Christianity Vs The New Age Movement - "Spirit Guides" in Disguise

In a continued look at The New Age Movement, I want to share this video about a former New Ager and Channeler of spirits named Mario. Mario is now a born again Christian and his mission, which is similar to mine, is to help lead people out of the spiritual deception of the New Age Movement and into the truth which can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Mario describes how he was in communication and channeled over 30 spiritual beings or "guides" in his walk through the New Age Movement. He describes conversations with these "spirit guides" and discusses why he came to believe that these spirits were not who they said they were.

I encourage you to watch this video regardless of where you are or are not in your spiritual path. I feel the information that Mario shares is extremely important as I continue to exam the New Age Movement in my series of examining the world's religions.

Thank you for watching the video and for reading Living a Spirit Filled Life.

Warren Smith: The Meaning and Danger of the New Age Movement

As an important part of my series of posts on examining major world religions, I want to expand further on looking at the New Age Movement and  share a few videos with author, speaker and past New Ager Warren Smith. Warren discusses how he was very involved in the New Age Movement for many years and how he found his way out of the movement and was ultimately saved and is now a believer in Jesus Christ.

This interview reminds me a bit of my spiritual journey. I was introduced to the New Age Movement as a teen ager and as I've said I sought out readings with psychics, mediums and also attended a few Channelings. I read many New Age books. I owned crystals which I meditated on to bring me good fortune. Like Warren however, there was a darkness that surrounded me and in fact I had some very real and very scary experiences that I now know were the result of the satanic presence that following the New Age Movement brought into my life.  This darkness followed me well into adult hood and all the way up until I accepted Christ.

At the end of this video when Warren explains how he asked Jesus to come into his life and how he immediately felt the darkness leave him as the holy spirit begin to dwell within him brought me to tears as it is exactly the same experience that I had.

I urge you to watch this short video where Warren shares his in depth experiences as a follower of The New Age Movement, the danger that is a part of the movement and about his life now as a follower of Christ.

*Video starts near the end. Slide red bar over to the left and start from the beginning.

EXAMINING WORLD RELIGIONS: PART ONE: The New Age Movement

If you have been reading this blog from the beginning, then you might recall that I said I was going to examine and discuss several religions in addition to mine which is Christianity. As a seeker of my "spiritual truth" I felt it important to be sure that I research all the religions and spiritual movements in search of that truth, which I found in Christianity. You may also recall that I said that prior to becoming a Christian, that I considered myself agnostic, that is I did not subscribe to any particular religion or spiritual movement. If there was any "spiritual" path I subscribed to at all it  was The New Age Movement. 

I want to stress that as I share information that is a result of many years and hours of research about several of the prominent world religions, that I am in no way criticizing or judging anyone who may be reading this who identifies,subscribes or is a member of any of the religions I will discuss. I will say that I am often surprised to see that people may say they are "a Mormon" or "A Buddhist" or "A "Spiritual" person ie: New Age Thinker", but have never taken the time to dig really deep into what they believe in. It is my belief that we can not afford to only partially understand or follow the crowd in matters of spirituality.  As a past journalism major and reporter for my college newspaper I learned that research reveals the truth. Blind faith does not. Adhering spiritually to what is politically correct, what is popular or even what your parent's taught you is not going to matter very much when it comes to matters of your soul's eternal resting place. It is up to you to be sure that you do the research and truly understand what it is that you believe in. With that said, If you are reading this then you are most likely seeking answers regarding spiritual truth and my goal is to give you all the keys necessary to unlock the door to spiritual truth.

* My goal is to share to the best of my ability the information that I have found on several world religions, starting with The New Age Movement. Clearly, I have found all of the religions I will talk about to not be true and I feel it is my responsibility as an evangelist and disciple of Jesus to expose the truth about these religions. Once again, this is in no way a personal attack on anyone who is a member of or adheres to any of the spiritual movements that I will discuss.

 I will refer to The New Age Movement as (NAM) throughout this post. New Age" Movement (NAM), sometimes also referred to as the "Human Potential Movement", is a loosely connected network of people, groups, activities and practices which, according to its adherents, purportedly foster and produce a vast array of beneficial results such as "spiritual" and personal growth, financial success, improvement in relationships, physical and psychological healing, individual and global peace, stabilization of the environment, etc. 

Warning! This is a long, in depth post on the NAM. There are many important things to cover and I feel it is very important to devote the time and space to that effort. 

BACKGROUND 
 
Although the words "New Age" could cause one to assume that these beliefs are new, little is new in the New Age Movement. The words "New Age" are derived from the idea that the world is about to enter a utopian age of Aquarius. Astrology -- the belief that the heavenly 
bodies affect the mundane matters of humanity -- gets a lot of attention from the New Agers. It is from astrology that the "age of Aquarius" is derived.
The NAM was born in the U.S. during the rebellious 1960's when all traditional institutions and values, especially in relation to the Church and the family were under attack. The forerunner and vanguard of the New Age was the "Peace Movement" of the 1960's which condemned traditional morality. The NAM also drew from Radical Environmentalism, Radical Feminism and Feminist spirituality of the 1970's while it gained popularity around the world. Today the NAM has been able to successfully infiltrate almost every major institution, both religious and secular.

The New Age Movement seems to be a reaction to the scientific age. During a time when everything has become so objective and particularized, the shift now is to emphasize the subjective and the whole. This shift has focused attention on the "inner" feelings and on 
wholistic (or holistic) health, as well as on global matters rather than nationalistic ones. 


BELIEFS 
 
  Douglas R. Groothuis, research associate with Probe Ministries 
  (Seattle, Wash.), identifies six distinctives of New Age thinking: 

  All is One 
  All is God 
  Humanity is God 
  A change in consciousness 
  All religions are one 
  Cosmic evolutionary optimism 
  Norman L. Geisler focuses on 14 doctrines typical of New Age 
  religions: 

  1) an impersonal god (force) 
  2) an eternal universe 
  3) an illusory nature of matter 
  4) a cyclical nature of life 
  5) the necessity of reincarnations 
  6) the evolution of man into godhood 
  7) continuing revelations from beings beyond the world 
  8) the identity of man with God 
  9) the need for meditation (or other consciousness-changing 
 techniques) 
 10) occult practices (astrology, mediums and so forth) 
 11) vegetarianism and holistic health 
 12) pacifism (or anti-war activities) 
 13) one world (global) order 
 14) syncretism (unity of all religions) 
 
    SOURCE OF AUTHORITY 
 
  Generally, New Agers do not speak of a source of authority. If such is referred to, it is not an external authority but an internal one. In the New Age Movement, the individual is considered to be the standard of truth. New Age proponent Shirley MacLaine reveals the supposed power of the individual when commenting, "It's all my dream. I'm making all of it happen -- good and bad -- and I have the choice of how I'll relate to it and what I'll do about it."   MacLaine goes on to say, "Perhaps everyone has his own truth, and truth as an objective reality simply does not exist." 

  The Scriptures, on the other hand, present objective truths.  They are inspired (literally, "God-breathed"); therefore, they can be fully relied on. The fact of the inspiration of the Scriptures is seen in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is inspired by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." The method of inspiration is seen in 2 Peter 1:21: "No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." The extent of inspiration is seen in Matthew 5:18: "For truly I say to you," said the Lord Jesus Christ, "until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished." So no individual is left to himself and his inner feelings as final authority; the Bible serves as this objective standard. 
Although I do not believe we "create our own reality" like most New Agers believe, I see nothing wrong with having a good overall attitude towards the future and envisioning good things for yourself. I would imagine that God would not want you to focus on the negative, but instead to project a positive attitude towards the future and all the good things that one can expect as a result of the many blessings that God promises to those who love Him. 
I sometimes will write down scriptures or positive biblical affirmations on post-it notes and put them around my house. Filling our minds with the love of Christ and His promises is never bad! Visualizing God's love and the things that He has promised to do in your life are positive, life affirming practices. 
 
  GOD 
 
New Age thinkers show their true colors in what they believe about God. To them, God is not a Supreme Being distinct from creation -- He IS  creation. In developing a worldview about the material and immaterial world, New Agers reach a faulty conclusion. To them there is 
only one essence in the universe, and everything and everyone is part of that essence. This is known as "monism," which comes from the Greek word monos, meaning "one". 

 Monism is a common view of Eastern religions, especially Hinduism. All creatures, as well as inanimate objects, are viewed as part of this divine essence. Some of the more commonly known groups in the United States that share this Hindu view with the New Agers are Transcendental Meditation (also known as the Science of Creative Intelligence), Christian Science and Unity School of Christianity. The monism of the New Age Movement is really pantheism, believing that all (pan) is God (theos). Following this line of reasoning, whatever exists -- whether it's a person, a poodle or a pickle -- is part of God. This leads observers to say that the worldview in the United States has switched from the atheism of secular humanism (man is the measure of all things) to the pantheism of the New Age Movement (man is god). 

 The God of the New Age Movement is an impersonal presence, not a person with intellect, emotions and a will, as the Bible presents Him. 

  The God of the Bible is a personal Father, not an impersonal force. This reveals why New Agers cannot accept the teaching of the Bible. They are not able to get beyond the first five words: "In the beginning God created" (Gen. 1:1). Because they confuse God with creation, the New Agers see God as part of creation -- not separate from it.  Biblical Christianity clearly distinguishes between God and creation. 

  While rejecting the Bible's distinction between God and creation, the New Agers accept and believe the lie of Satan. Eve told the Tempter that God had said they would die if Adam and she ate from the tree in the middle of the garden. But the Seducer said, "You surely shall not 
die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Gen. 3:4,5). 

  Notice that not even Satan indicated they would not "be" God -- only that they would be "like" God. And even this was in only one aspect: "knowing good and evil." After the fall of Adam and Eve, God acknowledged what had occurred: "Behold, the man has become like one of 
Us, knowing good and evil" (v.22). "This knowledge, as absolute, is an attribute of God (3:5), who is omniscient," wrote Merrill F. Unger. "But man, created with only the knowledge of good, acquired the experiential knowledge of evil through pride and disobedience, and in this manner fell into a state of sin and misery." 

 Satan's lie -- as verified by history -- was "You surely shall not die!" (v.4). Adam and Eve immediately died spiritually, for their act of disobedience separated them from God. They later died physically as a result of their sin (see Romans 5:1 2). 

  Because the New Agers think all is One, this leads them to thinking they -- and everything else -- are part of this divine essence. They believe each person is "intertwined" with God. New Agers even use the Bible to support their erroneous beliefs. They are especially fond of 
Jesus' words "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21, KJV). New Agers use these words to claim that each one has a divine spark within because he or she is part of the divine essence. 

 As in other instances where they use the Bible, New Agers twist the context and words to mean what they wish. Jesus Christ had come to earth to present Himself as the Messiah of Israel. The Pharisees were opposed to Him because He was ruining their established man-made rules, which they had added to Old Testament revelation. They were always trying to 
pose some question to disprove the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. When they demanded of Him an answer concerning when the kingdom of God would come (v.20), He answered, "The kingdom of God is within you" (v.21). 

  Jesus did not mean that these Pharisees had the kingdom of God inside of them. To the contrary, they were the enemies of everything the kingdom stood for. The word translated "within" is entos. Although it can have the meaning of "inside", it can also mean "in your midst". This latter possibility fits the context, as well as the rest of the Bible's teaching. Jesus Christ Himself was the King -- the ruler of the kingdom. When the Pharisees asked Him when the kingdom would arrive, Jesus told them that the kingdom was in their midst, because the King (whom hey rejected) was standing right in their presence. 
 
  Appearance of Good/Reality of Evil 

The NAM, on the surface, appears to be a good thing. It promises global peace, health, personal and spiritual growth, and environmental stability. However, the methods it promotes to achieve these goals are cleverly hidden beneath this benevolent surface appearance. A closer scrutiny reveals a dark, sinister methodology for drawing people away from the Jesus Christ and towards individualism, and the religious practices of pagans, belief in reincarnation, and the power of the "Self". 

Nevertheless, the NAM, on the surface, does not deny the existence of Jesus Christ - to do so would scare off most Christians in an instant. Instead, clever syntax is applied, while traditional aspects of the Christian faith are redefined. Jesus Christ becomes less than what He is, God, and instead is relegated to becoming one of a number of "Spiritual Guides" or "Ascended Masters" who were mere humans who "evolved" into higher beings after discovering and using "ancient wisdom." Indeed, the NAM promises that any individual can attain this status through "Self Realization" or "Higher Consciousness" of the fact of one's own "Higher Self", "God-Self", or "Divinity". Essentially, each individual can become God.

Forbidden Fruit 

The NAM is riddled with occult and other forbidden practices which make up the "ancient wisdom", including mediumship, channeling, divination, astrology, consulting spirits of the dead, tarot cards, crystals, palm reading, ouija boards, psychic powers, some forms of Yoga, transcendental meditation, rose poetry, past-life regression, etc. God spoke to Moses about such practices:

"Let there not be found among you anyone who immolates his son or daughter in the 
fire, nor fortune teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord" (Deut 18:10-12)

"Do not turn aside to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your 
God." (Lev 19:4)

"The Spirit says clearly that some men will abandon their faith in later times. They will obey lying spirits and follow the teaching of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)

Despite the clear implications of such practices, an increasing number of people are abandoning their true faith to follow some or many aspects of the NAM. People today are replacing God with evil spirits and pagan gods, just as the ancient Israelites and Egyptians did during the time of Moses. The seductions are subtle, but at its core is Satan himself. 

What appears to some New Agers to be a "Divine Light" is, in reality, the "Shining Darkness" of Satan. Despite the attractiveness, and apparent concern shown by these "Spirit Guides", these spirits will ultimately lead to spiritual oppression and other forms of spiritual destruction here on Earth, and possibly serious consequences in the life to come.

Because of my past association with the NAM I not only have sought out advice from a psychic in the past, but I have also had a session with a medium and sought to speak to a deceased loved one. I also once attended a channeling. At the time, the experience seemed very real and the thought was "there is no way this person would have known all these things about me or about the deceased loved one if they were not truly a psychic or medium".  It  is undeniable that psychics sometimes know things that should be impossible for them to know. Where do they get this information? The answer is from Satan and his demons. “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) (Acts 16:16-18) describes a fortune teller who was able to predict the future until the apostle Paul rebuked a demon out of her.

Satan pretends to be kind and helpful. He tries to appear as something good. Satan and his demons will give a psychic information about a person in order to get that person hooked into spiritism, something that God forbids. It appears innocent at first, but soon people can find themselves addicted to psychics and unwittingly allow Satan to control and destroy their lives. Peter proclaimed, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1Peter 5:8). In some cases, the psychics themselves are deceived, not knowing the true source of the information they receive. Whatever the case and wherever the source of the information, nothing connected to spiritism, witchcraft, or astrology is a godly means of discovering information. How does God want us to discern His will for our life? God’s plan is simple, yet powerful and effective: study the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and pray for wisdom (James 1:5). Clearly, I no longer seek the counsel of psychics or mediums. I seek only one source now for direction and that is the Bible.

"No Sin, No Hell" 

In New Age writings, I've searched in vain to find references to sin. Because New Agers believe that each person is God, they don't believe in sin as the Bible defines it. Any lack a person has, they say, is a lack of enlightenment. Their solution is to alter that person's consciousness 
so he will think properly about his oneness with the Force, or the impersonal presence. Because they explain away sin, they have no need for salvation in the biblical sense. In their minds, any salvation would simply be a more complete unification with the One. 

 But this is not what the Bible teaches. Genesis 3, previously referred to, reveals that mankind was separated from God when he disobeyed God in the Garden. Because of this sin, a curse was placed on both mankind and nature (see vv. 14-19). The New Testament confirms that each individual is a sinful being (see Romans 5:12). Note that the reason death passed to all of us is that we all have a sin nature. Contrary to what the New Agers tell us, each person is not god; each person is separated from God. 
 
The concepts of sin and hell do not exist in the NAM. Reincarnation and "ascension" are the explanations given by the NAM. "Original blessing" replace the concept of original sin, and Man's fall from grace is now termed Man's "ascension". The redemptive power of the cross is no longer needed, and in this way Jesus' Crucifixion is no longer meaningful and can therefore be totally ignored. Some aspects of the "New Age" depersonalize Jesus Christ by referring to a "Christ Consciousness" (Eckankar) -who came through various persons in channelings throughout the ages, or a "Cosmic Christ" (Rosecrusianism). 
  

  JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO THE NAM
 
 Many counterfeit religious groups use the same tactic when explaining who Jesus Christ is - they deny His deity by distinguishing between "Jesus" and "Christ". Those who believe that "all is One" cannot accept the teaching of the Bible concerning Christ. The Bible teaches 
that Jesus Christ is God. It teaches that He took upon Himself human form to redeem mankind from sin's penalty. 

  Typically, those who believe all is of one essence make "Christ" the cosmic principle, or ideal. Jesus was simply an unusual man, they say, who had this ideal within Him as we all do. Barbara Marx Hubbard says we need to recognize that the "Messiah is within." 

  The human potential movement among the New Agers is based on the faulty premise that each person is god and needs only to have his consciousness enlightened so he will realize that fact. And the means to this enlightenment is meditation. But the forms of meditation are many. 
Daniel Coleman, writing in Psychology Today (March, 1977), described 13 different forms of meditation. "Each of these approaches," wrote Coleman, "seeks the same basic psychological change in the meditator's awareness." 
 
  The New Age Movement is not the only group that emphasizes human potential. Biblical Christianity releases individuals to achieve their true potential in Jesus Christ by freeing them from the burden of sin and condemnation and by giving them untold optimism for this life. But 
biblical Christianity is also concerned about preparing people for eternity - not just preparing them to reach their maximum potential on earth. 

  Although the emphasis on human potential is selling well in the business world, when a person truly looks inside of himself, he finds wickedness and ugliness - not God. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick," says Jeremiah 17:9, "who can understand 
it?"  

   We cannot separate the human Jesus from the divine Christ, as the New Agers attempt to do. They believe that the same Christ ideal, or spirit, dwelt in "Hercules, Hermes, Rama, Mithra ... Krishna, Buddha, and the Christ." 

  Sound confusing? It is. The Bible, however, does not leave a person wondering about who Jesus Christ is. The name "Jesus" means "Savior." Referring to the child who would be born to the virgin Mary, the angel told Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save 
His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). 

  The name "Christ" means "anointed one," or "Messiah." In Bible times, saying "Jesus Christ" was the same as saying "Jesus, the Messiah." After Andrew first began to follow Jesus, he went looking for his brother, Simon Peter. When he found him, Andrew announced, "We have 
found the Messiah." By inspiration, the Apostle John added in his record of this event: "which translated means Christ" (John 1:41). 

  Jesus is like no other. He was unique in His birth, life, death and resurrection. He was virgin born (see Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23); He lived a sinless life (see 1 John 3:5); He died in the place of others to pay the penalty for sin (see 2 Cor. 5:2 1); and He was raised from the dead on 
the third day and ascended to the Heavenly Father (see 1 Cor. 15:3,4; Acts 1:11). 
 
  
  FUTURE LIFE (REINCARNATION) 

 Reincarnation is the central belief  of the NAM  and says that the soul survives death and is reborn in another body, destined to repeat this cycle of death and rebirth until enlightenment is achieved. In the East, the doctrine is sometimes referred to as transmigration of the soul, wherein a soul may return to earth as any number of creatures such as an insect, mammal, person, and so on. The tendency in the West is to view reincarnation as dying and returning as another person. The belief itself is foundational to both Hinduism and Buddhism.

The system of reincarnation depends on belief in karma. Based on moral cause and effect, karma is essentially responsible for human fate. In relation to reincarnation, if in a past life one developed bad karma by committing, for instance, murder, then this bad karma must be balanced with good karma in a future life in order to make progress on the path to enlightenment or spiritual liberation. Within certain Hindu traditions that adhere to monistic pantheism (“all is one, all is divine”), such as Advaita Vedanta, enlightenment is attained when, following a series of reincarnations, a soul is ready to be released from the cycle of death and reincarnation (samsara) and be absorbed into the impersonal Brahman.



However if reincarnation, in the end, leads to an absorption into something impersonal, how did such a personal system ever get started? Moreover, if after countless reincarnations we finally reach enlightenment, what is the lasting purpose of this spiritual liberation if we are then absorbed into an impersonal force? How did the system of reincarnation get started? If we presumably had a first life, was it tainted already? How so? If we don’t recall our past lives in our current life, what’s the point? Doesn’t all the spiritual progress we may have made in past lives seem empty if we can’t even remember what we did or did not do? Furthermore, since believers in the NAM don't typically adhere to any authority, who is it that decides who is reincarnated into what? Is there a big "reincarnation mill in the sky"? 





 Some point to past life regressions as proving they lived past lifes. Others may say that a spirit came through in a channeling and told humanity that reincarnation was true. These "spirits" are not evolved souls from the past, they are Satan and his demons aimed at misleading, confusing and drawing humanity away from God and Jesus.  If reincarnation is true, then there is no need for a savior. Satan has pulled off this scheme with great success and many believe that reincarnation is what can be expected for your soul to experience when you die. There is no proof source for this theory, unlike the Bible which is a historically accurate, proven and trusted word of God. If you are questioning whether the Bible is the word of God or is accurate, please see my posts under the label at the top of my blog called " The Bible" where I show many evidences of it's authencity.





God makes it abundantly clear that those who are believers in His son Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior will live forever in heaven. Those who reject His Son will be eternally separated from God. We live once and then we face God for judgement. Are you ready to face God at your time of death? Or, are you going to hope that there is some cosmic reincarnation mill out in space that will recycle your soul into a new body for another "go around" here on earth? If you are not entirely sure of the answer to this question than I encourage you to do the work in researching what the future holds for your soul.



 There is absolutely no proof source for the theory of reincarnation, however there is over whelming proof that the Bible is truly the word of God, that Jesus lived, died and was risen from the dead. The work he did on the cross was to save all mankind from their sins and those who believe in Him can be sure where they will spend eternity with God in Heaven. Why a need for a savior? As I've explained in past posts, God, the source from which there is no source, is HOLY. He is unable to be in the presence of sin. Since all men are sinners and fall short of the glory of God they can not approach God and be in His presence on their own. God said that the wages for sin is death. In the old testament times (before Jesus) sacrifices were made to cleanse people of their sins so they could be right before God. Typically a goat or a lamb was used as a sacrifice. God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only son, Jesus to once a for all pay the price of death on the cross to wash us clean of our sin, so that we could be in the presence of our almighty creator and God.  If we accept this truth and accept Jesus as our Savior from sin, we are saved....and we can be in the presence of God! We can be with God forever in his kingdom of heaven upon our death. God promises eternal life to all who are saved through His son. 

  FINAL THOUGHTS

 
  The concepts of the New Age Movement are not new - they are based on ancient erroneous beliefs about God, man and the world. The Movement is to be commended for its spiritual concern, but it has turned away from the true God to gods of the spirit world. As Paul said of the Jewish leaders of his day, "They have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge" (Romans 10:2). 

  Anyone who is tempted to delve into the teachings of the New Age Movement needs to heed the warnings of the Bible (see Deut. 13:1-3;18:9-12). God has given us His completed revelation, so we have no need to seek further information through the spirit world. Our need is to know the clear teachings of the Bible better. 

  We should be concerned about world peace, the environment, humane treatment of animals and reaching our full potential in Christ. Our concern should not be based, however, on the theology of Eastern religions - believing that all these things are part of the One, or the 
impersonal Force. Above all, we should not be naive when we hear someone mention the terms "God" and "Christ." When the New Agers use these terms, they are not talking about the God and the Christ of the Bible. 

 

Truth=Jesus Christ 
We need to become more aware of the lures and traps of the NAM in order to avoid them. We must reject the lies and false promises of Satan's NAM, and give ourselves completely to the Truth that is Jesus Christ. Satan wishes to rule the world, but God will ultimately triumph. He alone is our hope and our salvation. Thank you for reading my first blog post installment of EXAMINING WORLD RELIGIONS. Next up will be Mormonism. 

Satan's Schemes

SATAN IS PLOTTING YOUR ETERNAL DESTRUCTION

Did you know that you are involved in a personal battle for your soul with the devil? You may think this is a silly idea, but the greatest consequences are at stake. What is the devil doing to get your soul? In 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul said about the devil, “we are not ignorant of his 
schemes.” The devil does indeed have schemes. A scheme is a method, a design, or a plot. The devil is plotting your eternal destruction. He wants to separate you from God’s will and God’s grace, so that you will spend eternity with him. Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. 

SATAN IS A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT

We are at war with the devil, and the devil is a formidable opponent. He has had many centuries to find the weaknesses of men and to defeat them. This battle is a personal one, like a fight between two armed soldiers. At the end of a fight in ancient times, one soldier was standing and the other dead. The battle was like a wrestling match, where two people were physically and personally involved eye to eye. You cannot pass this battle off to someone else; you must face the devil yourself. He has taken the time to study you and knows your strengths and weaknesses. He will use every trick in the book to defeat you. He has no qualms about cheating, lying, or using dirty tricks to win. He is serious about defeating you and 
intends to win. 

This spiritual battle is not just for your life; it is for your soul and the souls of your loved ones. It is the most important conflict you will ever face. If you are not aware that you are in a fight, you will surely lose. If you do not have the will to fight, you will surely lose. If you are not 
prepared to fight, you cannot win. If you fight but do not give it all you have, you will not likely win. Your enemy, the devil, wants your soul; and he will do anything to get it. If that means trickery, he will lie. If that means twisting God’s word around to suit his purposes, he will do it. If that means pretending to be religious until he can fool you, be sure that he will. 
The apostle Paul was particularly interested that people believe and hold to the truth. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:2-4, “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

THE UNBELIEVERS ARE BLINDED

 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” The devil wants to blind people to the truth, so that they will not know what is right. You see, when people leave the Word, they leave the truth. So the devil twists and tampers with the Bible. To tamper with the word of God is to distort it, to falsify it, to make it appear false by deception or distortion. The goal of tampering is to leave the impression the Word says something that it does not actually say. The person who uses God's word cunningly to advance his agenda is in Paul's eyes disgraceful and underhanded. 

SCHEME #1 HE CREATES DOUBT

 Through the Scriptures, Satan's devices follow a common pattern. He has found a way that works on people and uses it again and again. If we know that pattern, however, we can be alert to how Satan works. Satan, first, loves to ask questions that create doubt in the Word of God. You’ll remember that in the garden of Eden, the devil asked Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:2) Now, Satan knew what God had said; he didn't want information but wanted Adam and Eve to change. Doubt is always the first step to apostasy. The Devil will always give you all the reasons why you should not do the will of God. He wants you to forget doing things God’s way, to think for yourself, and do what you think is best for you. By urging you to do what is selfish, he gets you to disobey God. 

SCHEME #2 HE CONTRADICTS WHAT GOD SAYS

 Satan, second, contradicts what God says. When Eve told Satan that she would die if she ate of that fruit, the devil said, "You shall surely not die" (Genesis 3:4). The devil is a liar and a murderer. He has no qualms about lying to get his way. Satan always wants people to place their confidence in him not God. He pretends that God has lied to you, and that he knows better. He knows things others don't know. He has the inside tract to what is really true. This desire to know his secrets, to be one of the elite, to buy into his arrogance, has led many unfortunate souls down the path to perdition. You see he tempts what is worst in people: their flesh, their eyes, and their pride. He makes them feel God is holding them down 
and making life miserable. Jesus told some Jews who followed Satan in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

 Satan will tell you what he thinks you want to hear. Eve was deceived by this lie; Adam was not. Adam knew that eating the fruit was wrong. The devil likes to turn things upside down. He makes what is evil sound so good, and makes what is good sound so bad. Isaiah said in Isaiah 
5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Have you ever noticed in our society how anything righteous is labeled as ugly and boring, while things that are evil are attractive and enticing? That’s the devil’s scheme. 

SCHEME #3  SATAN  PRODUCES AN ALTERNATE VERSION OF "TRUTH"

 Satan, third, produces an alternate version of "truth." He enticed Eve with these words: "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) The devil's alternate always has a mix of truth in with the error. There is enough truth to sound persuasive, but his message is full of misrepresentations and distortions. "Add it all up and the bottom line is a big lie." He wants everyone to believe he has a better way, that God is trying to fool you, and that God is not your friend but is cheating you out of something really good. His strategy is to get people to rely upon him for real "progress." 

This is where false religions come into play. The New Age Movement, Mormonism, Budhism, Jehovah's Witnesses etc..are all alternate versions of God's truth which can only be found in the Bible. If you read my testimony then you know that I spend YEARS, and many countless hours studying all the world's religions searching for the truth. Christianity is the only true spiritual path which leads to eternal life with God. Satan has been very successful in using false religions to pull people away from that truth.

SCHEME #4  SATAN WILL DESPISE AND PERSECUTE ANYONE WHO EXPOSES HIM

 Satan, fourth, despises and persecutes anyone who exposes him. Jesus explained in John 3:19-20, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates 
the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” Jesus knew that if the world hated Him, it would also hate his disciples too when they preach the truth about sin. The devil loves to talk trash about the church, about the truth, and about people who uphold God. Peter said in 1 Peter 4:14, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” The devil is a bully, but 
God sees everything and rewards those who follow Him. 

When I look at my life before I started writing this blog and look at it ever since...I see that Satan has thrown every curve ball in the book at me to try and get me to stop sharing God's truth. The return of my chronic back pain, my husband's job loss, financial burden and many more troubles have come mine and my family's way. However, I know what is going on and I know that spiritual warfare is most likely the result of the last years persecution of myself and my family. I also know that God is in control and I believe in His promises. His will WILL prevail and His promises WILL come to light. I ultimately have nothing to worry about, God is in control and as I obey Him by sharing the truth and continue to serve Him with my blog ministry, He will provide for my every need.

SCHEME #5  SATAN PRETENDS TO BE HOLY

 Satan, fifth, pretends to be holy. Paul spoke about some deceivers in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. They pretended to be men of God, but they actually served Satan. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 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.” In order to deceive Christians and lead them into his “alternative” churches, the devil pretends to be a Christian leader. With high-sounding phrases, he tries to persuade people that Christianity is like a smorgasbord of ideas, from which you can pick and choose whatever doctrines you like. There are thousands of denominations in America, each teaching different doctrines and wearing different names. It has become popular to follow some man’s ministry rather than listen to the Word of God. This is the devil’s work. He is the one who provides the 
heresies (doctrines that divide the church).  If you listen to the devil, you will come to believe that there is no such thing as heresy, that every one’s views are as good as everyone 
else’s. You see, when you believe that, you have fallen into the trap of the devil. He wanted Eve to believe that eating the fruit was an advantage to her. He tried to convince her to quit listening to God and to think for herself. When people get away from the Bible and start listening to the reasoning of men, they fall prey to the devil’s scheme. Their eyes are blind to the truth. God’s ways and man’s ways are not the same. You cannot ignore God’s Word, build your house upon sand, and expect everything to be all right between you and God. Eve was deceived, lost sight of God, and did what she wanted. If we become deceived, lose sight of God, and do what we want, we too will have to face the consequences of sin. 

SCHEME #6 SATAN PREYS ON THE WEAK AND IGNORANT

 Satan, sixth, preys on the weak and ignorant. Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are 
being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” He is looking for gullible people who will fall prey to his immoral lifestyle and his disobedience to God. He uses false prophets and false churches as alternatives to the truth. He whispers to our consciences that we can sin and not be hurt by it. No matter how attractive or how lovely his message, the devil’s goal is your spiritual death. This is why you must resist him, firm in your faith. Pay close, close attention to the Word of God. Keep your eyes focused on the cross. Paul said in Ephesians 6:13, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” 

 God has not left us alone to fight the devil. Paul said in Ephesians 6:13-17, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the 
breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” These things will help you in your struggle: righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. The armor 
protects you from the devil’s weapons, but the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, is a formidable weapon. It has the truth that pierces hearts and souls. 

The best thing you can do to fight Satan is to know the Word of God. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). We need the word of God in our lives, in our churches, and in our nation.  When people start doing what they want to do rather than listening to the Bible, the devil wins and they lose. My friend, what about your soul? Is the devil fooling you? If the Lord and His Word do not rule in your life, you will have a master who lies to you and will cost you your soul. My friend, let Jesus be Lord of your life. To become a Christian, believe with all your heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Out of love, repent of every sin. Confess His name to everyone. Be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven. Live the Christian life. Get involved at church with other Christians, so that you keep your faith strong and alive. Serve the Lord by never missing worship. The closer you are to God, the easier it becomes to resist the devil. Do it for yourself, and do it for those you love. Your strong faith will lead others to place their faith in the Lord as well.

 Don’t let another day go by, till you have made your life right with the living God. Thank you for reading A spirit filled life and God Bless you!!

The History of Satan

The History of Satan

As discussed in my post about reincarnation, according to the Bible there is a great deceiver who wants to rob you of the most valuable possession of all-your eternal life and your future as a child of God.  This thief works through deceptive practices, from selfish vanity to pride to dangerous occultism, seeking to turn people away from the truth and from the way of life that will bring true happiness-God's way.

The history of Satan began with riches and honor. Satan had a glorious future. Then he became jealous and proud. He refused to repent and his future became dark. The events of history continue as Satan comes to earth and tries to become the god of this world.

Satan has caused more sorrow, pain, and death than any other individual in the history of the world. He delights in destruction. Satan would like to destroy every person on earth.

As you read the history of Satan, know that Jesus is stronger than Satan. Jesus loves you and desires to save you. What you are about to read may sound like a crazy, fantastical story. It isn't, according to the Bible, which is the word of God...what you are about to read is not only true, it affects you now, in the future and into eternity.

History of Satan- The Past

Satan was created by God thousands of years ago as a perfect angel. Satan was called Lucifer and he lived in heaven.

Lucifer was above every other angel in heaven. His appearance was beautiful and dazzling. He radiated light and glory. He was covered with gold and shimmering jewels. Lucifer was the Chief Covering angel and he worked in the throne room of God.

12 "You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your covering:
The sardius, topaz, and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper,
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14 You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you;
You were on the holy mountain of God;
You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.”
Ezekiel 28:12-14

Lucifer spent a lot of time with God the father and Jesus Christ. They met together frequently to share ideas and make plans. They were very close to each other and were in perfect harmony.

Lucifer became proud

Lucifer became jealous at God's creation on earth and the love He had for his children. He set out on a campaign to prove that he was above man. Lucifer began to be proud of his own glory and wisdom.

"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.” Ezekiel 28:17

"you have set your heart as the heart of a god.” Ezekiel 28:6

Over time one third of the angels in heaven chose to side with Lucifer and to worship him instead of God. God made tireless efforts to persuade Lucifer to repent and return to God. Lucifer almost relented, but he would not give up his pride and humble himself. He refused to admit that he was wrong.

Lucifer thrown out of heaven

Eventually Lucifer became entrenched in his pride and God could no longer influence him. God reluctantly removed Lucifer from his position of Chief Covering angel. Lucifer was thrown out of heaven, along with the angels who had chosen to follow him.

"How you are fallen from heaven,

O Lucifer, son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground,

You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart:

'I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation

On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High.'” Isaiah 14:12-14

History of Satan-Present

Satan is alive and real. He got the name Satan after he was thrown out of heaven. Satan and his angels are demons. They live in the spirit world. They tempt and influence people on earth, but most of the time they are invisible to us.

Satan has many names. He is also called the devil, Dragon, Serpent, Beelzebub, Abaddon, Apollyon and many other names. 

History of Satan-Future

Very soon Satan will be released from the spirit world. He will appear on earth in a glorious, physical body. Then Satan will be called the beast/anti-Christ. He will pretend to be God and he will have the appearance of God. The beast/anti-Christ is the name for Satan when he comes visibly to the earth claiming that he is God. His demons will come with him and they will appear to be angels from heaven.

 Satan will be given 3 ½ years as the visible god of this world. During this time he will try to convince every person on earth to worship him. Do not be deceived. He is not God and you should not worship him.

History of Satan-The ultimate End

During his time on earth as the anti-Christ, Satan will disguise himself as God. After the 3 ½ years he will be put in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. During the 1,000 years Satan will not be allowed to tempt any people.

“1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20:1-3

At the end of the 1,000 years Satan will be released from the bottomless pit for a short time. He will gather the wicked together and they will fight against God and His people. God will bring fire down from heaven to destroy the wicked. Satan will be cast into the lake of fire. He will never again tempt any person.

“7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:7-10

The universe will be eternally secure from sin and Satan. Sin will never rise again.

“What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.” Nahum 1:9

Very soon Satan will come as the beast. In a future post I will write more about the frightening truth. Additionally I will write about Satan's schemes and how as Christians we can recognize his deceptive ways and avoid them.

If you are new to my blog and you find all of this information on the history of Satan confusing or have questions about the authority of the Bible, which clearly explains the history, present and future of Satan; then I recommend that you read my posts about the Bible. Why it is the inspired, true word of God. Written by man through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the ultimate authority on all things that God wants us to know about Him and His kingdom.  If you don't believe that Satan is real then he has won. He has deceived you into believing he is not real, that there is no sin, no need for a savior and no need for God. I urge you to read my blog, starting with my testimony of faith and working forward, to find the truth about God, the Bible and living a spirit filled life.