“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 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. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”

— Isaiah 14:12-14 niv

If we want to achieve success as Christians, then we must be aware of him who opposes that goal—the Devil. To understand Satan’s plot, we must first understand his origin, and the Bible gives us several clues about that. Satan began his existence as an angel of light named Lucifer, the light bearer. Being God’s most powerful, brilliant, and beautiful angel, Lucifer became puffed up with pride, believing he could reach the same status as God. When he wanted to become like God, war erupted in Heaven. Michael the archangel fought against Lucifer and his angels. Michael won, and Lucifer and his angels were cast from Heaven forever. Lucifer became Satan, and his angels became demons.

Satan now tries to lure as many humans as possible to his own depraved condition. He is filled with wrath and seeks to destroy all powers of God, the kingdom of God, and all who love Him. Satan hates God and Christ, and he exercises his vengeance against those whom God created. The Bible frequently warns against Satan’s craft and powers, his work, and his ways. He is a seducing spirit, evil, malevolent, and deceitful. He only desires to destroy. Peter tells us that our adversary roars around like a lion, seeking to devour whom he will.

But Christ has defeated the Devil. He did that on the cross. Though Satan may seem to win on earth, he is a defeated foe, and his days are numbered. If you ever feel that he has gotten the best of you, remember that greater is He (God) who is in you, than he (the Devil) who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

“Those who deny the existence of the
devil are easy pickings for him.”

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them …”

— Leviticus 19:31

Have you noticed the recent explosion of the occult, witchcraft, and Satanism in our society? If you pay attention, you can see it everywhere—in movies, in television programs, in many of the songs of our pop culture. Drive down Main Street, U.S.A., and you’ll most likely see the storefront office of a psychic or a palm reader. The work of the Devil and his demons takes many forms and has many names. It ranges from Satan worshipers to those who experiment with parapsychology and read horoscopes. And our country has embraced it all.

Why do people turn to the occult? Some people hunger for the supernatural. Ignorant of the Gospel and unacquainted with Christ, these people seek a supernatural connection in the occult world. Others seek power. They don’t care where they get it; they just want as much of it as they can grab. Yet others just play with the occult. It serves as an entertaining diversion for them, a game to play. And as the occult gains more and more popularity, many dabble in it out of curiosity.

God created us as spiritual beings for a realm beyond this world. For this reason, people hunger for spiritual things. But many don’t understand that their spiritual needs can only be met in Christ. So they turn to the dark side. The occult becomes an illegitimate way to fulfill a legitimate need.

This all sounds very dark and depressing, but as Christians we can have, and share with others, hope. Jesus came into this world to defeat Satan and destroy his works. By His death, Christ accomplished this once and for all, and He set the prisoners free. You and I need to share the Good News of Christ, who alone can truly satisfy the longings for the supernatural. Zig Ziglar suggests that rather than listening to the stars by following our horoscope, we should listen to the One who made the stars by reading the Holy Bible.

Have you allowed the occult to take hold of you? If so, you needn’t feel possessed by it. Confess your involvement to Jesus Christ, and repent of it. As you do, Christ will forgive and cleanse you from all sin. And whether or not you’ve experienced the occult, pray today that God will break the hold the occult has on our nation, setting people free from Satan and drawing them to Christ to experience the most potent supernatural power—the power of the Gospel.

“Satan works best where his existence is denied.”

“… and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

— Genesis 3:5

Have you felt as bewildered as I at the recent proliferation of crystals, psychics, and gurus? A “new” religion has swept through our land—the New Age movement—attracting converts with the speed of a runaway train. But the only thing new about this movement is its slick Madison Avenue makeover. In reality, the New Age movement has existed since the Garden of Eden. An old serpent in a new skin, this worldview slithers around our society today, consuming people by the millions.

The term “New Age” refers to an astrological belief that every two thousand years the world moves into a new zodiac age. New Agers believe that at the beginning of the twenty-first century, we will pass out of the house of Pisces and into the age of Aquarius. (Interestingly, the fish symbol has always signified Christianity.) Although the New Age movement has many different and loose strands, we may glean three dogmas underlying it:

1. The material world is an illusion. It’s not real. Only things in the spiritual realm are authentic. Sounds like Plato.
2. Only one infinite, eternal reality exists—one force, one life energy, one spirit— and it envelops everything (including us). Sounds like pantheism—each of us is one spark from the same fire. In other words, each of us is “god.”
3. Since each of us is “god” or a part of “god,” we have no need for the “old-fashioned” Christian concepts of sin, guilt, and redemption. We only need enlightenment—to recognize that we are “god.”

The New Age religion takes bits and pieces from Eastern mystical religions— Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism—Western neo-pagan occultism, ancient philosophy, modern psychology, and Taoist physics. When we mix all this together, what do we come up with? The original lie that Satan gave to mankind in the Garden of Eden: “For God knows that in the day you eat of it [the tree of knowledge of good and evil] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” New Age thinking weasels its way into many places, even into so-called Christian organizations. As you seek to grow closer to God, test the philosophies you hear. If anything sounds suspect, seek the truth in God’s Word and by His Spirit. God will never lead you into anything contrary to His being or His will.

“The devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men.”
St. Augustine

“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.”

— Ephesians 6:13

In Ephesians, Paul shows us the treasures hidden for us in Christ—redemption in our Savior resulting in eternal life. But as Paul finishes this epistle, he warns us that before we enter into Heaven’s gates, we shall experience great tribulation, the protracted spiritual warfare that faces every Christian. Our antagonists are not flesh and blood, but spiritual, invisible, and powerful. These principalities are the world rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.

On our own, we can’t fight and win against such foes. We need, first of all, strength beyond our own. We need Christ to strengthen us through His own might. Second, Paul exhorts us to take unto ourselves the whole armor of God that we may stand in the evil day. The watchword is “stand.” Stand against the wiles of the Devil, withstanding all of his onslaught. And having done all, when the battle has ended and our foes lie strewn in the field, we shall stand victorious as overcomers for Christ.

Are you facing a battle today? Then clothe yourself in the armor of Light, every piece of which is Jesus Christ Himself. Clothed in His might and armor, you may go forth into battle, not merely to preserve your own soul from loss but also to win the multitudes of this world into Christ’s kingdom that their knees may bow before the cross and they may proclaim Him as Lord and King of all.

“How many Christians are trying to fight
a spiritual war with natural weapons?”

“And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.”

— Genesis 22:10

Call to mind the biggest trial you’ve ever faced (you might face it even today). Remember the struggle, the pain, the despair? Does it help to know that through your trials God tests and perfects your faith?

Consider Abraham trudging his way toward Mount Moriah to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. From Abraham’s trial and faithful response we gain great blessing, a treasure-trove of lessons, to give us insight into what God teaches us through trials.

The first lesson we learn from Abraham’s story is that God needs to test our faith to strengthen and purify it, just as gold must endure fire to gain strength and purity. God tested Abraham’s faith to determine upon whom Abraham relied, and Abraham passed the test by offering his son as a sacrifice. In turn, God provided another offering, a ram, saving Isaac’s life. As Abraham endured this trial, he gained even greater trust in God. Through our trials, we learn to trust less in ourselves and more in our heavenly Father.

Second, Abraham’s story teaches us that we’ll face trials throughout our entire lives. Even as a very old man, Abraham was called to leave his homeland and go to a place he did not know. When Abraham was ninety years old, God challenged him to believe he’d have a son. Until the end of Abraham’s life, God tried and perfected Abraham’s faith.

Third, we learn from Abraham’s story that God prepares us for difficult trials. Only after Abraham passed the tests of so many other trials did God allow the most difficult one to occur. God teaches us to climb the lower peaks before calling us to scale the loftiest summits. He teaches us to wade in the shallows before He calls us to plunge into the depths of the oceans. At each level of our faith, God has lessons for us to learn, and by His grace He enables us to pass successfully through each trial.

Take some encouragement from these lessons today. If you’re presently enduring a trial, know that God has not forgotten you. In fact, through it He wants to draw you closer to Him. Trust your heavenly Father to bring you through victoriously and with a greater faith in Him.

“The brook would lose its song if we removed the rocks.”
Anonymous

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ … for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

— Galatians 2:16

Most people don’t get it. The darkness of spiritual ignorance has pervaded people’s minds, leaving vast numbers abjectly ignorant of this central doctrine of Christianity.

What am I talking about? The doctrine of justification by faith—the fact that we can have eternal life because Christ’s death has cleansed us of all sin, making us worthy to live in God’s presence.

Do you understand justification by faith? If you don’t, you’re not alone. So many, including Christians, can’t explain it. If you were to ask people from a variety of church backgrounds how to get to Heaven, I believe that most answers would include a work or act. “I go to church every Sunday.” “I keep the Ten Commandments.” “I try not to hurt people.” But none of these answers matches what the Bible teaches us about salvation.

So how do we become “justified?” The Westminster Catechism describes it most aptly, saying that justification is an act of God’s free grace wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous because of Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross. What does that mean? Most important, it means that God sets us free from eternal punishment by His will, not our own. The only thing we can do is accept the gift by faith.

God is the only one who can justify us, and yet we continue to try to justify ourselves. Someone once said to me, “I can justify everything I have done to God.” Though most people wouldn’t state it that way, many people try to do just that. But the doctrine of justification condemns every person’s effort to justify himself or herself. Only God can justify us. He does it once and for all, completely and perfectly, in the twinkling of an eye.

Who are you trusting for your salvation: yourself or God? Only God’s free grace can save you. Accept His undeserved favor, and stop your striving. Allow Him to give you the free gift He offers, and just watch where it will take you.

“Justification is the pivotal point around which all else turns.”
Geerhardus Vos

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations …”

— Matthew 24:14

This month marks the annual remembrance of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Columbus was a brave and farsighted leader whose monumental discovery changed the world. But our society often questions Columbus’ character. We know he was a man of flesh and blood, a sinner as we all are. And we know he made mistakes. Yet we can’t hold him responsible for all the things modern critics would like to blame him for.

So what kind of person was Columbus? His son portrays him as a gracious, loving father. Columbus was a godly man who so fervently attended to Scripture reading, prayer, fasting, and all of the worship services, that if one didn’t know he was a seafaring man, one would have suspected that he belonged to a holy order. In fact, when Columbus first landed in the New World, his first act was to plant a cross on the land.

The names Columbus chose for the places he discovered also indicate his dedication to Christ. He named his first landing place “San Salvador,” which means “Holy Savior.” He named his next landing places “Vera Cruz,” which means “True Cross,” and “La Navidad,” which means “The Nativity” or “Christmas.” Then Columbus came to an island with three hills on it, and he named it “Trinidad,” meaning “The Trinity.” He did this time after time in the places he landed, indicating his godly focus and nature.

Today you’ll often hear people doubt the goodness of Columbus’ character. Part of this is because they perceive that Columbus sailed for “gold and glory.” But listen to what Columbus himself said about his reason for sailing: “It was the Lord who put it into my mind to sail to the Indies. The fact that the Gospel must be preached to so many lands—that is what convinced me.” Overall, I think Columbus is a model of courage, who admirably drew his life’s vision from Jesus Christ.

“No one should fear to undertake any task
in the name of our Savior, if it is just and if
the intention is purely for His holy service.”
Christopher Columbus

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

— Psalm 29:2

What do you expect when you go to church on Sunday mornings? Do you view Sunday morning church as a type of performance? Many people do. They listen to the choir as if they were at a concert, ready to critique the choir’s performance. They sing hymns but never once as they sing do they ever think of praising God. Instead, they sing hymns by rote, with their minds turned off.

But God doesn’t want us to sit back as passive observers. He wants us to actively participate in worshipping Him.

Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, thought that most people conceive of church as a drama wherein they are merely spectators. In this drama, the minister is the principal actor. God prompts the minister by whispering His lines in the minister’s ear (should the minister chance to forget them), and the congregation members are the critics who pass their judgment on the performance.

The truth of the matter, says Kierkegaard, is that church is a drama of sorts. But if we view worship as God designed it, the congregation members should be the actors, the minister the prompter, and God Himself the critic. Why? Because worship is one’s response to the revelation of God. When we recognize God’s true nature, we want to worship Him in direct proportion to the clarity of our vision of Him.

So many people don’t understand the true joy of worship. And God doesn’t want us to miss it. This Sunday, remember to actively worship God as a participant, not as a mere spectator. When the choir sings and the minister preaches, lift their words in praise to God. “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name.”

“If absence makes the heart grow fonder, some
people ought to love their churches greatly.”
Anonymous

… Unlike those high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices—first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for He did this once for all when He offered up Himself.

— Hebrews 7:27

There were priests in the Old Testament, but now Christ, our great High Priest has come. He completed the work that they could only begin.

With a priest and an altar you have something else: you have a sacrifice. For hundreds of years, at God’s instruction, the ancient Hebrew priests offered sacrifices with many specific guidelines. There were daily sacrifices and specific annual offerings. They may have “forgiven” sins temporarily, but never permanently.

All of these sacrifices foreshadowed the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. What He did is the basis for all forgiveness. His blood was much more precious than that of bulls and goats.

Read Hebrews 9-11 and you will notice that one word appears over and over and over again. It is a word that I recommend you underline. It is “once” or “one.” By one sacrifice Christ has forever reconciled us to God. There was only one sacrifice, and it took place upon the Cross 2,000 years ago. On that finished sacrifice all of our hopes are founded.

Question to ponder:
What does it mean that our High Priest offered Himself up “once for all”?

… weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

— Psalm 30:5

Sorrow, sadness, and weeping are all part of this life. None of us are untouched by the troubles of the world. But these are temporary—whereas joy, for the Christian, is everlasting. 

One time at a speaking engagement in Indianapolis, a man came up to me and said, “I was down in Ft. Lauderdale on vacation, and I met a lady in your church who shared with me those good tidings of great joy.” She had told him of the Gospel and he had accepted Christ. He continued: “You certainly cannot know, you cannot imagine the indescribable joy I have known for the last year since I came to know Christ. I never would have believed it.”

It is never recorded once that Jesus ever laughed, and yet the night before He went to the agony of the Cross, He said, “I have spoken these to you, that My joy may remain in you” (John 15:11). He came from the source of all joy—from Heaven—and He came to bring that joy to us. He took all of our sorrows and our griefs upon Himself, and thus, though He never laughed that we know of, He did weep. And He wept, so that we might be glad.

Question to ponder:
What difference does it make that sadness is temporary?