SEDUCING SPIRITS

WELCOME TO PASTOR DR. CARLOTTA'S COUNSELING CENTER.

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving head to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils;" I Timothy 4:1.

These strongmen are especially active in the last days of our age as evil becomes nearly irresistible. Their prime target is people who have accepted Christ as their Savior. Satan plays both ends against the middle. If he can't entice Christians with the usual sins, he uses false religions to entangle them. For varied reasons these blood-washed believers depart from the faith and embrace religions invented by devils.

We are seeing an invasion in the United States of foreign, off-beat demonic religions and even one that brazenly states that it is the church of Satan. All of these religions will eventually culminate in the world-wide religion the false prophet will employ to elevate the Antichrist to his position of world leader.

How exactly does Satan seduce a Christian? "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" James 1:14, 15.

This is the identical tactic Satan used on Eve in the Garden of Eden. The lure or temptation was dangled before her eyes by the Serpent. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired make one wise she took of the fruit thereof, and eat and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" Genesis 3:6.

Only when she allowed her lust or fleshly desire to RESPOND to the lure did she sin. When temptation moved into the action state it became sin.

WEAKNESS THAT OPEN DOORS! After the evil spirits have located the Christian's weaknesses of the flesh they concentrate specifically in those area. If the believer repents of his sin, God forgives him. But if he doesn't and continues sinning, he opens himself more and more for the evil spirits to dominate his mind and body.

He has left an open door for Satan interprets as an invitation to continue his activities. Other related spirits may join the originals and the Christian is bound more tightly until he finds it difficult to respond to God as he once did. His spirit desires to be free, but any effort to seek God brings him back around to the sin that is dominating his life.

NEUTRALIZATION: He is not POSSESSED by a demon, but he is so harassed and oppressed by the sin and accompanying demonic activity that he is neutralized as far as any spiritual progress is concerned. I have seen Christians neutralized by sickness, economic problems, unsaved relatives, fear, heaviness and spiritual pride to name a few.

Let's suppose, for instance, that you ask one of these Christians about making a mission pledge. Their answer will immediately reveal the particular area where they are being dominated by the enemy. "Oh no, my finances are in terrible shape now. I would be afraid to make such a commitment. Besides, my husband is unsaved and he wouldn't like for me to do that. And we have had a lot of sickness lately so you know how it is."

This person is probably saved and wants to go to heaven, but she is so locked in place by things which normal Christian overcome by faith in God's Word that her effectiveness for God's Work has been reduced to absolute zero! All she wants to talk about are HER problems.

"But the things you mentioned don't sound so sinful to me," someone says, "economic problems, fear, unsaved relatives and sickness." But listen carefully, they are sinful if they keep the person from doing what God wants them to do. Lets, analyze why Mrs. Neutralized Christian has those problems.

Her financial lack stems from an inability to control her credit card spending. Time after time she commits the sin of "credit card" or spending more than she should on things she really doesn't need. Remember, Eve "saw" that the fruit was good for food and "pleasant" to the eye. A sin that I struggled with for years!

Because of sin Mrs. Neutralized Christian doesn't help the Mission's program and souls go to Hell because no missionaries were able to reach them with the Gospel. I think that is serious, wouldn't you agree?

UNSAVED RELATIVES: We've already covered weakness, fear and infirmity so let's look at the last excuse, unsaved relatives. In a large number of cases where the husband or wife are not saved, it can many times be traced to some problem in the Christian partner's life. There are some Christian woman who prefer that their husbands remain unsaved so they will have a ready-made excuse for any failure, in their Christian life. The whole situation blows up in their faces, however, when the unsaved partner, by some miracle, does get saved.

Sometimes they spend the rest of their lives being a thorn in the now-saved partner's side.

THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN: most carnally-minded or neutralized Christians remain in an area of spiritual neutralization where they aren't happy either In or OUT of the church. Pity the poor pastor who attempts such a church member for it is nearly impossible.

The carnal Christian will usually get his feelings hurt by something or someone and quit the church in a huff. Here is no point where many "depart from the faith." They are set up for the kill: living carnally, angry at the pastor or a fellow church member, still having a up-beat attractive religion and Mr. and Mrs. Neutralized Christian are swept right into it before they can blink their eyes!

FALSE SIGNS AND WONDERS: Other Christian are attracted by false prophets working false signs and wonders. "For false Christ and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." Mark 13:22.

When we follow signs instead of God's Word, we will have more trouble than we can handle. And the average Christian today is neglecting the reading and the hearing of the Word for a hundred different reasons. That makes them prime candidates for seducing spirits to exploit. Without God's Word to guide them they are hopelessly astray.

Speaking of the false prophet who will operate during the Great Tribulation we are told that, "...he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the Earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;" Revelation 13:13, 14. We are seeing the build up of that time in world history now. Only those who live carefully, according to God's Word will be able to sense the true direction he should choose.

Music has a subtle affect on people who are unaware of its power. I am amazed at Christians who think nothing of listening to Country and Western, Rock and Roll, and even some popular music whose lyrics are laced with filth, adultery, occultism. drugs, homosexuality and anti-God overtones.

Their teenage children are allowed to frolic in that satanic cesspool as though it were nothing but harmless nursery rhymes. They wonder why their homes resemble padded cells at the State asylum for the mentally ill and their children want nothing to do with the things of God. My friends, we can't play in garbage and not end up smelling like garbage.

Much of the music on the top 40 charts has been written by witches and people actively involved in the occult. Some of the biggest hit records were not released until they were 'blessed" in a witch's coven. They entreat demonic spirits to go with each record and be a direct influence on the minds and lives of the listeners.

The seducing beats of the music is the same as that used in the jungles to conjure up evil spirits and cast voodoo spells. The latest trick is the use of back-masking to implant subliminal suggestions in the listener's mind without them being aware if it

Deception id the name of the game in these last days. Yet, believers are lined up at the theaters to see the latest offering of demon-inspired movies. Paul warned Timothy,"...that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despises of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou has learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" II Timothy 3:2-5; 13-15.

THE KEY TO FAITH!!!!!!! The key to keeping the faith in these dangerous times is God's Word! "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" II Corinthians 10:3-5.

When we discipline or mind to think according to the way Of God thinks, it shuts and locks the door of our minds to Satan's temptation. Also it is a fact that our mind is capable of thinking on only one thought at a time. If Satan tries to interject his thoughts or temptations, it is then necessary to forcibly reject those thoughts and begin to think on the things of God.

The Word directs us to think on the holy, just, the good reports, the things of virtue, etc. We dare not let our mind drift into just ANY thought it happens to like or desire.

PRAYER

"Dear Father, forgive me for allowing the world to creep into my heart and life. I can see how deceptive the enemy is and I know only Your Word can guide me through the spiritual mine field that lie ahead. I promise to read Your Word each day and seek Your guidance for my life."

"Satan in the Name of Jesus, I bind your seducing spirits according to Matthew 18:18 that says, '...whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:' I realize you are trying to cause me to depart from the faith so I command you to leave me along from this moment on. I have chosen to follow Jesus and that leaves you OUT, Satan. Go in the Name of Jesus."

"Thank you Jesus for freeing me now from the evil spirits that were trying to deceive me. I loose Your Holy Spirit in my life according to Matthew 18:18. I thank you for giving me the victory over every power of the enemy and I appropriate the mind of Christ to be mine according to Your promises. AMEN."