Click the play button to begin video lesson and follow along with the lesson notes below the video window.
Ask five churches their view on the Sabbath, or day-of-rest, and you'll likely get five different answers. Many of these differences stem from tradition, but does tradition truly reflect what God's Word teaches on this subject? The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all identity Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath. But now that the church is under grace and the law has been fulfilled, what do we do with this thing called the Sabbath - the day of rest? Loosely based on the book The 7th Day by Dr. Chuck Missler, ICM's Hot Topic discussion of The 7th Day will help clarify the New Testament Sabbath in light of God's Word.
Click the play button to begin video lesson and follow along with the lesson notes below the video window.
Halloween - Night of the Walking Dead According to the National Retail Federation, more than 159 million Americans will spend over 6.9 billion dollars on Halloween in 2015. In a survey conducted by the Christian Bible Network, one Christian replied... “I think Halloween is as harmful as you make it. There are those who use this night as a reason to do séances and commit random acts of mischief. However, the idea that the devil is running amok through the streets of your town especially on Halloween night is rooted in fear. And we as Christians don’t operate in that. If we’re victorious in Christ, surely that grace extends through the month of October…So if you’re scared that passing out candy is inviting Satan into your home, I’ve got news for you. Jesus reigns!” While this sentiment sounds biblical, is this also God’s view? Consider James 4:4... “do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Or how about Jeremiah 10:2-3? “Learn not the way of the heathen…For the customs of the people are vain”The History
The Celts
The Celts lived 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, Great Britain, and Northern France.
Druids were the Celt’s holy men who led the worship of nature, the sun, and oak trees. This same type of nature worship can be seen today in Wicca, the religion of the modern witch.
The Celts’ calendar year began on November 1st. The Samhain festival marked the end of summer and was one of the most important calendar events of the Celtic year. Samahin literally means Summer’s End. At Samhain, held on November 1st, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to man and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshippers. It was a time of fear, danger, and the supernatural. Sacrifices to their gods was believed vital for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities.
From October 31st to November 2nd, the Celts celebrated a 48-hour festival called the Vigil of Samhain. They believed Saman, the pagan lord of the dead, assembled the souls of those who had died during the previous year and decided what form they would take for the next year. The souls would either pass on to human bodies or would be condemned to live within animals. The most evil of the bad would or spirits would take the form of cats. Hoping to coax Saman into giving lighter sentences, the Druid worshippers tried to bribe him with gifts and prayers. - (Is this a counterfeit Passover?)
On October 31st, the eve of the New Year, after harvesting their crops and storing them for the winter, the festival began. First they extinguished the cooking fires in their homes. Then the Druids (Celtic priests) met on hilltops in the dark oak forests (they viewed oak trees as sacred) and built huge bonfires to frighten away evil spirits and to honor the sun god. Next, the people would burn crop and animal sacrifices to their gods, dancing around the fires as the season of sun passed and the season of darkness began. The Celts wore costumes of animal heads and skins and told each other their fortunes. (i.e. divination) The next morning, they re-lit their cooking fires from the sacred bonfires, in order to free them from evil spirits as well as protect them during the coming winter.
The Romans
During the first century, the Roman Empire invaded Ireland and the British Isles conquering most of the Celtic territory.
The Romans ruled for several hundred years mixing the Celts’ festival of Samhain with the Roman celebrations of Feralia and Ponoma Day. (The Catholic Church tried to erase both pagan holidays and failed. They only succeed in endorsing the pagan celebrations by the church.)
Feralia was held on February 21st and was a Roman holiday honoring the dead. In reality, it was mass drunkenness and orgies, much like other Roman holidays.
Ponoma Day was celebrated on November 1st. It was a festival in honor of Ponoma, the Roman goddess of fruit, trees, and fertility. Ponoma’s sacred symbol was the apple.
Over the next 300 years the cultural practices of the Celts and the Romans merged together.
The Catholic Church
The early Christian church was an illegal religion under Roman rule and many in the early years became martyrs. At first, the Catholic Church observed the martyrs anniversaries, but before long there were more martyrs than calendar days in the year.
In 609 A.D. Pope Bonidace IV declared the Roman holiday Feralia to be Christian. Instead of honoring the dead as the Romans did, Pope Bonidace declared it a day of prayer and meditation to honor the dead saints. He changed the name from Feralia to All Saints Day.
Around 735 A.D., Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary to November 1st. He then broadened the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs.
Meanwhile the Celts were still observing the festival of Samhain from October 31st to November 2nd. Pope Gregory IV attempted to replace the festival of Samhain by moving All Saints Day from May 13th to November 1st but in doing so, he officially extended the pagan celebration to the entire church.
Soon All Saints Day on November 1st became known as All Hallows Day and October 31st became All Hallows Eve and eventually Halloween.
The Traditions
The Zombie
The zombie has no historical roots to Halloween. The zombie is a Hollywood creation for the horror movie genre. The brain-eating, walking dead zombie was never heard of before the release of White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi in 1934.
The Jack-O-Lantern
When the Irish immigrants arrived in America, they brought with them the tradition of carving-out turnips (or, sometimes, a potato or rutabaga) and placing coals or a small candle inside the hollow. These were then displayed on doorsteps at Halloween to ward off evil spirits. However, the Irish quickly discovered that Jack-O-Lanterns were much easier to carve out of the pumpkin which was a fruit native to their newly-adopted home in America.
The Irish tradition of carving first a turnip and then a pumpkin is based on a myth known as The Legend of Stingy Jack. The Legend of Stingy Jack... Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who loved playing tricks on anyone and everyone. One dark, Halloween night, Jack ran into the Devil himself in a local public house. Jack tricked the Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil quickly turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack immediately snatched the coin and deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus, the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years. The Devil agreed, and ten years later Jack again came across the Devil while out walking on a country road. The Devil tried collecting what he was due, but Jack thinking quickly, said, "I'll go, but before I do, will you get me an apple from that tree?" The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped up into the tree to retrieve an apple. As soon as he did, Jack placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil once again. This time, Jack made the Devil promise that he would not take his soul when he finally died. Seeing no way around his predicament, the Devil grudgingly agreed. When Stingy Jack eventually passed away several years later, he went to the Gates of Heaven, but was refused entrance because of his life of drinking and because he had been so tight-fisted and deceitful. So, Jack then went down to Hell to see the Devil and find out whether it were possible to gain entrance into the depths of Hell, but the Devil kept the promise that had been made to Jack years earlier, and would not let him enter. "But where can I go?" asked Jack. "Back to where you came from!" replied the Devil. The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting place and with only his lit turnip to light the way in the darkness.
The Skull
Use of the skull, especially a lighted skull, is believed to originate with the Druids and witch covens. Due to human sacrifices, skulls were plentiful at places of worship. Candles were sometimes placed in skulls to partially shelter them from the wind and like the Jack-o Lantern they were used as lanterns.
Bats
Insects were drawn to the light of the Druid bonfires and bats were drawn to the insects. The sight of bats flying over the Druid’s bonfires was a common and bats were soon associated with the festival of Samhain.
Trick or Treating
Bonfires — In preparation of the festival of Samhain, persons would go from door-to-door begging wood and other burnable materials for the Druid’s bonfires. It is believed that this practice was a precursor to trick or treating.
Soul Cakes — During All Souls Day in England, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for the promise to pray for the wealthier family’s departed relatives. The giving of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The custom was known as “going-a-souling” and was eventually practiced only by the children who would visit the houses in their neighborhoods and be given gifts of ale, food, and money.
The Halloween Costume
In Druid belief, the lord of the dead Saman, would allow the recently departed that were found worthy, to return to human form by finding a human and occupying a living person. For this reason, many of the still-living would don masks and costumes to disguise themselves as fellow wandering spirits and thus avoid detection and possession. Such persons were known as “guisers” for their disguises.
In ancient times, it was believed that the spirits of the departed would return to visit their old homes during the festival of Samhain and later All Hallows Eve. People put out food for these spirits and arranged chairs for a place to rest. It was believed this tradition eventually evolved into persons masquerading themselves as the departed spirits and journeying from door-to-door begging treats.
Fruits & Nuts
Handing out of fruits and nuts may have originated from Pomona Day, named for the Roman goddess of fruits, trees, gardens, harvests, and fertility.
Fruits and nuts were used during divination games to discern future events.
Bobbing for Apples
The Romans viewed the apple as a sacred symbol of their goddess Pomona.
Apple ducking or bobbing-for-apples as we say today was a divination game used to predict future love and marriage.
Apple ducking represented soul symbols (apples) in the “Cauldron of Regeneration” (the water) similar to the lord of the dead gathering dead souls to regenerate those who had been condemned to inhabit animals for the past year.
Another divination game with the apple had a girl peeling an apple with her back to a mirror in which an apparition of her future husband was believed to appear.
Telling Fortunes - Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death.
Telling Ghost Stories
Telling of ghost stories appears to have a bit more modern roots. Early records show Colonial America Halloween festivities to include the telling of ghost stories.
Mischief & Playing Tricks
The Celts believed that the ghosts of the dead who returned to earth on the night of Oct. 31st caused trouble and damaged crops. They also believed that their gods played tricks on them.
Witches
Witches can be traced back to the time of the Celts where they were considered wise healers knowledgeable in the arts of medicine known today as sorcery.
It was the Christian church that first painted the witch as an ugly old hag with a warted nose who cast spells and charms over good men and women.
Considered a cohort of the devil, witches were associated with cats, bats, and spiders.
Modern day witches practice Wicca, a pagan religion that worships nature, the mother earth as Gaia, and personifies Romans 1:25 which tells of worshiping the creation instead of the Creator.
Black Cats
The Druids believed that during the festival of Samhain, ghosts, spirits, fairies, witches, elves, and all sorts of supernatural manifestations emerged to harm the living. It was believed that for their evil deeds during life, people were transformed into cats – especially black cats.
Later Catholic traditions blended with Celtic belief and eventually turned the cat into a witch’s familiar spirit, along with the belief that the witch herself held mystical knowledge to transform herself into the form of a cat.
Bonfires
“In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain eve was observed on October 31, at the end of summer. (It) was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits…The souls of the dead were thought to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about." (Encyclopedia Britannica).
Often people were thrown into the fires and to their death during the festivals. Such acts were seen as sacrifices to the gods. The next day, all that would be left were the bones of the people sacrificed leading to the fires being called bone-fires from which we get our modern word bonfire.
Parades & Parties
Celtic priestesses would roam the countryside chanting in order to frighten away evil spirit believed to be roaming about on All-Hallow’s Eve.
The Celts, Scots, and Welsh built bonfires for parading, dancing and merry-making. The Scots assembled marriage-minded young people for divination games. This practice was brought to America and became play and Halloween parties.
Understanding God’s View Concerning pagan practices, God says in Jeremiah 10:2-3: “Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of the heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain.” Notice that this verse not only addresses pagan practices in general, but also is specific concerning divination? “Dismayed at the signs of the heavens” refers to astrology or fortunetelling by way of the stars in the sky or heavens. God’s view on fortunetelling and divination is abundantly clear in Deuteronomy 18:9-12 in which God calls divination “detestable.”"When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations.” Deuteronomy 18:9 God’s warning to not participate in pagan practices is repeated in Leviticus 18:3 as God is preparing His people to enter the land of Canaan: “You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.” (NASB) And as if to make doubly-sure that His message is absolutely clear, God repeats Himself in Leviticus 18:30 by saying... “Thus you are to keep My charge, that you do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you, so as not to defile yourselves with them; I am the LORD your God.” (NASB) God also addresses taking pagan practices and calling then holy so as to make them permissible. Consider His words in Ezekiel 22:26... "Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” This specifically addresses the arguments that Halloween is just childish fun and harmless. The idea that a pagan rooted celebration honoring a pagan god of the dead can be washed clean of its pagan roots and simply by arguing that Halloween is nothing more than a fun time for children is foolishness. You cannot make a pagan holiday holy by declaring it so, by dressing children in cartoon-character costumes, or by taking the celebration off the streets and moving it into a church fellowship hall. Now with that said, take care to not become legalistic with that knowledge. Understanding the dangers of pagan rooted rituals, symbols, and gods is important but not as important as listening to what God would have you do with the knowledge. Let The Holy Spirit be your guide. Who is the Lord of the Dead?
As we have seen, the historical origin of Halloween is rooted in pagan celebrations of Saman – the Druid’s lord of the dead, but who does the Bible recognize as lord of the dead?
According to Hebrews 2:14 the Bible recognizes Satan, the devil as lord of the dead but only in the past tense!
“…that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”
So, if the devil is no longer the lord of the dead, who is? None other than Jesus Christ Himself as verified in Romans 14:9...
“For to this end Christ died and lived again, the He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
If we choose to celebrate the lord of the dead, then we must be celebrating the resurrected Jesus Christ and not the dead gods of the fallen world – for He alone has power over death.
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? It is up to you and your family to choose whom you will celebrate and whom you will serve. If you wish to honor God through your choices and be true to His word, then consider what God says about celebrating pagan holidays... Joshua 24:15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…” Leviticus 18:30 “…do not practice any of the abominable customs which have been practiced before you.” Jeremiah 10:2-3 “Learn not the way of the heathen…For the customs of the people are vain.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Colossians 3:17 – “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Click the play button to begin video lesson and follow along with the lesson notes below the video window.
Where is America? Why is America missing from end-time prophecy?
In end-time prophecy, the greatest nation on Earth, the United States of America is conspicuously missing. Where is America?
Has America fallen under a judgment called abandonment?
The answer may lie in Romans Chapter One.
Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Rom 1:19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Rom 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Rom 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. Rom 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, Rom 1:27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. Rom 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, Rom 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, Rom 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, Rom 1:31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; Rom 1:32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.God’s Primary Jealousy God’s primary jealousy is His role as Creator. Not to be confused with redemption. To understand redemption you have to have the word of God, but the creation testifies of itself.
Exo 34:14 For ye shall not worship strange gods, for the Lord God, a jealous name, is a jealous God;
Psa 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
The Creation Testifies Unto Itself Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
What does “invisible” mean?
Is a beautiful sunset invisible?
Is a majestic mountain range invisible?
Thoughts, ideas, and intelligence are invisible.
Does creation has physical properties? (ie: height, width, length, mass)
Can creation can be examined, measured, and weighed?
What is are the physical properties of information?
Information is Not Physical If information has no physical properties, how can the environment have an effect upon it? How can information evolve?
Ideas, language, communication, mathematics, and information are the products of intelligent thought and cannot occur by accident.
Information cannot exist apart from intelligent thought.
Defining Information What is information?
A Method of communication – a means of expressing and sharing ideas and thoughts
A method of giving instructions & guidance
A language that has no physical properties such as weight, mass, or volume.
As a language, information is proof of intelligent thought and cannot exist as an accident of randomness.
Science has discovered that DNA is a digital language made up of protein pairs that function as 1s and 0s do in binary computer languages. DNA – Creation’s Testimony
Of hundreds of known amino acids, only twenty are utilized in living systems in the construction of proteins.
DNA is like a master blueprint.
RNA is like a backup file.
Proteins are the workhorses.
DNA – A Digital Code
Proteins can only be paired with the proper pairing partner, preventing errors.
Each protein pair contains polarity.
Proteins are arranged in groups of polarized pairs each holding a copy of the RNA information. These groups store the information in a way that is similar to the way binary code stores digital information in computers. DNA – Digital Information The building blocks of all life are a digital language containing digital information, yet evolutionists would have you believe this complex language of digital information happened by accident. While evolutionists argue the existence of God, their own beliefs have replaced God with chaos or entropy, meaning disorder, and in their own way, they have simply replaced the one true God with a false god. The Abandonment Judgment The judgment of abandonment is a specific judgment that is poured out on a nation that fails to acknowledge God as Creator. Notice that this is a judgment of a nation, also sometimes called a people, but not a judgment of an individual.
The Abandonment Judgment is clearly seen in Hosea 4:6-7.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Hos 4:7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.
God Gave Them Over God gave them over:
Rom 1:24 “God gave them over to the lusts in their hearts”
Rom 1:26 “God gave them over to degrading passions”
Rom 1:28 “God gave them over to a depraved mind”
This is God’s response. He gave them over or abandoned them, buy why? What condition warrants the abandonment judgment? The Public Condoning of Sin Rom 1:32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. (NASB) Rom 1:32 In short, though knowing full well the sentence which God pronounces against actions such as theirs, as things which deserve death, they not only practice them, but even encourage and applaud others who do them. (Weymouth NT - 1912) It’s not sin alone that justifies this judgment, but rather it’s a people or a nation that gives its approval and even encourages the sin. So how does a nation or a people condone sin? In America, it’s done by passing laws declaring sin legal and acceptable. America is Condoning Sin – Evolution
Evolution – Denies God as the Creator
Evolution is taught in public schools as fact.
Teaching creation in public schools was outlawed in 1963.
America is Condoning Sin – Abortion
Legalized abortion – Publically Condones Murder
According to the book of Enoch, abortion was taught to man by the fallen angel Kasdeja who revealed heaven’s forbidden knowledge by teaching man how to “smite the embryo in the womb.”
When God breathed the breath of life into man in Gen 2:7, some theologians interpret the verse in the plural as in “the breath of lives” meaning that God, the Creator, breathed the spirits of all men into Adam, the first man. This offers insight into Jeremiah 1:5 which says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;” and Eph 1:4 "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." The smiting of the embryo in the womb is killing a life already created and known to God which is exactly what God’s word says the evil one will do in John 10:10 when he comes to kill, steal, and destroy.
Approximately 56.4 million abortions have been performed in the US since becoming legal 40 years ago in 1973.
The number of American babies killed by abortion each year is roughly equal to the number of U.S. military deaths that have occurred in all of the wars that the United States has ever been involved in combined.
Planned Parenthood performs more than 300,000 abortions every single year.
Planned Parenthood received more than 540 million dollars in taxpayer-funded government health services grants for fiscal year ending June 30, 2013.
America is Condoning Sin - Drugs
Legalized drugs usage (ie: Medical Marijuana) – Condones Sorcery
As of June 2014, 23 states plus the District of Columbia have enacted laws to legalize medical marijuana.
An additional three states have legislation pending.
Psychotropic drugs fall under the sorcery leg of witchcraft and the spirit of pharmakia, which is the root word from which we get pharmacy.
America is Condoning Sin – Same-Sex Marriage
Legalized Same-Sex Marriage – Perverts God’s Marriage Covenant
Nineteen US states have laws supporting same-sex marriage
Thirty-one US states have laws banning same-sex-marriage
Twelve US states with same-sex marriage bans are in court on appeals of rulings overturning the bans.
America is Condoning Sin – Breaking the Marriage Covenant
Divorce is the breaking of the Marriage Covenant – Acceptance of divorce in America condones the breaking of covenant.
Actual divorce rates in the US are known and reported figures are subject to the interpreter of the data. Most analysts will agree that the divorce rate in the US is somewhere around 50%.
Separation of Church and State In 1902, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptists. “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" thus building a wall of eternal separation between Church & State.” (See full text at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpost.html ) 1 st Court Challenge In 1853, a political reform group quotes Jefferson’s letter and petitions Congress to separate Christian principles from government. They wanted “separation of church and state” by expelling chaplains from Congress and the military. Congress debated the issue for nearly a year and on March 27, 1854 issued a report that read: “Had the people (the Founding Fathers], during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that revolution would have been strangled in its cradle. At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and the amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, but not anyone sect [denomination}.... That was the religion of the founders of the republic, and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.” Two months later in May of 1854, the judiciary committee released the following statement: “The great, vital, and conservative element in our system [the thing that holds our system together] is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”2 nd Court Challenge During the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s, a second group, again quoting Jefferson’s letter, attempted to challenge specific Christian principles in government before the Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court remained firm in their allowance of Christian principles in government. 50 Years Later… Then in 1947, in Emerson vs. the United States, the court, instead of quoting Jefferson’s full letter, the court only quoted the eight words, “a wall of separation between church and state,” and began declaring this was the founding fathers will that – the First Amendment has erected “a wall of separation between church and state: That wall must be kept high and impregnable.” This ruling laid the foundation for the 1962 case Engle vs. Vitale in which the court completely separated education from Christian principles by ruling against prayer in public schools. America Rules Against God Another 1962 court ruling redefined the word “church” when used in context with separation of church and state from “a federally established denomination” to “a religious activity in public.” In 1963 the courts outlawed Bible reading and teaching in public schools. Current Events Rejecting God & Condoning Sin Walls are built a brick at a time and while adding a single brick appears insignificant, before long there is an impregnable wall of separation between the nation and God. Air Force Allows Airmen to Omit “God” from Oath
Air Force allows Airmen to omit “God” from oath.
US Air Force Oath of Enlistment "I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
Legal letter to the Air Force, “The Establishment Clause specifically prohibits the government from requiring a non-believer to take an oath that affirms the existence of God.” – Monica Miller, Attorney Appignani Legal Center
EBT Welfare Buys Marijuana“HHS has no authority to prescribe policies and practices for the states to implement in order to prohibit the use of TANF benefit cards at marijuana stores.” – HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, July 31, 2014 God is Just 2Th 1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you. Psa 25:8 God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction. - (The Message) God is a just God. He will not judge one people one way and a different people a different way. His judgment will be the same. God has already demonstrated His judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, which was total destruction. God will not look at America and treat her differently for the same sins. Speaking of his late wife Ruth, Rev Billy Graham said, "When she (Ruth) finished a section (of a book) describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” Graham went on to say "Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone—except God. Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control. My heart aches for America and its deceived people." In America today, activists have decided that any mention of God in public somehow threatens the rights of religious minorities. Now, it’s no longer freedom of religion, now it is freedom from religion - they claim they have a right to be free from any mention of religion. Israel — America’s Saving Grace Why hasn’t God already judged America? Many theologians believe it is because of God’s covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:3. Gen 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."State of the Union Is the abandonment judgment the reason America is not seen in end-time prophecy? If one considers the qualifications for this judgment, America is more than qualified.
America has rejected God as Creator giving credit of the creation that testifies of itself, to blind chance and accident.
America has removed God from schools by banning prayer and the teaching of His word.
America publically condones and financially supports the murder of innocent life.
America is publically condoning drug use, a form of witchcraft.
America is perverting God’s marriage covenant by publically condoning same-sex marriage.
America publically condones the breaking of the marriage covenant.
Brick-by-brick, America continues building a wall of separation between this nation and its Creator.
Should America’s support for Israel ever falter, this nation may come under fullness of the judgment of abandonment.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hos 4:7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.Tremble for Your Country“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” — Thomas Jefferson
What's Next?
If you enjoyed this lesson, we encourage you to consider enrolling in a degree program at the International College of Ministry. Click here for information on enrollment.
You may be closer to a degree than you realize. Find out now how you can receive your degree from ICM College. Request your FREE evaluation today.
Click the play button to begin video lesson and follow along with the lesson notes below the video window.
What Does it Mean to Have a Demon?
What is a demon?
The Bible is unclear as to the origin of demons. Some theologians believe they are the spirits of a pre-Adamic race while others believe them to be fallen angels or even the offspring of fallen angels. Whatever their origin, it is clear through Jesus’ ministry that demon spirits hold man in bondage in both mind and body.
What does it mean to “have” a demon?
Demons see man as a “home” – a place to reside.
Mat 12:43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Mat 12:44 "Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
Luk 11:21 "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luk 11:22 "But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. Luk 11:23 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. Luk 11:24 "When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'
Can a Christian Have a Demon? A Christian can have a dog and a Christian can have a cold. A Christian may also have a demon, but a demon is nothing like a cute little puppy. A good analogy of a demon is influenza or the flu. The flu is an infection that makes you sick. It doesn’t own you and you don’t own it but its effect over you can be devastating sometimes even to death. If you have the flu, you treat the infection so that you will be free of the illness. Demons are much the same way, however unlike the flu, knowing how you got a demon can help in getting rid of it. Can a Christian “have” a demon? Argument: Light cannot dwell with darkness (2Co 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?) – This refers to marriage & relationships, not evil in the temple.
The body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, but do we still sin?
Gal 3:1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of His death on the cross. (NLT)
If God’s Truth is foolishness to the man of the world (1Co 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.) and all spiritual truth is discerned through the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.), then these Galatians had to know Christ when evil came upon them.
Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity is Daughter of Abraham Luk 13:11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. Luk 13:12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your sickness." Luk 13:13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. Luk 13:16 "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?"Can Unbelievers Have a Demon? Mat 12:45 "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation." (Emphasis Added)Where Do Demons Do Their Work? If we look at scriptures detailing how demons work, we see that they attack the mind and body as seen in:
the lunatic boy (Mat 17:14),
the man with the Legion (Mark 5:9)
the woman with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11)
the man who couldn’t speak (Mat 9:32)
Robert L. of GreatBibleStudy.com wrote, “What do demons do to people? Many people believe that only the extreme cases of mental problems are caused by demons, or that you have to be heavily involved in the occult or Satanism in order to have demons, but the Bible is clear that this is not true. The Bible speaks of perfectly sane people who have been crippled by demons. It is perfectly normal to have absolutely no demons affecting your mind in any way, and still have a demon. The Bible speaks of people who were perfectly sane, who Jesus cast spirits of deafness or dumbness, even blindness or infirmities out of (Luke 13:11, Mark 9:25, Matthew 12:22)!” How Can a Christian Get a Demon? More often than not, a demon enters a believer’s life because the believer invites the demon to enter without realizing it. This is done through choices and acts that are in agreement with the nature of the demon which are in rebellion to God’s word and is often referred to as “opening a door” for a demon to enter. Ecc 10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Eph 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. Saul was tormented by an evil spirit only after he rebelled against God. (see 1Sa 16:14, 19:9)Do Open Doors Guarantee a Demon will Enter? No, an open door is an opportunity for a demon to enter. It’s possible to have an open door through which no demon enters. However, the longer the door remains open, the greater the possibility a demon will take advantage of it. Believers may also encounter demons that are rebelling against God’s work in the believer’s life. For example, while writing this lesson, the spirits of distraction and procrastination worked to slow my progress and delay me. What about unbelievers? Unbelievers have no protection and live in captivity to all forms of demonic bondage including generational curses, however because all spiritual truth is discerned through the Holy Spirit and spiritual truths appear as foolishness to the man of the world, demonic influence is not recognized and is dismissed as foolishness. What Does it Mean to be Possessed? In teaching on demon possession, Robert L. of Great Bible Study writes, “Another misconception is that a person who is demon possessed is owned and fully operated by a demon. This is not true either… You can be perfectly sane, and yet have a demon. The word possessed in the NT Greek actually means to be under the power of a demon or to have a demon. This is like being under the power or influence of alcohol, the more you drink, the more you come under it's control. (The) Same is true with demonic bondage, the more bondage you are in, the more you will come under that demon's influence or control.” “The Bible makes it clear that there are different kinds of demons that cause different problems the person to whom they dwell. Some demons cause blindness, others cause deafness, others cause madness (mental illness), others cause fear and depression (King Saul), others cause epilepsy (Matthew 17:15-21), and so fourth. Therefore, if a person is under the power of a spirit of blindness, they won't see (Matthew 12:22), if they are under the power of a spirit of infirmity, they will have some sort of physical infirmity (Luke 13:11), if they are under the power of a spirit of fear, they will be fearful, or if they are under the power of a spirit of anger, they will have uncontrollable anger.” Should Demons be Cast Out of Unbelievers? Deliverance from demonic possession is for believers, not non-believers. Jesus warns us against expelling demons from a non-believers in Mat 12:45: Mat 12:45 "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." The spiritual covering or hedge-of-protection around a believer comes from right standing with God or righteousness through the cross. It’s this protection that prevents an expelled spirit from returning to its house. Non-believers do not know Christ and cannot claim this protection. This is why Jesus warns us that the state of the man will become worse. The only way to receive protection is to come under the blood of the cross. What Does Demon Possession Feel Like? While God’s Word tells us much about demons, it does not tell us what it feels like to be under the influence of a dark spirit. Why would you want to know what a demon feels like? So you are better equipped to recognize a demonic possession, its behaviors, and its symptoms when you encounter them. What Does a Demon Possession Feel Like?
You feel like something else is in control of your mind & body
You don’t feel like your choices are yours
You do things you really don’t want to do, but for some reason you do them anyway.
You feel certain physical ailments that appear without reason that feel out of place.
No matter how hard you try, you can’t get something out of your mind.
Feelings sometimes overwhelm you that are disproportional with the reality of a situation.
You have a deep and dark hunger to do something you’re ashamed to admit.
Do Demons Make You Crazy? James 1:7 refers to a “double-minded man.” Frank and Ida Mae Hammond, authors of Pigs in the Parlor, dedicate a portion of their deliverance ministry to free people from the double-mindedness of the spirit of schizophrenia. This type of demonic possession manifests as insanity but is rare when compared to spirits that commonly torment believers such as the spirits of illegitimacy, rejection, and unworthiness. Jas 1:7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, Jas 1:8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Another verse that gives insight into the mental state of demonic possession is when Jesus cast out the spirit Legion from the man from the tombs. After the man was freed of his demonic possession, we see him in described in Mark 5:15. Notice his state of mind in this verse. Mar 5:15 They *came to Jesus and *observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the "legion"; and they became frightened. Notice the man is now “in his right mind” after being delivered from the demonic possession. Are There Different Kinds of Demons? There are many different kinds of demons. Many are identified by what they do and often their manifestation mirrors their name. The bible names a few demon spirits by name but not all. Among them are the spirit of heaviness and the spirit of Jezebel. There are many, many more. Apart from their names, I have constructed a broad categorization of demon spirits that I have encountered. By no means should you consider this a comprehensive list, only one that reflects my own personal experience.
Physical – Can control your body and/or can fill a body cavity
Mental – Affects conditions of the mind including incorrect thinking and strongholds
Familiar – A behavior that appears necessary or one you’re comfortable with. ie: suspicion = safety
Oppressive – Witchcraft spirits of rebellion that are often in direct rebellion of Christ’s completed work on the cross. ie: heaviness, unworthiness, illegitimacy, abandonment, rejection, guilt, shame, suicide, condemnation, etc.
Resistance – An obstacle ie: confusion, distraction, procrastination
Fleshly – Lusts & Desires of the Flesh ie: Jezabel, pleasures of the self or flesh
Power – Compels you to comply ie: power, control, intimidation, manipulation
Sorcery – Alters the mind’s perception examples include nicotine, pharmakia, & drugs
ICM's Top 10 Signs That You May Have a Demon Please watch the video to hear ICM's Top 10 List. How Do I Know if I Have a Demon?
If there is uneasiness in your spirit – this is the voice of the Holy Spirit. The feeling is sometimes called “grieving.” It’s an uncomfortable feeling that doesn’t feel “right” as if something was out-of-place but you can’t put your finger on it.
If you have the spiritual gift of discernment of spirits, listen for the spirit’s name.
Listen closely to your own words. Sometimes without realizing it, you may speak the spirit’s name or acknowledge its bondage over you. If you find yourself saying things like, “I’ve never been able to….” or “This always happens,” you may be seeing the fruit of demonic bondage in the form of a scheme.
Look for patterns in your life where certain situations seem to repeat themselves. For example, maybe you are prone to accidents and dismiss it by saying your clumsy. The reality may be that you’re in bondage to a scheme of infirmity.
Look for results that seem out-of-place. For example, perhaps every job you ever had you’ve only been able to advance so far and no farther as if there were a glass ceiling over you. The ceiling may actually be a scheme or curse of insufficiency.
How Do I Get Rid of a Demon? To answer this question in its completeness, we would have to discuss the full spectrum of deliverance ministry, however the short answer is you already have freedom through Jesus, you simply need to receive what He has already provided - you’re not in right standing with God. Jesus declared His work perfect and complete. Your freedom has already been provided, somewhere along the way though, you made a choice and stepped out from under God’s hedge of protection over you and opened a door that allowed a demon spirit to enter. Do you remember the verse that talked about how a demon will return to its house to find it swept clean and put in order? Mat 12:44 "Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. How exactly is that done – sweeping a house and putting it in order? If your soul, part of which is your mind, is upswept and cluttered, how exactly do you clean your house? You clean house by stepping back into right standing with God – back under His spiritual covering and protection – back into righteousness which means right standing with God. I’ve prepared a guide to assist you in cleaning your house. The guide will tell you what God’s word requires of you and then ask you if you agree with it. If you do agree with it, then the guide gives you a proclamation you may read aloud to proclaim your agreement with God’s word. You may download your own copy of ICM's House Cleaning Guide Here. The enemy doesn’t like this at all. He’ll try to corrupt your house cleaning by getting you to think your righteousness comes from the words you speak. That is a lie. Your righteousness comes from Jesus Christ and Him alone. God’s word tells us that the Word was made flesh – that’s Jesus. God’s word tells us that His Word is the truth – so, the Word of God is the Truth. Jesus said “I am the way and the Truth.” If God’s Word is the Truth and Jesus is the Truth, then Jesus and God’s Word are one in the same. When you speak your proclamations in faith, you’re not just speaking words - you’re speaking Jesus Himself into and over your life. This is what brings you back into righteousness and right standing with God. The house cleaning guide is not a one-size to fit all situations. Many will experience immediate deliverance from an oppressive spirit by cleaning their home while and others will need follow up counseling and personal ministry. ICM College offers Christian Counseling services. Please contact us for more information if you feel you need additional counseling or seek counseling from the leadership in your own church. Can a Demon Come Back After It Has Been Cast Out? Jesus said in John 8:31-32 "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; Joh 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Notice that Jesus links your freedom in Him with your continuing in His word. Freedom from demons and their oppressions is yours if you abide in God’s word. Know however, that God gave us free will including free will to sin again. The evil spirit of the Lord that tormented Saul shows us what happens when we choose to sin. If you choose to continue in God’s word, the demonic door will remain closed and locked and you will remain free. If you choose to sin and open the demonic door, your demon spirit may return to its home to find it swept clean and put in order.
