DOES THE DEVIL HAVE REAL POWER AND AUTHORITY
Jude 1:6 says “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day”. So the devil and one third of the angels in heaven made war and lost the battle against Michael (archangel) and his angels. So the devil and his angels (demons) were cast from heaven out into the earth Rev.12:7-9. The angels sinned in heaven (eternity) and was cast down to earth (in time) but will eventually be bound in chains and be cast into the lake of fire (eternity) 11Peter2:4.
Persons have often quoted the last line of James 4:7 which says” Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. Now this is true only if you have qualified as per the first line of verse seven which says” Submit yourselves therefore to God”. If we have submitted ourselves to God it means that we belong to Him, that we are born again Christians.
To get a good sense of the devil’s authority please come with me to St.Luke 4:5-7. This incident happened just after Jesus had completed His forty days fast in the wilderness and was full of the Holy Ghost. So the devil took Jesus on a high mountain, showed Him the kingdoms of the world and offered it to Him! And significantly all this was done in a moment of time. To prove that the devil has the power and authority, this is what he (devil) said in verse six” And the devil said unto Him(Jesus), All this power will I give thee and the glory of them:FOR THAT IS DELIVERED UNTO ME; AND TO WHOMSOEVER I WILL I GIVE IT.
The devil has been loosed on earth since he was cast down to earth by God and further evidence of his power was seen by John in Rev.13. The devil who is referred to as the dragon, gave the first beast his power, his seat and great authority to blaspheme against God, to make war with the saints and to overcome them. All persons shall worship this beast whose names are not written in the book of life. The second beast had similar power to the first beast but additionally he caused fire to come down from heaven, worked miracles and gave life to the image of the beast so it could speak.
If I should then say that I do not believe that demons exist or that obeah workers/astrologers pose serious threat to persons then I would be putting myself and others in real danger of injury or death.
The connections between the devil, his demon supporters and other persons or groupings who are working for the kingdom of darkness are not always easily seen or discerned. There are born again Christians who are host to familiar spirits. Some of these persons are aware that they are possessed by familiar spirits or divining demons while some are not aware. All of these persons however, would be working against the kingdom of God.
There is an over abundance of the names of false gods/idols that persons worship or of persons who are practitioners of witchcraft in whatever form. We cannot continue to justify the serving of evil by saying that it is part of our culture. Demons are used to accomplish various task on behalf of those serving satan. So whether it is a obeah man, a magician, an astrologer, a lodge man etc., they are all rowing in the same boat and taking others with them to hell. 1 Samuel 28 and Acts 16:14-18.
B.A.C. 17.7.19.