5.25 Evil Spirits Substitute for God

from

Chapter 5: Deception and Possession

from War On the Saints
by Jesse Penn-Lewis

Scriptures Referenced in This Section:
          (Follow the Scripture links if you want to study the Scriptures for yourself.)
Isa. 30:21 π Mt. 10:20 π Jn. 14:26 π Phlp. 2:13

The following examples show how the deceiving spirits may substitute themselves, and their own working in the believer's life, through his misconceptions of spiritual truth.

1. Substitution in speaking. Text: "It is not ye that speak..." ( Mt. 10:20; top ) Believers think that this means Divine substitution for their speaking. That God will speak through them. The man says, "I must not speak, God is to do so," and he "surrenders" his mouth to God to be His mouthpiece, bringing about passivity of the lips and vocal organs, which are abandoned for usage to the supernatural power which he thinks isGod.

Result:

a) The man himself does not speak;

b) God does not speak, because He makes no man an automaton;

c) evil spirits speak, as the condition of passivity is fulfilled for their doing so.

The outcome is the substitution of evil spirits in possession and control of the believer, particularly in the form of supernatural "messages" which increasingly demand his passive obedience, and in due time bring about a mediumistic condition wholly unforeseen by him.

2. Substitution in memory. Text: "Shall bring all things to your remembrance." ( Jn. 14:26; top ) Believers think this means that they need not use the memory. God will bring all things to their mind.

Result:

a) the man himself does not use his memory; and

b) God does not use it, because He will not do so apart from the believer's co-action;

c) evil spirits use it, and substitute their workings in the place of the believer's volitional use of his memory.

3. Substitution of conscience. Text: "Shall hear a word behind thee saying, this is the way..." ( Isa. 30:21; top ) Believers look upon supernatural guidance in a voice or text directing them, as a higher form of guidance than through conscience. The man then thinks that he does not need to reason or think, but simply "obey." He follows this so-called "higher guidance," which he substitutes for his conscience.

Result:

a) he does not use his conscience;

b) God does not speak to him for automatic obedience;

c) evil spirits take the opportunity, and supernatural voices are substituted for the action of the conscience.

The outcome is the substitution of evil spirit guidance in his life.

From this time the man is not influenced by what he feels or sees, or by what others say, and he closes himself to all questions, and will not reason. This substitution of supernatural guidance for the action of the conscience explains the deterioration of the moral standard in persons with supernatural experiences, because they have really substituted the direction of evil spirits for their conscience. They are quite unconscious that their moral standard is lowered, but their conscience has become seared by deliberately ceasing to heed its voice; and by listening to the voices of the teaching spirits, in matters which should be decided by the conscience in respect to their being right or wrong, good or evil.

4. Substitution in decision. Text: "It is God that worketh in you to will..." ( Phlp. 2:13; top ) The believer thinks this to mean that he is not to use his own will, for God is to will through him.

Result:

a) the man himself does not exercise his will;

b) God does not either, or he would cease to be a free agent;

c) evil spirits seize upon the passive will, and either hold it in a paralyzed condition of inability to act, or else make it domineering and strong.

The apparent "Divine substitution" of God's will in the place of the man's will, turns out to be a Satanic substitution, and thus the emissaries of Satan gain a hold of the very centre of the life; eventually making the believer a victim to indecision and weakness in will-action, or else energizing the will to a force of mastery, even over others, which is fraught with disastrous results.


[5.24] Why Evil Spirits Want the Body
π
[5.26] Evil Spirits Substitute for Self
5: Deception and Possession - Table of Contents
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