BIBLICAL BRIEFS 87
One of the most dangerous myths established by the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements is that the devil is identified as the number one enemy and has to be bind in most situations. We know the mantra: “Satan, I bind you in the Name of Jesus. We declare that you have no power … “, and that which follows. But like a slippery Houdini, the devil, and his envoys, have always managed to, unexplainably escape the millions of Christians worldwide who are trying to bind them. Even though I have also enthusiastically participated in this so called spiritual warfare, I have always wondered how the demons manage to loosen themselves after being bound by us. Even though the binding did not change anything, we always continued with greater effort. In the same way, we prayed for specific demon-infested areas and undertook prayer walks for months, years, and in some cases decades, to drive out evil from specific areas (muttering Jos. 1:3 while doing so). We initiated prayer vigils right through the night and initiated ongoing prophetic actions, built prayer altars and called victory over the demonic powers and strongholds. We fought the evil strong men and dealt with every territorial spirit. Yet, in our environments, there were very little change, if any, for that which we so faithfully drenched in prayer. One could still find loan sharks around the corner, there was continued prostitution, theft, adultery, and children who died of hunger and neglect. The mythology concerning the devil received undeserved mileage in the creative imagination of frantically-zealous believers. They anoint their houses with litres and litres of olive oil (appropriately pressed in Israel) and sprinkle salt where they thought they should cleanse a scene. They anointed their cars and put a sticker: ‘Protected by Ps 91’ on it. And yet the thieves climbed through the slippery anointed window and drove away with the car, sticker and all. Brother continued watching pornography on his shining anointed computer screen. I saw in the newspaper Greta Wiid even anointed her unfaithful husband’s jockeys. Goodness gracious! In the newspaper, Beeld, a Christian writes that Satan has an agreement with Chinese manufactures to print Superhero clothing and export it to South Africa, and when our children wear it, Satan gets control over their souls. For goodness sake! Someone who receives the Bible Briefs asked why I am using question marks, because it looks like a reversed cocks claws, which, if I don’t know, is a Satanic symbol. Am I maybe from the other kingdom??? Paul is absolutely on point in 2Cor. 2:11 – we are truly ignorant of Satan’s wiles and intentions. We are religiously deceived. Sadly, it is true: “wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie” (2Th. 2:10-11). We most certainly have to “come to our senses, and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2Tim. 2:26).
Dr Tom Gouws
