"An Ancient Foe in A Modern World!"

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” (I Timothy 4:1).

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).

“Now, I do not want to be radical, and I do not want to go to any extreme in the interpretation of the Word of God, but personally I am becoming more and more convinced that many of the awful and blasphemous teachings that are now found in the literature of our day, indeed, in some of the most widely-circulated and highly- praised books of our generation, have been prompted, though their authors do not know it, and would scoffingly deny it, by evil spirits.”

(Prof. Wilbur M. Smith)

I agree with Prof. Smith’s conviction. While he is speaking primarily of theological and academic literature, I would expand the thought to popular literature, stage, screen, and all forms of media. The lies, blasphemy, immorality, and every form of licentious communication, which so proliferates in our civilization and society, is beyond mere human initiative, genius, and power. Satan, “the god of this world”, “the prince of this age” is behind it. Evil spirits, fallen angels, the demons are his spiritual agents. They are out to frustrate the Gospel of God’s love, usurp Christ’s place in this world, and deprive the saints of our inheritance. They abound in unbelievable numbers, assuming every guise, exert persistent pressures, are sleepless in their efforts, wholly malignant in their intent. They have been loosed from the black abyss, they aid in gathering the human enemies of Jesus from the four corners of the earth to wage final war against the City of God, for they know their time is short, and soon the triumphant Lord Jesus Christ returns!
Till He comes the reign of evil persists. These demonic forces can be fought in no ordinary fashion. The saints must fight with sacred weapons and all the defenses of righteousness—faith, grace, prayer, love, holiness, zeal, scripture, Holy Spirit, Christian service, good works!
In the final analysis, however, there is no need for any child of God to fear these forces of evil. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” (I John 4:4).

Larry Atkin, Preacher