September 11, 2016 - A. V. Rauf
There is a Fate Worse Then Death
Just the other day I was driving down the expressway only to take a quick glance at a billboard. It surely did not come to me as a surprise when I realized that the one of the most frightening motion pictures that impacted a generation of movie goers was now being made into a weekly television series.
The caption that was on the billboard said : There is a Fate Worse Then Death. There was also an image of what looked to appear to be a distraught and disheveled looking girl sitting on the floor with her head spun in the opposite direction. Enough said.
Recent programs and motion pictures have placed a strong emphasis on the supernatural. I am convinced that there is a spiritual vacuum in this nation that is being filled with much deception and manipulation. What it ultimately comes down to is that the devil knows that his time is short…..very short. I mean very, very short.
2 Timothy 1:7--For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear as we know it is a spiritual phenomenon, inflicted upon one by none other then the devil. I am not referring to the reverential fear that one has towards an Almighty God.
I am talking about fear as the opposite of faith. Fear desires to steal and control one’s faith.
Proverbs 29:25–The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
As I begun to reflect on this I also came to the realization that in the most disturbing of films the victims happen to be children. In the modern world, nothing is more revered than children, as they are the embodiment of innocence. And for that innate innocence to be contaminated by something evil or corrupt or dangerous is inherently mysterious and disturbing. In the Bible Jesus often talked about children.
Matthew 19:14—But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
When movies and or television programs are made depicting children as objects of horror, this can indicative of fears on a number of levels—fear of the younger generation on a broad level, being surpassed, taken over, rendered irrelevant.
Or perhaps on another level, another level, there is a fear of being a bad parent, making mistakes, and not being able to control your past or your present. Some schools of thought also believe that horror is inherently a conservative genre. If one takes this approach, it is no wonder there are regulatory influences trying to scare people into controlling the younger generation. If unregulated, they may wreak havoc on all traditional structures.
In today’s culture, Media and television shows cater to the child’s world and adults are sidelined as comic relief. Adults are no longer in control of their world. Advertising, pop culture, technology, and home life is centered around the child.In addition, it has been said that its core, horror is about the unpredictability and vulnerability of life; the knowledge that, as safe and serene as things may seem, and as much as we strive to create a bubble of safety and continuity for ourselves, around any corner and at any future moment may come death, pain, loss, psychological trauma, or another form of terror. Let me inform you as to who is responsible for this. Often God is blamed when calamity comes. But the god to blame is the god of this world:
2 Corinthians 4:3-4-–But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
John 10:10—The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The Bible clearly tells us not to be ignorant of the tactics of our adversary:
2 Corinthians 2:11–Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The true antidote to fear is the Word of God and faith in the Word of God.
Because fear is caused by the devil, we need to know how to defeat the devil.
Here are some practical lessons Jesus demonstrated for us in an encounter with the devil:
Matthew 4:1-11—Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
- He showed how the Word of God is food to our spirits
Matthew 4:4–But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
- We merely EXIST without the Word of God
- We LIVE by internalizing the Word of God
- JESUS declared that every Word in the Bible is important
- He declared that the Scripture is indeed from God
2 Timothy 3:16—All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
- He demonstrated the power of speaking Scriptures out loud
- His process: 1) recognize the devil’s lie; is the thought in your mind in harmony with God’s Word or not? 2) squelch/nullify the lie by speaking principles of Truth from God’s Word
- The Word Of God is demon repellent; Jesus used it to send the devil away
- Demons are like bullies; they tend to pick on us when we are at our weakest. But we are never too weak to speak the Word of Go….THAT IS IF WE KNOW IT.
The Battle Takes Place In Our Minds. We Win The Battle With Scripture!
This is why the Bible tells us that we should teach the Word of God to our children when we are sitting, standing, walking and lying down.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9–And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
When we fear God and obey His Word the children also are safe. Where there is the knowledge of Christ and where the Gospel is taught, there is no way devils can come there. Furthermore, wherever there is deep faith in the Word of God and on the Cross of Jesus; wherever the communion service is observed not as a formality but with true reverence and holiness, remembering the death of Jesus, the devils cannot operate there at all. The devil cannot possess a truly converted believer who walks with a clean conscience before God. O the other hand, harboring hypocrisy deliberately and willful disobendience to God’s Word can position one to be vulnerable to the enemy’s onslaughts.
I for one am grieved by the victimization of our youth and the onslaught of spiritual attacks they have been bombarded with. However, in the eyes of God these are precious souls that need more then anything to know about the love of God and the power of the finished work on the cross through Jesus Christ.
As a nation we seek revival. I am convinced that the next “Great Awakening ,” if you will, will begin soon and it will spread through the youth. I believe that the flames of a righteous indignation within the true Body of Christ are beginning to be fanned.
At the end of the day there is a “…fate worse then death.” That is eternal separation from God Himself.
Luke 12:4-6—And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him