glad tidings 14.1
DESCRIPTION
January/February 2010TRANSCRIPT
Volume 14, Issue 1 January/February 2010
Glad Tidings
Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8
2
Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings is published six times per year by
Living Hope International Ministries
458 Old Niskayuna Road,
Latham, New York 12110 USA
Office 518.785.8888
Fax 518.785.1990
E-mail [email protected]
Website www.kingdomready.org
Glad Tidings is mailed free
to anyone who requests it.
Scriptures are taken from the
New American Standard Bible
unless otherwise noted.
March 19th - 21st
Kingdom Fest Weekend at Woodloch
————————————————
June 27th - July 3rd
Family Camp 2010 at Silver Bay
————————————————
July 25th - 30th
Teen Camp 2010 at Silver Bay
mark your calendar with
these important dates!!
Glad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad Tidings
January/February 2010
Something to Consider ....................... p. 3
by Vince Finnegan
Way of Being As A Christian ............. p. 4
by Mary Ann Yaconis
Revere God’s Name ........................... p. 6
by Vince Finnegan
Interpreting Jesus’ Birth .................... p. 8
by Sean Finnegan
Congo Connection .............................. p. 12
by Richard and Cheryl Elton
Demonology ......................................... p.14
by Vince Finnegan
3
H appiness, or the pursuit thereof, seems
to be a primary impetus for
determining behavior. The variety and
extreme things that people do to gain
happiness are breathtaking. The pursuit often
leads us to sinful conduct such as gluttony,
greed, covetousness, and lust which cause
misery rather than happiness. The epistle of
Timothy says that such harmful desires
plunge men into ruin and destruction,
piercing themselves with many sorrows. True
happiness can be found, according to the
Scriptures, but not the way the majority
would consider.
Psalms 144:15 (KJV) “…happy is that people,
whose God is the LORD [Yahweh].”
Psalms 146:5 (KJV) “Happy is he that hath
the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is
in the LORD [Yahweh] his God.”
Proverbs 3:13 and 18 (KJV) “Happy is the
man that findeth wisdom, and the man that
getteth understanding… She is a tree of life
to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is
every one that retaineth her.”
Proverbs 14:21 (KJV) “He that despiseth his
neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on
the poor, happy is he.”
Proverbs 16:20 (KJV) “He that handleth a
matter wisely shall find good: and whoso
trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.”
Proverbs 28:14 (KJV) “Happy is the man that
feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart
shall fall into mischief.”
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) “Where there is no
vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth
the law, happy is he.”
Jesus talked about happiness at the last
supper after he washed the feet of the
disciples. He told them his actions served as
an example that they were to follow, and if
they did – “happy are ye if ye do them.”
Jesus often spoke paradoxically. For the most
part, people think that happiness would come
while being served and certainly not by
serving others. The Sermon on the Mount
begins with the beatitudes which give the
impression of also being paradoxical and
place happiness on a high and holy plane.
Each of the godly attitudes mentioned begin
with the word “blessed” which is very similar
to “happy.” The blessedness he spoke of,
though, seems to be infinitely higher and
better than mere happiness. Jesus puts before
us that moral quality and pure character
rather than outward activity provide
happiness. Humility, mourning, meekness,
mercy, hunger and thirst for righteousness,
and so on are the “stuff” of which happiness
is made.
The beginnings of a new year are a good time
to examine yourself and to realign priorities
to coincide with the commandments of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Living for the glory of
God with a view to the coming Kingdom is a
lifetime commitment that is accomplished on
a daily basis. Today is a great day to pursue
happiness God’s way. �
SOMETHING TO
CONSIDER
Pursuit of Happiness
4
M odern statistics show that Christians are as prone to divorce, mental illnesses, living together without marriage, out of wedlock children, and financial difficulties as those who do not accept Christ. Why should this be so? Statistics are not always accurate, and even if these particular ones aren’t exact, they are still alarming. Maybe just believing on Christ isn’t enough. Close attention and faithful hard work have to be given to our way of being as a Christian.
Romans 8: 12-13 “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Hearing about God and His Son Jesus Christ and accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior
provide the way for us to become children of God. So, if one believes on Christ, then shouldn’t everyday living be just fine with no marital issues, no financial problems, no frustrations and disappoint-ments, and no addictive behaviors? Too many times, Christians deny that they can have problems just because they have Christ. This denial puts Christians right into the hands of the evil one, Satan, who then deceives them into thinking that because they believe in God and Christ, they do not have to address poor relational and life skills. Our way of being a Christian, our life sermon that people see, cannot be dismissed as nonessential.
Romans 8:5 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
How do we pay attention to the activities of everyday
living, which are certainly those of the flesh – like jobs or relationships – and yet live according to the things of the Spirit? The Christian way of being is to be mindful of God’s ways and to have self-discipline to obey. The flesh and its cravings, hurts, pains, f rust ra t ions , and dis-appointments cannot be the impetus for how we interact with the world. If these ways of being appear to “control” behaviors, a look is needed into what is kept in our heart. The heart is where the issues of life emanate. One woman’s sister knew God’s Word and kept it in her heart. This helped her to see God’s goodness in their depraved situation.
Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie were in Ravensbruck, a concentration camp in Germany during World War II. Corrie and Betsie were Christians who hid Jews in their home and were turned in to the German police
by a “friend.” God provided for them to keep a section of Scripture which i n c l u d e d I The s sa lon ian s 5 : 1 8 , “ i n everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” In response, Corrie’s
(Continued on page 5)
Way Of Being as a Christian
by Mary Ann Yaconis
5
sister was thankful to God even for an overwhelming infestation of fleas in their barracks for which Corrie could not bring herself to be thankful. Later on, Corrie realized that the fleas were very godly because they kept the brutal guards out of the barracks which meant that Corrie and Betsie had freedom to teach fellow prisoners about God and Christ. It amazed Corrie that her sister could live above the circumstances and consistently maintain the Word of God in untenable situations. Financial ruin; a difficult job, friendship, or marital relations may appear like an infestation of fleas; yet, our responses to these situations must be according to the Scriptures.
Psa lms 119 :11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against you.”
Having God’s Word in our heart keeps us f rom s in . As difficulties come up: (a) take them to God in prayer for healing of wounds, (b) read Scriptures, and (c) resist old behaviors by developing godly new ones. Do I love my family as God would have me love? Do I steward my finances as God would have me? Am I putting time and effort into teaching and training my children/teens to be mature Christians? Do I find solace
and comfort in God and the Scriptures or in self-medications?
Christians have to be brutally honest with their lives. We can’t just think that the fleas do not exist or that they will just disappear. Life can be very hard and harsh, unfair and painful; yet, there is no pit so deep that God isn’t deeper still. Those whose way of being is faint of heart, hypocritical, and disingenuous will continue to be worldly statistics. God admonishes us that we are to live for Him, no matter in what infestation we find ourselves. We can rise above the world through living as Christ taught us.
Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
We are to suffer as a Christian for moving the gospel, not for unhappy in te rpe r sona l relationships and life skills problems. The Body of Christ is made up of those who love
God and strive to live together in unity. Yet, Christians have affairs; sexual, drug, and alcohol addictions; multiple angry outbursts; and emotional cutoffs from family and friends over offenses, just as unbelievers do. In fact, it has been said at times that those who are not Christians appear be kinder and more honest in business dealings than those who are supposed to be as Christ.
The Christian way of living is to be one of a much higher standard than that of the flesh or world. We are to love as Christ loved, be kind, tenderhearted, forgive, and not judge others, harbor bitterness,
nor desire fleshly desires. Loving God more than our own selves and being passionate about living the commandments of God will provide for us our way of being until Christ returns. We may feel like we are stuck in gooey, sticky clay, but waiting patiently for the LORD and living life honestly before Him, we will be delivered.
Psalms 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.” �
(Continued from page 4)
6
W hen I meet someone
for the first time,
usually I introduce
myself by saying, “Hello, my
name is Vince.” I cannot
remember a time when
someone argued with
me about my name or
refused to call me by
my name or
presumptuously decid-
ed to change it to suit
their liking. Such
behavior would be
unthinkable and off-
ensive. Yet, this is
exactly what happens to
Almighty God! He has
identified Himself by
name repeatedly, thousands of
times, in the Scriptures; yet,
most people do not know His
name. His seemingly devoted
followers refuse to speak or
write His name. In most Bibles,
His name has been replaced
with “LORD.” Those who do
refer to Him by name do so
with a name that some men
made up hundreds of years
after the writing of the Bible.
He is commonly called
Jehovah, which is a manmade
name! Some have a very
cavalier attitude about God’s
name and say, “What
difference does it make?”
When someone calls us by the
wrong name, we get offended.
If people forget our name, we
are tempted to think they do
not really value or care about
us. However, with God we
conclude what difference does
it make? God’s name is very,
very important and should be
known and revered by all
mankind. His name is YHWH
– pronounced Yahweh.
Exodus 3:15 God, furthermore,
said to Moses, "Thus you shall
say to the sons of Israel, ‘The
LORD [Yahweh], the God of
your fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob, has sent
me to you.’ This is My name
forever, and this is My
memorial-name to all
generations.
Psalms 83:18 “That they may
know that You alone, whose
name is the LORD [Yahweh],
Are the Most High over all the
earth.”
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD
(Yahweh), that is My name; I
will not give My glory to
another, Nor My praise to
graven images.”
Isaiah 51:15 "For I am the
LORD [Yahweh] your God,
who stirs up the sea and its
waves roar (the LORD
[Yahweh] of hosts is His
name).”
Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says
the LORD (Yahweh) who
made the earth, the LORD
(Yahweh) who formed it to
establish it, the LORD
(Yahweh) is His name,”
Hosea 12:5 “Even the
LORD [Yahweh], the God
of hosts, The LORD
[Yahweh] is His name.”
When Jesus taught his
disciples to pray, he magnified
that which was and should
always be of concern to those
who love God. He said,
“Hallowed be Your name.”
Those who came before Jesus
also acknowledged the holiness
and sacredness of His name,
which is recorded in many of
the Psalms.
Psalms 5:11 “But let all who
take refuge in You be glad, Let
them ever sing for joy; And
may You shelter them, That
those who love Your name
may exult in You.”
Psalms 7:17 “I will give
(Continued on page 7)
Revere God’s name
By Vince Finnegan
7
thanks to the LORD [Yahweh]
according to His righteousness
And will sing praise to the
name of the LORD [Yahweh]
Most High.”
Psalms 34:3 “O magnify the
LORD [Yahweh] with me,
And let us exalt His name
together.”
Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory
of His name; Make His praise
glorious.”
Psalms 68:4 “Sing to God,
sing praises to His name; Lift
up a song for Him who rides
through the deserts, Whose
name is the LORD [Yahweh],
and exult before Him.”
Psalms 103:1 “A Psalm of
David. Bless the LORD
[Yahweh], O my soul, And all
that is within me, bless His
holy name.”
Psalms 105:1 “Oh give thanks
to the LORD [Yahweh], call
upon His name; Make known
His deeds among the peoples.”
Psalms 105:3 “Glory in His
holy name; Let the heart of
those who seek the LORD
[Yahweh] be glad.”
Isaiah 25:1 “O LORD
[Yahweh], You are my God; I
will exalt You, I will give
thanks to Your name; For You
have worked wonders, Plans
formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”
At one point in history, the
Jews decided that they should
not speak the name of God for
fear of violating the second
commandment – “You shall
not take the name of the LORD
[Yahweh] your God in vain.”
They also decided that they
should not write His name, so
they replaced it with the
Hebrew “Adonai” which
means Lord. The Bible records
a multitude of occurrences of
Israel’s stubborn and arrogant
ways throughout history. They
often determined how they
were going to worship rather
than submitting to Yahweh’s
clear and repeated instructions.
They worshipped as it pleased
them and disregarded the
desires of Almighty God. Their
dealings with the name of God
should not be embraced as a
standard to follow since it
contradicts what is clearly
communicated in the
Scriptures. Nowhere in the
Bible does God indicate that
He wants His name hidden or
not spoken; rather, the opposite
is emphatically communicated.
He wanted Israel and all the
generations that followed to
know His name.
Psalms 45:17 “I will cause
Your name to be remembered
in all generations; Therefore
the peoples will give You
thanks forever and ever.”
Psalms 72:17 “May his name
endure forever; May his name
increase as long as the sun
shines; And let men bless
themselves by him; Let all
nations call him blessed.”
Psalms 102:12 “But You, O
LORD [Yahweh], abide
forever, And Your name to all
generations.”
Psalms 135:13 “Your name,
O LORD [Yahweh], is
everlasting, Your remem-
brance, O LORD (Yahweh),
throughout all generations.
(Continued from page 6)
(Continued on page 10)
8
I nterpretation #1:
From eternity past, the Father, the Son, and
the holy spirit existed as a community of one, perfect in love, harmony, and joy. In the eternal counsels of this triune God, the plan of salvation for the yet-to-be-created human race was decreed. The only question was who would go. Overwhelmed with self-sacrificial love, the Son volunteered to humble himself by uniting humanity to his divinity, veiling his deity by taking on human flesh. Two thousand years ago, this salvation plan was carried out by the second person of the Trinity. He entered the virgin womb of Mary, and suddenly, she became pregnant with God the Son. He was perfect God and perfect man, not half divine and half human like Hercules, but fully God and fully man in a totally unique way. This incredible event is cal led the incarnation — the moment when God became man for our salvation. In fact, the cross is not really the most impor tan t even t f o r redemption, the incarnation is. For without the humbling act of God giving up His divine prerogatives to condescend to the lowly state of a first century
Palestinian Jew, the cross would mean nothing. Thus, in the grand scheme of things, the incarnation is the premier event that brought God to man so that man could be reconciled with God.
Interpretation #2:
Throughout all of human history, from the instant God promised to defeat the s e r p e n t t h r o u g h a descendant of Eve, God has been working to bring His plan into fruition. A millennium before Christ, an upstart Jewish king was promised that one of his descendants would rule over Israel forever. God promised King David that he would father this descendant who would then be both a son of David and a Son of
God. Generation after generation, Jewish women of Davidic ancestry hoped that they might be the one to give birth to the Messiah. Then, two thousand years ago, a Jewish teenager from a tiny village in northern Galilee was visited by the angel Gabriel. She was informed that she would have a son through a divine miracle. This child would be great; he would be called the Son of the Most High; he would rule over Jacob on the throne of David forever. In the face of suffering a scandalous reputation, Mary a model believer for all subsequent generations, said, “May it be done to me according to your word.” In fact, Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, n e a r l y b r o k e t h e engagement off when he found out that she was pregnant, that is until an angel intervened to confirm what she had said. Thus, was born the Davidic King—the one who would be anointed to rule Israel and through Israel, to bless all of the nations; the one who would set right the whole series of wrongs that had begun with Adam; the one who would voluntarily give up his own righteous life on behalf of others who did not deserve it. Finally, at long last, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, was born.
(Continued on page 9)
Interpreting Jesus’ Birth
By Sean Finnegan
9
Which story do you believe? Though most Christians have no difficulty in combining these two descriptions of Jesus’ birth, we would do well to recognize that the two have different origins. One derives its content from the theologically complex propositions of Christian philosophers which were developed many years after the New Testament had been completed. The other is taken directly from the Scriptures. If the former is correct, it necessarily would cast a long shadow upon the latter, and it effectively would eclipse the simplicity and elegance of the historical facts about Jesus. Whereas the first version extols the self-sacrificial act of God the Son who existed apart from and prior to humanity, the second focuses on how God carried out His plans within time by working within the human
race. In the first, the message is that humanity is a depraved and helpless species in need of alien salvation. The second conveys the idea that God is able to save mankind through a man, which thereby gives dignity and hope to all humans. In fact, from the point of view of the second account, Jesus is a new Adam —- a new humanity — who succeeds where the former had failed. He gives the human race hope that, with God’s help, we can overcome sin and death. God does not throw up His hands in frustration and say to Himself, “I guess I’ll just have to go down there and do it Myself.” Instead, God looks down and says that these people are made in My image, they are worth saving, and I have a plan to work through human frailty to save them all. Thus, through the weakness of human flesh, God brought about salvation in and through the
quintessential man who willingly resisted the temptation to rebel and instead humbly obeyed his Father to the uttermost. Our Lord could have sinned; he could have fallen prey to the deceptiveness of the Serpent; he could have grasped for equality with God; he could have esteemed his own life too precious to
lay down; he could have chosen to exert his royal authority to rule over the world as a co-ruler with the god of this age; he could have called legions of angels to protect him from torture and death at the hands of twisted men; he could have come off the cross in a staggering demonstration of his innocence; but he did not. This miracle man consistently and tirelessly walked the narrow path that his Father had set for him. Hallelujah! Praise to God who loved so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Praise to Jesus who loved so much that he obeyed his God to his last strained breath. It is a beautiful story, a story too easily lost when overlaid with mythology and too easily cheapened with an in-destructible God in the guise of human flesh. May God give us courage to share the Bible’s real story with others who have been duped into substituting the flashy counterfeit for what really happened. �
(Continued from page 8)
“God does not throw up
His hands in frustration
and say to Himself, `I
guess I’ll just have to go
down there and do it
Myself,` Instead, God
looks down and says that
these people are made in
My image, they are
worth saving. . . .”
10
In the next issue of Glad
Tidings, we will focus on when
and how the name of God was
eliminated from the Bible. To
close this article, we can
review some of the many
places we are instructed to
praise the name of God.
Consider some of the many
places we are told to praise His
name:
Psalms 30:4 “Sing praise to
the LORD [Yahweh], you His
godly ones, and give thanks to
His holy name.”
Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory
of His name; Make His praise
glorious.”
Psalms 69:30 “I will praise
the name of God with song
And magnify Him with
thanksgiving.”
Psalms 99:3 “Let them praise
Your great and awesome
name; Holy is He.”
Psalms 113:1 “Praise the
LORD [Yahweh]! Praise, O
servants of the LORD
[Yahweh], Praise the name of
the LORD [Yahweh].”
Psalms 135:1 “Praise the
LORD [Yahweh]! Praise the
name of the LORD [Yahweh];
Praise Him, O servants of the LORD [Yahweh],”
Psalms 135:3 “Praise the
LORD [Yahweh], for the
LORD [Yahweh] is good; Sing
praises to His name, for it is
lovely.”
Psalms 145:1 “I will extol
You, my God, O King, And I
will bless Your name forever
and ever.”
Psalms 145:2 “Every day I
will bless You, And I will
praise Your name forever and
ever.”
Psalms 145:21 “My mouth
will speak the praise of the
LORD [Yahweh], And all flesh
will bless His holy name
forever and ever.”
Psalms 148:5 “Let them
praise the name of the LORD
[Yahweh], For He commanded
and they were created.”
Psalms 148:13 “Let them
praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above earth and
heaven.”
Psalms 149:3 “Let them
praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him
with timbrel and lyre.” �
(Continued from page 7)
God bless you this New Year
11
Change – extraordinary change – is readily available
with the supernatural power of God.
WHY CHANGE?
• Life with God is vastly superior to life without Him. The
contrast is one of death to life. Jesus came that we might
have life, and that we might have it more abundantly,
according to John 10:10.
• In the end, every soul will be judged according to how he or
she believed and lived. Those who chose to live God’s way
will be rewarded with entrance into God’s glorious Kingdom
forevermore. Those who refused to change will be judged unto
eternal damnation.
• We should want to change simply because God is God.
"The Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an
everlasting King..." (Jeremiah 10:10). The only proper
response to the loving God Who is the Creator of
everything is to live wholeheartedly for Him.
Change to Change focuses on the vital changes necessary to
facilitate real and lasting change. The courage to change,
prayers for change, and the final change are the main emphasis
of the book. Topics communicated are:
Repentance
Right Associations
Discipleship
Honesty
Relationships
Controlling Your Thinking
Serving Others
Satan’s Traps
Overcoming Offenses
Withstanding Temptations
Contact Living Hope International Ministries to order.
Living Hope International Ministries
458 Old Niskayuna Rd
Latham NY 12110 [email protected]
(518) 785-8888
BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3----12121212))))
�Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
�Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
�Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
�Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
�Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
�Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
�Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
�Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
�Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.
CHANGE TO CHANGE
12
T he 2009-2010 school year is well underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Schooling in the Congo is much different than in North America, where we enjoy a well en-dowed public education sys-tem. In the Congo, each family must pay for their children to at-tend school.
In such a poverty-stricken area of the world, this places a huge financial bur-den on parents, many of whom sim-ply cannot afford to pay. As a result, it is not uncommon for children to sometimes miss years of school and fall behind.
This year, 33 chil-dren from the Congo fellowships are being spon-sored by believers here in North America through Living Hope Interna-tional Ministries. This en-ables these children to con-tinue their education.
Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa Nsilulu informs us that there was great joy among the parents upon receiving news that someone was providing for their child’s education – so much so that some of them were crying tears of
joy! A number of them saw this as a specific answer to prayers for their children.
Rev. Samuel Lulekamu (known to most as Kael), has sent similar reports. The thankfulness on the faces of the parents in his fellowship was unmistakable.
Fellowships are growing –
with God’s help
Across the Congo River, the fellowships in Brazzaville are meeting in “house churches.” Three are ac-tively running, and a fourth is planned to start soon. These groups are spending a lot of time learning and teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, the class
His Story – God’s Purpose of the Ages, and other teachings Rev. Finnegan shared with them when he visited last August.
For many, this information is new and confronting; yet, the saints are searching the Scriptures to understand it more fully and are em-bracing the message.
Back in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Gospel is also moving out. In January, Kael’s church plans to send out their first wave of Ambas-sadors, called “Ministers of Reconciliation.” These people will be going out for three months to preach the Gospel.
At the end of January, the class Lord, Teach Us to Pray is planned fol-lowed by The Heart of Christian Living in Febru-ary.
All three of the churches we are partnering with in the Congo have asked for our prayerful support in these endeavors – so please, re-member these dear brothers and sisters in your prayers!
(To make a financial dona-tion, send your check to Liv-ing Hope International Minis-tries, with the note “Congo Fund” on it.) �
(Continued on page 13)
Congo Connection
By Richard and Cheryl Elton
“This year 33 children from the Congo fellowships are being sponsored by believers . . . t h r o u g h L i v i n g H o p e International Ministries . . . Rev. Kennedy informs us that there was great joy among the parents . . . so much so that some of them were crying tears of joy! A number of them saw this as a specific answer to prayers”
13
Rev.
Kennedy
Kutukwa
Nsilulu
with children
who have
been
sponsored
Jordi N’SEKA ELIWA
Child being sponsored
NDEMBO KAMUE and
NDEMBO PRISCA
Children being sponsored
14
M any books have
been written on the
subject of demonology, and
some are better than others. A
common style for writing on
the subject is to use
experiences as the standard
for understanding and to draw
universal conclusions based
on incidents. The problem
with this method is that as
powerfully persuasive as
experience may be, it is not
always founded upon truth.
Many people believe lies
based upon their experience.
A woman may believe she is
unlovable because her parents
rejected her. However, the
truth is her parents had a
problem, not her. A man
believes he is inferior to
everyone else because as a
child, classmates humiliated
him. He is not inferior; rather,
the children were mean-
spirited. It seems all of us
believe lies based upon our
experience. So experience is
not a reliable teacher or
standard for determining
truth.
The Scriptures
provide the
trustworthy
standard to
establish the
truth on this
subject as well
as all subjects.
In the last
issue of Glad
Tidings, we
introduced the topic of
demonology which we will
now continue to examine by
using the Bible as our sole
resource.
Matthew 8:28 “When He
[Jesus] came to the other side
into the country of the
Gadarenes, two men who
were demon-possessed
[daimonizomai] met Him as
they were coming out of the
tombs. They were so
extremely violent that no one
could pass by that way.”
Although strongly impinged
upon by the demons, these
men were still able to
approach Jesus. This incident
and the many similar recorded
in the Gospels indicate that no
matter how grave the demon
influence, the individual can
still seek God’s help and
receive deliverance. The word
“possessed” in this context
should be understood to mean
influenced or controlled by
and not ownership. The word
can mean ownership as in
A l m i g h t y
God is the
possessor of
heaven and
earth. The
temptation is
to conclude
wrongly that
d e m o n
po s se s s i on
i m p l i e s
ownersh ip ,
which in a
s u b t l e w a y c a u s e s
hopelessness. We must never
forget the introductory
information about the devil
recorded in Genesis chapter
three. He was called the
serpent which describes his
crafty manner rather than his
appearance. The person
occupied is not the possession
of the demon. Those who
believe they are owned by
demons have the tendency to
be hopeless and deceived in
thinking that freedom is out
of their control which plays
into the devil’s hand. Even
people such as these men who
were greatly tormented by
demons had the ability to
exercise their free will and
received freedom. The two
English words “demon
possessed” are translated
from the one Greek word
daimonizomai which is better unders tood a s demon
occupied. The emphasis is on
living within and not owning
someone.
Matthew 8:29 “And they
cried out, saying, ‘What
business do we have with
each other, Son of God? Have
You come here to torment us
before the time?’"
The men approached Jesus,
but the demons spoke to him.
We have no reason to
conclude that the demons had
a weird Hollywoodish voice.
It seems like the men spoke
(Continued on page 15)
Demonology By Vince Finnegan
15
normally, but the demons
determined what they said.
Subsequent accounts suggest
the same. The demons knew
Jesus was the Son of God and
that their destiny was already
determined which is now
written in Revelation 20 – the
lake of fire. They also
understood that there is a set
time appointed which they
concluded was not yet.
Furthermore, they knew Jesus
had authority over them.
Historical biblical occur-
ences such as this one are
woven throughout the
Scriptures and provide a
general overview of the
spiritual warfare that
continues to rage.
Biblically ignorant people
are oblivious to the
spiritual realm and
consequently do not even
know that demons exist.
Yet, the devil and his evil
spirits continuously and
relentlessly attack
humanity and instigate
enormous evil along with
immeasurable torment.
Ironically, they accused Jesus
of that which they themselves
do, that is torment.
Matthew 8:30-32 “Now
there was a herd of many
swine feeding at a distance
from them.
The demons began to entreat
Him, saying, ‘If You are
going to cast us out, send us
into the herd of swine.’
And He said to them, ‘Go!’
And they came out and went
into the swine, and the whole
herd rushed down the steep
bank into the sea and perished
in the waters.”
Demons
want to
i n h a b i t
p e o p l e .
They are
o f t e n
re fe r red
to as
u n c l e a n
or evil
and apparently perform their
hideous wickedness most
effectively while inhabiting
humans. The trepidation of
not having a home caused
them to desire entrance into
the swine, which did not work
out extremely well. The most
vital conclusion to be drawn
from this incident is that Jesus
had overwhelming power and
supreme authority over all the
demons. He simply said one
word “GO,” and they had to
obey. Later, Jesus gives this
same authority to his apostles
and again to his disciples, and
before he ascended, he
delegated it to all those who
believe.
Matthew 8:33 and 34 “The
herdsmen ran away, and went
to the city and reported
everything, including what
had happened to the
demoniacs.
And behold, the whole city
came out to meet Jesus; and
when they saw Him, they
implored Him to leave their
region.”
Instead of responding with
joy, thankfulness, and faith,
the multitude asked Jesus to
leave their region. Their
wrong interpretation of this
event caused them to act the
opposite of what was
appropriate. The supernatural
is still unsettling and
upsetting for many people. It
seems easier just to dismiss or
deny i t s authent ici ty.
However, such ignorance
does not change anything;
rather, it dooms one to ruin by
Satan’s deception. �
Jesus had
overwhelming
power and
supreme
authority
over all the
demons. He
simply said one
word “GO,” and they
had to obey.
Living Hope International Ministries
458 Old Niskayuna Road
Latham, New York 12110 USA
The Shema
“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one!”
Deuteronomy 6:4
�������������������������
Praise Yahweh! Praise Yahweh from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights!
Psalms 148:1