Let's talk Satan, demons, it's powers
- Thread starter jacko
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
A lot of Christian’s use Satan as an excuse also for the failings in their own personal lives. Sometimes our free will decisions have consequences.
Example, I had friends come over for the football game and we made a mess and I had a ton of dishes and I left the kitchen a mess. My wife came home and yelled at me and scolded me very sternly and I was really upset..
No, this is not the result of Satan’s work. It’s because I was lazy and lacked a little bit of common sense.
-
2
- Show all
He's impotent in halting Jesus from building His kingdom...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Satan is playing defense now. Notice Christ allusion...the gates of hell. Satan is trying to protect his gains. But Jesus is reaching over the gates and plucking out the brands.
In Revelation 1, Jesus shows up with 2 keys on his keychain...death and hell. So while Satan still possesses a degree of power, he no longer possesses any authority. And in this regard, he is impotent to hinder the growth of the church. What started as a mustard seed will become the greatest kingdom...the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ.
In Revelation 1, Jesus shows up with 2 keys on his keychain...death and hell. So while Satan still possesses a degree of power, he no longer possesses any authority. And in this regard, he is impotent to hinder the growth of the church. What started as a mustard seed will become the greatest kingdom...the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ.
Dr. Michael Heiser’s book, “The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible”, is an influential work in biblical theology that explores the supernatural elements of Scripture, particularly those related to divine beings, spiritual warfare, and the ancient worldview of the Bible’s authors. Heiser’s primary argument is that modern readers often overlook or misunderstand the Bible’s supernatural elements due to cultural distance and theological assumptions.
Key Themes and Concepts in “The Unseen Realm”:
1. The Divine Council:
• One of Heiser’s central ideas is the concept of a divine council, a group of spiritual beings who serve as God’s heavenly court. This idea is based on passages like Psalm 82 and Deuteronomy 32:8-9, where God is depicted as presiding over other divine beings.
• Heiser argues that the Bible assumes the existence of other elohim (a term often translated as “gods” but referring to spiritual beings), though only Yahweh is the one true God. These other beings are subordinate to Yahweh and play various roles in the administration of the cosmos.
2. Sons of God and the Nephilim:
• Heiser revisits the story of the sons of God and the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1-4. He takes the view that the “sons of God” were supernatural beings (rather than humans or descendants of Seth), who rebelled against God by intermingling with humans, producing the Nephilim, a race of giants.
• This event is seen as part of the broader spiritual rebellion that introduces chaos into the world and is linked to the worldview of Second Temple Judaism, which influenced New Testament thought.
3. Deuteronomy 32 and the Nations:
• Heiser presents an interpretation of Deuteronomy 32:8-9 that suggests, at the Tower of Babel, when humanity was scattered and divided into different nations, God assigned these nations to the authority of lesser divine beings (referred to as “sons of God” in some translations). These beings later became corrupt, leading to widespread idolatry and spiritual rebellion among the nations.
• God chose Israel as His special possession, through whom He would reclaim all the nations (a theme that culminates in the New Testament).
4. The Role of Jesus:
• Heiser emphasizes that Jesus’ mission is not only to save individuals from sin but also to reclaim the nations and defeat the rebellious spiritual forces (such as demons and fallen angels) that had led humanity astray. The New Testament portrays Jesus as the one who disarms and conquers the powers and principalities (e.g., Colossians 2:15).
• Jesus’ victory over these spiritual beings is particularly highlighted in events like His crucifixion, resurrection, and eventual second coming, where He will establish His kingdom.
5. Spiritual Warfare:
• The book also explores the reality of spiritual warfare, a theme often seen throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Heiser argues that Christians today need to recover a supernatural worldview that recognizes the activity of both good and evil spiritual forces in the world.
• Understanding the unseen realm helps believers recognize the larger spiritual battle in which they are engaged and the importance of their role as participants in God’s plan to redeem the world.
6. Reclaiming the Supernatural Worldview:
• Heiser urges modern readers to reclaim the biblical worldview, which is inherently supernatural. He believes that the Bible is meant to be understood in the context of the ancient Near Eastern cultures in which it was written, where belief in a spiritual realm and the presence of divine beings was common.
• By doing so, Heiser contends, readers will have a deeper appreciation for the Bible’s full message and will be better equipped to understand difficult or confusing passages that involve supernatural beings.
Reception and Influence:
• “The Unseen Realm” has been widely praised for its scholarly depth and accessible style, as it bridges academic biblical studies with popular-level Christian teaching.
• Heiser’s work has been especially impactful in helping Christians rethink passages that deal with angels, demons, and other spiritual beings, as well as encouraging them to see the Bible in its ancient context.
• Some readers, however, find his interpretations controversial, particularly his views on the divine council and the Nephilim, as they challenge traditional interpretations held by some Christian denominations.
Conclusion:
Dr. Michael Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm” offers a provocative and in-depth exploration of the Bible’s supernatural worldview. It challenges readers to look beyond their modern, often secularized assumptions and to rediscover the ancient context of Scripture, where the spiritual and material worlds were deeply intertwined. By doing so, Heiser believes Christians can better understand the full scope of God’s redemptive plan and the spiritual realities that underlie the biblical narrative.
-
1
-
1
- Show all
I should mention there is no profit in this.
I mean, you can investigate it all you want, but there is nothing to be gained by it.
Conversation between two friends in the past:
"Hey you should read this book. It's about the devil's alphabet."
"I don't need to read that book. I don't plan on speaking his language. When I talk to the devil the only thing I need to know is, in the name of Jesus Christ."
I mean, you can investigate it all you want, but there is nothing to be gained by it.
Conversation between two friends in the past:
"Hey you should read this book. It's about the devil's alphabet."
"I don't need to read that book. I don't plan on speaking his language. When I talk to the devil the only thing I need to know is, in the name of Jesus Christ."
-
1
- Show all
satan can invade our minds and speak to us too make us do bad things or get into conflict but the Heart is reserved for The Most High, satan can't read our Hearts because that takes empathy....he got no good character traits it's all bad, it's time people realise the war is inside us we have to elevate by starting to rid ourselves of that negative voice inside us but that is what Father is preparing to do and when it happens and we purified we will realise how alien we where too Most High, every knee will bow
-
1
- Show all
.
It's commonly believed the so-called fallen nature is inherited from one's
biological father. Oh? Then whence did Eve get it? She was constructed with
material taken from Adam's body but that was all over and done with before
he tasted the forbidden fruit; so it was too late for him to transmit the fallen
nature to Eve via heredity.
FAQ: Did she get it from the fruit?
REPLY: Eve was the first to taste the forbidden fruit. When she did, nothing
happened. Eve went right on in the buff unashamed as usual. It wasn't till
Adam tasted the fruit that she got busy covering up her pelvic area with fig
leaves.
FAQ: If Eve's altered perception of decency wasn't due to the fruit, nor due
to heredity; then from where? Did God do it?
REPLY: Mr. Serpent-- a.k.a. the Devil (Rev 20:2) --is the logical source. He
has the power of death (Heb 2:14) and the ability to tamper with the human
body and the human mind in ways not easily detected; e.g. Luke 13:16,
Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:1-2.
FAQ: Why didn't the Serpent tamper with Eve when she tasted the fruit?
Why wait till Adam tasted it?
REPLY: It was apparently God's purpose that if sin and death were to come
into the world, they would come thru the actions of one man working solo
just as life and righteousness would later come into the world thru the
actions of one man working solo. (Rom 5:12-21)
* I really have to hand it to the Serpent; he's very good at shifting blame
away from himself. For quite a few years now it's been traditional to believe
fathers propagate the fallen nature when it's been the Serpent all along, viz:
Jesus wasn't just blowing off steam when he informed his opponents in John
8:44 that the Devil was their daddy.
How the Serpent has managed to deceive so many people for so long a time
I don't know, but what's really ironic about it is that there are people behind
pulpits, and chairing whole Sunday school departments, helping him do it as
unsuspecting accomplices; which goes to show that if an idea is repeated
often enough, widely enough, and loud enough by people held in high
enough esteem; pretty soon it's accepted by the masses as fact without
thought or question. (Asch Conformity Phenomenon)
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong;
Gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
(Thomas Paine)
_
It's commonly believed the so-called fallen nature is inherited from one's
biological father. Oh? Then whence did Eve get it? She was constructed with
material taken from Adam's body but that was all over and done with before
he tasted the forbidden fruit; so it was too late for him to transmit the fallen
nature to Eve via heredity.
FAQ: Did she get it from the fruit?
REPLY: Eve was the first to taste the forbidden fruit. When she did, nothing
happened. Eve went right on in the buff unashamed as usual. It wasn't till
Adam tasted the fruit that she got busy covering up her pelvic area with fig
leaves.
FAQ: If Eve's altered perception of decency wasn't due to the fruit, nor due
to heredity; then from where? Did God do it?
REPLY: Mr. Serpent-- a.k.a. the Devil (Rev 20:2) --is the logical source. He
has the power of death (Heb 2:14) and the ability to tamper with the human
body and the human mind in ways not easily detected; e.g. Luke 13:16,
Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:1-2.
FAQ: Why didn't the Serpent tamper with Eve when she tasted the fruit?
Why wait till Adam tasted it?
REPLY: It was apparently God's purpose that if sin and death were to come
into the world, they would come thru the actions of one man working solo
just as life and righteousness would later come into the world thru the
actions of one man working solo. (Rom 5:12-21)
* I really have to hand it to the Serpent; he's very good at shifting blame
away from himself. For quite a few years now it's been traditional to believe
fathers propagate the fallen nature when it's been the Serpent all along, viz:
Jesus wasn't just blowing off steam when he informed his opponents in John
8:44 that the Devil was their daddy.
How the Serpent has managed to deceive so many people for so long a time
I don't know, but what's really ironic about it is that there are people behind
pulpits, and chairing whole Sunday school departments, helping him do it as
unsuspecting accomplices; which goes to show that if an idea is repeated
often enough, widely enough, and loud enough by people held in high
enough esteem; pretty soon it's accepted by the masses as fact without
thought or question. (Asch Conformity Phenomenon)
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong;
Gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
(Thomas Paine)
_
Personally,
I believe in my own, personal Satan. I have nurtured him my whole life albeit unintentionally since becoming "Saved".
Where I try my best to slaughter him, he always survives and comes back through the demons who I can never seem to completely eradicate.
Demons are more like a virus....impossible to completely eradicate. You only need one for it to multiply exponentially. Viruses are literally everywhere and in everything. And then Satan is fully in charge. But we need to live too.
But God overcame....he doesn't play footsie with sin like humans do. He eradicates them completely every time.
I've never met a semi-autonomous being that is powerful from the spiritual realm that has influence in our world. I've got more than enough to keep me busy with my own demons and personal Satan.
I believe in my own, personal Satan. I have nurtured him my whole life albeit unintentionally since becoming "Saved".
Where I try my best to slaughter him, he always survives and comes back through the demons who I can never seem to completely eradicate.
Demons are more like a virus....impossible to completely eradicate. You only need one for it to multiply exponentially. Viruses are literally everywhere and in everything. And then Satan is fully in charge. But we need to live too.
But God overcame....he doesn't play footsie with sin like humans do. He eradicates them completely every time.
I've never met a semi-autonomous being that is powerful from the spiritual realm that has influence in our world. I've got more than enough to keep me busy with my own demons and personal Satan.
-
1
- Show all
1 Cor 10:13
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
KJV
The above verse is simply showing us that not everything bad that happens in this world is the result of Satan and his demons being the cause of it. Kind of hard to explain, but God bringing this 2nd world earth age that is 'imperfect' is about that; some things that happen in this present world are just messed up, and that's part of this present world's design caused by Satan's original rebellion against God, and that's also why God has promised to eventually destroy this present world by His consuming fire.
The danger is with inviting... Satan into one's life. Playin' around with the Occult and its tools, like a Ouija board, Tarot cards, etc., is a good way to invite him in, even unknowingly, because if one listens to the world, they will be told those tools of the Occult are harmless, and won't do anything. Boy are they wrong. "Garbage in, garbage out" is not just about computer programming; it's about what we allow to influence us too.
I recall one story about demons, I think in the book called The Demonologist written by a pastor who apparently had the gift of discerning spirits. There was this young rich girl that was so in love with her boyfriend (who was a Christian), that she decided to cast a witch's spell to cause him to love her. She went to the local Occult store and bought some Occult paraphernalia, and a book on spells, and gave her soul to Satan within the spell. When she showed up with her boyfriend at Church, when the pastor tried to greet her, her face contorted and grimaced at him. When the pastor moved away from her, her features returned to normal. So the pastor got some of the elders together and showed them how she grimaced at him when he got close to her, and they isolated her in a room to find out what was going on.
She admitted to the pastor about casting the spell using some of the tools of Occultism, and inviting Satan into her life, so she could make her boyfriend love her.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
KJV
The above verse is simply showing us that not everything bad that happens in this world is the result of Satan and his demons being the cause of it. Kind of hard to explain, but God bringing this 2nd world earth age that is 'imperfect' is about that; some things that happen in this present world are just messed up, and that's part of this present world's design caused by Satan's original rebellion against God, and that's also why God has promised to eventually destroy this present world by His consuming fire.
The danger is with inviting... Satan into one's life. Playin' around with the Occult and its tools, like a Ouija board, Tarot cards, etc., is a good way to invite him in, even unknowingly, because if one listens to the world, they will be told those tools of the Occult are harmless, and won't do anything. Boy are they wrong. "Garbage in, garbage out" is not just about computer programming; it's about what we allow to influence us too.
I recall one story about demons, I think in the book called The Demonologist written by a pastor who apparently had the gift of discerning spirits. There was this young rich girl that was so in love with her boyfriend (who was a Christian), that she decided to cast a witch's spell to cause him to love her. She went to the local Occult store and bought some Occult paraphernalia, and a book on spells, and gave her soul to Satan within the spell. When she showed up with her boyfriend at Church, when the pastor tried to greet her, her face contorted and grimaced at him. When the pastor moved away from her, her features returned to normal. So the pastor got some of the elders together and showed them how she grimaced at him when he got close to her, and they isolated her in a room to find out what was going on.
She admitted to the pastor about casting the spell using some of the tools of Occultism, and inviting Satan into her life, so she could make her boyfriend love her.
-
2
- Show all
