Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Angelic Conflict. Part 17. To say no to the divine plan of God is to say yes to Satan's plan.
Friday, December 30, 2005
COL 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him.
EXO 19:5 for all the earth is Mine;
JOB 41:11 Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.
HAG 2:8 “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts.
There are two mandates on this demon army: first, they cannot destroy vegetation.
In addition, they are not permitted to kill their targets, torture only.
ACT 12:23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.
While demons can perform extra-natural and super-natural acts in the environment of planet earth, they cannot control anything on earth apart from divine permission.
1JO 4:4 “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”
Those who have the seal of God are those who became saved after the Rapture and during this Tribulation period.
Bond-servants - doulos = those believers who are slaves or servants to God.
There will be certain Tribulational believers who will survive the Tribulation with all of its horrors and historical adversity.
The target is believers and unbelievers in the cosmic system, but there is no permission to attack believers who are living in fellowship with God or protected by the wall of fire.
2TI 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.”
Since these individuals have said “no” to the divine plan of God and therefore yes to the satanic plan, they are now turned over to Satan.
Torture - basanizo = to question by applying torture, to torture, to vex with grievous pains (used of body or mind), to torment, to be harassed, to be distressed.
The wages of serving Satan is torture and misery from his own hand.
Before TLJC comes back, known as the Second Coming or the Second Advent, Satan turns on his own kingdom.
LUK 9:25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
When our Lord returns to the earth, He does not find a thriving world under the rulership of Satan but a kingdom divided - the kingdom of darkness is divided against itself.
MAR 3:24 “And if a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.”
So great is the pain and suffering from this demon assault army that many will seek death but they will never find it.
Only when a believer is in fellowship, learning Bible doctrine, applying that doctrine, executing the plan of God, and fulfilling the mandates of the word of God - does he have any way of coping with adversity.
Good decisions result in great blessing and prosperity.
Bad decisions result in great adversity.
As a result of living in the cosmic system, they will seek as the only solution to their problems the one solution which is not a solution but a total admission of defeat - they will seek suicide.
The Bible condemns suicide, PSA 31:15.
The Millennial reign is about to start; every single unbeliever is going to be removed from the earth by the baptism of fire.
They have hit the bottom as believers and the only decision they can make that will start their recovery is their decision to rebound, or if they are unbelievers, their decision to become a believer.
They are alive because they have volition.
God always provides grace before judgment.
God always provides solutions before the problem.
If we have rejected the answer through our negative perception of Bible doctrine, then obviously nothing is left but to endure the adversity, to rebound, and to begin to make that recovery.
“In those days” is important, because this has absolutely nothing to do with these days or the present time.
Our greatest danger from demons is our residence in the cosmic system under the category of reversionism.
Arrogance cannot endure torture for arrogance is a state of tenseness increasing vulnerability to pain.
The same humility that provides capacity for life and prosperity also provides the ability to withstand pain in time of adversity.
Those living in the cosmic system do not make decisions from a position of strength; they are making decisions from a position of weakness.
Satan is an evil and an unjust ruler, and he turns his first demon assault army on his own human servants.