| Question: Can you explain how in Acts 16:16, the damsel was crying, "These men are the servants of the most high God..." and yet she was demon possessed? How could one who is demon possessed say the truth? What was the purpose of the devil to say that as the girl followed Paul? Answer: Acts 16:16-19 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers... Well, I will give several examples of how this is possible. First of all, we must remember that the devil is subtle. The devil lures people in with partial truths and then gives them lies. First, trust is gained with saying the truth, then the setup of lies and falsehood begins. That is how the devil operates. The devil's plan was to gain the respect of the people by following Paul saying this over and over (through the girl) so that the people who believed what Paul preached would also believe that the damsel too was of God. The devil doesn't care how he gets to a person, just as long as his end goal is accomplished. This is why cults have bible readings...they appear to be right on but their doctrine is from the pit of hell. "Liberals and modernists tell the truth- that is as far as they go. They preach just enough truth to lead many well-meaning, sincere people away from the true fundamentals of the faith." ~ Oliver B. Greene The Lord Jesus warned us: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Truth mixed with error. This is how cults form. Take for example the cults that are in the world today. Some of these cults claim Jesus is God but then they ADD TO THE GOSPEL. They twist Scripture. They distort the inerrant truth by conjuring up their own beliefs about God and about salvation. 1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Salvation + works = cult Do good deeds to get to heaven=cult Bible reading apart from true conversion in Christ Jesus= in hell for eternity Trusting in your good works to save you= cult Believing one must abstain from meats= works= cult Trusting in Jesus + Mary or the saints= not trusting in Jesus 100% and thus it is unscriptural and one ends up in hell The Bible + religious literature = cult The Bible + the book of mormon = cult 2Cor 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Satan has ministers who preach from the word of God in the pulpits every Sunday. They sound really good to the unsuspecting. They have and share many doctrinal truths that are found in Scripture, but there is always a catch. They are subtly preaching another Jesus and another gospel. The apostle Paul warns us concerning this: 2Cor 11:4 "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted..." 2Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. There are so-called "christians" who sit in pews every Sunday. Some are demon possessed. They claim to hear from God. They sit as tares among the wheat. They gossip and they sow discord among brethren, and all the while appear so spiritual. The devil does not sit in your church with horns and a pitchfork. I can assure you of this. He is subtle. He wants to destroy. He comes as an angel of light...very spiritual...very pious. 2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. Just because one comes up forward at an altar call to say the sinner's prayer does not make that person a christian. The person must pray from their heart unto God, knowing that they are a sinner and are on their way to hell apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. If the person accepts the Lord Jesus for any other reason, he is not truly born again. Jesus came to save and to seek the lost. One cannot get truly saved unless he knows that he is truly lost. One cannot receive Jesus if He does not know why he needs Jesus. The condition of the heart is such that man must come to God knowing he is a sinner, knowing that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to Heaven, and that apart from Jesus, one will spend eternity lost...in the lake of fire. How can there be true converts when there is no true gospel message being preached from the pulpits today? "Oh come to Jesus, he will help you with your life." "Come to Jesus, he will get you out of debt." "Come to Jesus, he will fill the emptiness." NO...instead one should be preaching, "Come to Jesus BECAUSE YOU ARE ETERNALLY LOST APART FROM GOD. Come to Jesus BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL BE SAVED FROM ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE. Come to Jesus BECAUSE YOU ARE A SINNER IN NEED OF A SAVIOR. Come to Jesus-- He loves you and HE DIED FOR YOUR SINS AT THE CROSS. Come to Jesus AND HE WILL WASH YOUR SINS AWAY BECAUSE HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE YOU." This is what is meant by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ-- believing in Him as Savior. This is what should be preached, but sadly, it is not being preached from many of the pulpits. Instead, the "gospel message" has become a watered down..wishy washy message; with a sermonette preacher behind the pulpit, who dedicates one hour to preaching about how God can rid us of our sorrows and then spends two minutes at the end asking if there is anyone who wants the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. No, this is not how one gets converted. This is not how the Gospel should be preached. How can one get saved if he has not heard the message of Jesus' finished work on the cross? Saved from what? Saved from sorrow or saved from hell? Herein lies the great subtleness of the devil. As long as there is an altar call, everything appears to be scriptural. Let them come...as long as they don't receive Jesus as their Savior, everything is fine. They can receive Jesus as a comforter of sorrows...a debt eliminator, a great friend...but as long as they DON'T HEAR THAT THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO HELL AND THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE THEM. There are some charismatic preachers who do great signs and wonders and they carry a Bible under their arm but the Lord Jesus will say to some of them at the Great White Throne, "Depart from me, I NEVER knew you." Matt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: We need to hold on to our doctrine. Demons inhabit every denomination and almost every large church. The damsel in Acts 16 is one example of someone demon possessed, saying the right things for the wrong reasons...to deceive. The devil comes with a bible in his hand. The devil preaches from the pulpit using the Bible. He used scripture to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. He twists and distorts the Word of God. He will use these kind of people to make you question the Bible and your own personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 2Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 2Tim 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. The devil will preach every day of the year...as long as no one gets saved and no one hears the Gospel...this is his goal. The devil is very religious. He doesn't mind religion and in fact, he encourages it. As long as one thinks they are on their way to heaven, he can rest at ease. He blinds the minds of people: 2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. "Allow the devil to enter into the fellowship of the preaching of the Gospel, and before long he will twist and distort the truth, add a bit here, take away a bit there, modify and tone down, until the truth of God is changed into deadly and damnable heresy! This has happened many times over in this present day." (Oliver Greene, Acts of the Apostles Commentary, vol. 3 , page 98) 1Thes 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 1Thes 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: In closing, the lesson to be learned from Acts 16 is one of discernment. We are to be on guard and to test all things. The devil may come saying all the right things initially but those who remain on guard will recognize his lies. We must line up all teachings with the Word of God. If one's preaching does not line up with Scripture, leave the church or turn off the TV. Be on guard with those preaching a "new" teaching that does not line up with scripture. Be on guard with those preaching a "new revelation". Pray for discernment. If someone preaches something that troubles you, ask the Lord to show you His Truth. Your answer lies within the pages of the Bible. God will never go against His Word. 1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 1Co 16:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. ©2004 Cobblestone Road Ministries All Rights Reserved |
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| Further Reading: Generational Curses for the Christian? Christians and the Prosperity Doctrine What Does the Bible Say? Call His Name Jesus Four Things That Every Christian Should Know |
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