in your heart:
o “I will ascend to heaven;
o I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
o I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
o On the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
o I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
o I will make myself like the Most High.”

o He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that…
o He sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God

Satan and the angels that rebelled with him were cast down to the earth (Is. 14:12; Rev. 12:3-4a). On earth Satan was allowed to establish a kingdom of darkness (Col. 1:13-14) – a kingdom of pride, power, violence, wickedness, corruption, sin, and deception.

John 8:44
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Revelation 12:9
9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 20:2–3
2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

How Does this Biblical Information about our Spiritual Enemy relate to the Human Race and to the Believer in Jesus Christ?

Let’s look at Ephesian 2:1-5.

Ephesians 2:1–5
2 As for you, you were (1) dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live (2) when you followed the ways of this world and (3) of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, (4) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

(Definition of our previous worldly lifestyle)
3 (a) All of us also lived among them at one time,
(b) gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature
And (c) following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature (5) objects of wrath (of God). 4 But because of his great love for us, (6) God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is (7) by grace you have been saved.

Therefore, according to Biblical Truth, everyone universally is…

1. Dead in transgressions and sins.
a. When did this death begin?
Remember the serpent’s (Satan’s) words to Eve, in the Garden of Eden?
“You will not surely die.” (Gen. 3:4)

2. Following the ways of the world.
3. Following the ruler of the kingdom of the air.
4. Following the dominant, global spirit of the age, which is now at work in those who are disobedient.
5. Because of the spiritual darkness and carnal lifestyles in which we live, we are objects of the wrath of God.

Satan has been at work for thousands of years, and has perfected his attack on mankind. Does it seem remarkable that one of his primary tactics could be to take hedonistic pleasure in enticing people to such a perverted, debased level that they bring down upon themselves the “wrath of Almighty God”? This is consistent with his character.

Colossians 3:5–7
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

Gross depravity brings upon itself the wrath of God
This has been consistent since the beginning of creation – with angelic beings and with mankind.

God allowed Israel to be in captivity in Egypt for 400 years until the pollution of the nations inhabiting Israel’s promised land had come to the boiling point and the grossness of their depravity brought the annihilation of the judgment of God’s wrath (Gen. 15:16), this is also seen in other times as well (1 Thess. 2:15,16).

Leviticus 18:24–25, 28
24 “ ‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. 25 Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
28 And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

Leviticus 20:22–24
22 “ ‘Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. 23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. 24 But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.

Satan is a “Roaring Lion” Seeking to Devour You and Me

1 Peter 5:8
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Jesus Christ has Triumphed over the Powers and Authorities of Evil

Colossians 2:13–15
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Hebrews 2:14–15
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 John 3:8
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

Satan and his demonic host are out for the destruction of anyone in the human race and will be party to anything that will denounce God and His Sovereign Power.

Conclusion

Keys to Breaking Satan’s Strongholds in our Life

1. Seek forgiveness for your sins through the Power of the Blood of Jesus Christ

It is only the blood of Jesus Christ which breaks the power of our spiritual enemies and spiritual bondage.

Revelation 12:11
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Satan takes advantage of us through unconfessed and unforgiven sin. If you want freedom from the enemy, begin here. Confess your sins to God and ask that Jesus’ blood cleans, forgives and breaks the bondage that may have trapped you spiritually.

2. There is power when multiple people pray for issues and needs

Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another and pray with those who you discern have a right relationship with God.

James 5:16
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

The following passage is in the context of church discipline, but the concept is true for other aspects of our prayer requests – that is why we seek multiple folks to pray when there is a need:

Matthew 18:18–20
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Repentance and Forgiveness, through the Blood of the Lord Jesus, with confession and prayer with others who have an honorable relationship with Christ, are keys to breaking the chains of bondage inflicted by the enemy.

3. Do not give the devil a foothold

Ephesians 4:25–32
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

4. Stand Against the Enemy’s Attack and Schemes

Ephesians 6:10–13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

5. Resist the Devil

James 4:1–10
4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

6. Be Discerning when you Resist your powerful enemy – Stand only under the Authority and Protection of the Blood of Jesus Christ

Jude 8–9
8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

7. Overcome the Enemy Through the Authority of the Blood of the Lamb and the Commitment of our Life to Christ

Revelation 12:7–12
7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our
God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled
down.

11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to
you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

A real enemy is confronting us. He is an archenemy of God and of those who believe in God. Our enemy is a liar and deceiver of the greatest magnitude. His power is supernatural and very great; we cannot confront or overcome him on our own.

May we use spiritual power vested in us by God, through the shed Blood, Death and Resurrection of His Son to stand against the evil one…and having done all, to stand.

God has given us His Power, through His Son, to Overcome Spiritual Darkness.