Early Christian Demonology

A Spiritual Pilgrimage

 

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations." - Psalm 90:1 ESV

Visiting the Church of my ancestors was something I'd thought and prayed about for years. I pondered about the Lord being our dwelling place in every generation of my family. While praying the Lord's Prayer early one mourning, the thought occurred to me that this prayer was prayed by those of my family who preceded me:

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." - Matthew 6: 9 - 13 KJV

Suddenly, I felt a spiritual connection to my family's past. It's not about ancestor worship - it's about my spiritual heritage. For two thousand years - generations of believers have prayed the same prayer.  

 

My Anglican ancestors were from Farhem, England - a small town near the English Channel. I prayed and had peace to make a spiritual pilgrimage there. As followers of Jesus, we are all on a spiritual journey here on earth until we see Jesus face to face. With my heart set on visiting my ancestor's medieval Church. I longed to encounter the same Presence they had experienced in the same place.  

It was a way of connecting with my spiritual roots. And to honor those who came before me and passed down the faith I cherish today. God no longer dwells in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24) but in the hearts of all believers. The Scripture says that we are surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1). Those believers who are in Heaven now.

How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you. - Psalm 84: 1-4 NIV

5 

  I visited the parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church in Fareham - in a way - it felt like home. On the following Sunday, I worshiped at Westminister Chapel in London. I was deeply moved by Paslm 84: 5, which speaks of pilgrimage to the house of the LORD. Our family name was originally Sparrowhawk. Over time, it was abbreviated to Sparks. I was encouraged as I saw the overhead graphic. 

The message to me was simple: Be audacious in pursuing the presence of God. And be faithful to share the faith with the next generation.

God Moments:

A few months ago during prayer, I saw a random picture (in my mind) of a Union Jack. It seemed God was impressing me to pray for England's spiritual condition. 

My son and I felt God's favor and the Spirit's leading on the trip. We always seemed to be at the right place at the right time.

 I was able to pray over four different people. And explain the simple Gospel to a confused man. I used the approach of what C.S. Lewis referred to as "Mere Christianity." 

While there are different views of what theologians call secondary doctrines, I focused on the meaning of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The simple yet profound Gospel.

God Speaks In A Variety Of Ways

 In this post, I will use material from the Convergence conference sponsored by Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City. Sam Storms was the pastor in 2018 at the time of this conference. Dr. Storms's teaching is similar to Dr. Jack Deere's, Dr. Wayne Grudem's, and Dr. R.T. Kendall's. Storms, Deere, Kendall, Grudem, and Dr. Craig Keener are my 'go-to guys' - when I study spiritual gifts. Some may view the ways God spoke to people in Scripture as something he no longer does. Those who God chose to write Scripture indeed had a high level of gifting. That being the case, God still desires to communicate with his children through personal guidance. As I stated in a previous article - this guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit is not on the same level as sacred Scripture.

Below is an abbreviated list of ways God speaks from, The Convergence: Equip Workbook.

 

The Variety of Ways in which God speaks to His Children The God of the Bible is a speaking, communicative, ever-revealing God.

 1. Scripture – We hear God’s voice preeminently in and through the written Word of the Bible. On occasion we discover the Spirit speaking directly to our circumstances by alerting us to a text in which a biblical character was facing a similar challenge or decision. At other times the Spirit speaks more indirectly. That is, he alerts us to a principle or ethical truth that informs our decision-making process. 

2. Audible voice – Among those who heard the audible voice of God are Abraham (Gen. 22:1-2,10- 12), Moses (Exod. 3:3-6), the nation Israel (Deut. 5:22-24), Samuel (1 Sam. 3:1-10), Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13), John the Baptist (Matt. 3:16-17), Peter, James, and John (Matt. 17:5-6; cf. 2 Pet. 1:17-18), the general public (John 12:27-30), Paul (Acts 9:3-7; 23:11), Peter (Acts 10:9-16), and John (Rev. 1:9-12). 

3. Internal Audible Voice – In such cases we genuinely “hear” a sound in our head, a voice that is decidedly not our own. But in this instance no one else would be able to hear it with their physical ears. 

4. Angelic messengers – God also speaks to us through angelic messengers, as he did to Joshua (Josh. 5:13-15), Samson's parents (Judg. 13), Isaiah (Isa. 6:6-13), Daniel (Dan. 9:20-27), Zacharias (Luke 1), Mary (Luke 1), Philip (Acts 8:26), Peter (Acts 5:19-20), and others (see esp. Heb. 13:1). 

5. Dreams – God also communicates through dreams (Gen. 20:3; 37; Dan. 2,4,7; Matt. 1,2; Acts 2,10). Consider especially the overwhelming evidence that many Muslims are coming to faith in Christ by means of his appearance to them in dreams.

6. Visions – See Num. 12:6; Dan. 10:1-9; Acts 2:17; 9:10-12; 10:1-6; 10:9-16; 16:9-10; 18:9-10; 22:17- 18. 

7. Creation – See Ps. 19 and 104 and especially Rom. 1:18ff. 

8. Spiritual Impressions – These are “gracious incursions into our souls” (Willard, In Search of Guidance, 19). God often puts words, phrases, sentences, images and the like into our minds, stamped with the indelible print of his voice. Although undeniably subjective and occasionally slippery, “impressions” are a valid means of divine communication in our heart.  

In spite of the inescapable “subjectivity” of impressions, I believe we may justifiably expect that when God wants to tell us something, he will not be unduly obtuse. His purpose isn’t to mislead or confuse but to guide us clearly and carefully. Whether through thoughts or perceptions that we intuitively recognize could only come from him, he makes his heart known. When God communicates he does so with specific information, often times in propositional utterances.

People in biblical times were not left to wonder about “hunches” or “impulses” or “feelings”. If God’s voice is occasionally “vague” it is to awaken us from slumber or perhaps alert us to our presumptuous attitude, or perhaps challenge us to press into his heart ever more intensely. I agree with Willard who said, “It is to be expected . . . that if there is something He would have us know, He will be both able and willing and will in fact plainly communicate it to us, if we are but open and prepared by our experience to hear and obey” (219). Even in the case of visions, dreams, and trances, there is verbal communication.

 9. Providence – God may also communicate to us through providential guidance or by means of events that clearly reveal his will. 

10. Sympathetic physical pains or sensations – On occasion, God will communicate his desire to heal someone by stirring in your body a pain or sensation that corresponds to the affliction that another is experiencing. 

11. Other, unidentifiable modes of communication in which the Spirit (or an angel) simply “speaks” by some means not otherwise specified. There are numerous texts in Acts where God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or an angel is described as speaking to or saying something to someone – Acts 8:26, 29; 9:10; 10:7; 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 16:6-7; 18:9; 20:23; 22:21; 27:24. 12. 

The directives of the Holy Spirit are practical, suggesting what to do, where to go, and with whom to speak. They are not ethical principles. The rules and regulations that bind our conscience and carry absolute and universal moral authority for the Christian are provided only in Scripture. 

Whereas the Spirit will often lead us in the daily application of biblical principles or how to wisely navigate the confusing waters of human relationships, he will not dictate new laws of right and wrong. Rather they are words that concern the “here and now” of people and their actions; often divine directives concerning ways in which God’s people are to fulfill the mandate to preach the gospel to all nations (what might be called "divine appointments”

Source: Convergence: Guidebook, page 5.

The Gift Of Prophecy

 

"But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

    and your young men shall see visions,

    and your old men shall dream dreams;

 even on my male servants and female servants

    in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." - Acts 2:16-19 ESV

 

The gift of prophecy, unlike the gift of teaching, is revelatory. God gives the gift of teaching to explain the Bible. It is a spiritual gift that requires knowledge of the Scripture and illumination by the Holy Spirit to understand the text. 

Certain Bible teachers understand the gift of prophecy to be preaching. Preaching can be prophetic (the Gospel itself is prophetic). God can give warnings and revelations about situations and people during a sermon. In this post, we are discussing personal prophecy. 

The New Testament gift of prophecy does not challenge the sufficiency of Scripture as some teach. 

These teachers, for the most part, are cessationists. They believe that prophecy, tongues, and the gifts of healing ceased after the completion of the New Testament canon (The Bible) - this is a poor interpretation of the Biblical text.

"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." - (1 Corinthians 14:1  ESV)

"Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good." -   (1 Thessalonians 5: 20 - 21 ESV)

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. - (1 Corinthians 14:29 ESV)

Why would the Apostle Paul command believers to weigh or judge prophetic words? Surely he would not tell us to evaluate the accuracy of  Scripture? Personal prophecy is not equal to Scripture. "...for we know in part and we prophesy in part" - (1 Corinthians 13:9 KJV) " ... the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort." - (1 Corinthians 14:3 NIV) - not to add to Scripture. It does not have the same authority.  

Personal prophecy (like other spiritual gifts) can be misused and abused. Well-meaning people can think they are hearing from the Lord, but are not.

I agree with Dr. Wayne Grudem's definition of New Testament prophecy. "Prophecy occurs when a revelation from God is reported in the prophet's own (merely human) words." (1)

Hermeneutics is the method used to interpret the Scriptures. Western scholars around the time of the Enlightenment began to view the Scripture through anti-supernatural lenses. 

Some theologians do not believe that women should preach or teach men (I'm not dealing with that here.) The problem is that according to Joel's prophecy that Peter quotes in Acts chapter 2,  both men and women will prophesy in the last days. Scholars call this the democratization of the Spirit. Unlike the Old Testament, any New Testament believer can prophesy. 

As Jack Deere says, "In the Old Testament, prophetic ministry belonged to the men. But when the Holy Spirit moved into his new temple, the human heart, he no longer enabled observed gender or age distinctions. He enabled men, women, and children to prophesy." (2)

New Testament prophecy is not to establish new doctrines - it is for guidance. 

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." - Romans 15:4 ESV

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence..." (2 Peter 1:3 ESV)

To believe and obey Scripture is the path to live a godly life. All the doctrine (teaching) in the Bible is for our instruction. 

The fact that the Bible commands us to pursue the gift of prophecy is the reason we should.

God never speaks to us in a way that contradicts his written revelation (the Bible).  Jesus said, "his sheep hear his voice," and they do. We hear Him in Scripture and through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

If you are a pastor that does not believe God speaks today - how do you know God called you to preach? You know by revelation. 

People who hear God's voice most clearly are grounded in the Word of God. To be a biblical people, we must believe in revelatory gifts. And the authority of Scripture. 

(1) Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, page 1057.

(2) Why I'm Am Still Suprised By The Voice Of God, Jack Deere, page 17.

Jesus Tasted Death On The Cross

 

…Adam tasted the sweetness of the apple and obtained the bitterness of death for the whole human race. In contrast to this, the Lord tasted the bitterness of gall and obtained our restoration from death’s sting to the sweetness of life. He took on himself the bitterness of gall in order to extinguish in us the bitterness of death.” – Chromatius Of Aquileia

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” – Matthew 16:24-25 ESV

Jesus took on Satan in head-to-head combat and won. He wrestled lost humanity from the devil’s evil grip. Our Lord lived in constant communion with the Father. And he waged spiritual war with the devil by obedience to the Father. Satan's defeat on the cross was decisive. 

"After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." - John 19: 28 -30 NKJV.

Jesus took on the religious system of the day and exposed the worthless traditions of men that had taken it over. He came to offer the broken and hurting a new way of life. Jesus called those that would be his disciples to turn their backs on superstitions and dead religious practices. He commanded his disciples to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow him. And he is still calling us to embrace the way of the cross today.

The path to the cross is a path of submission to God – empowered by the Holy Spirit. We relinquish our rights of self-determination for the way of Jesus.

We need help to embrace the lifestyle of the Kingdom of God - Jesus is our example. He loved those who hated him. It’s contrary to our nature to love our enemies - we need God’s empowering grace.

By the time Jesus had reached the garden of Gethsemane, he could say that the devil had no place in him(John 14:30.) He was and is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

The first Adam lost the battle with Satan in a garden called Eden. Jesus (who represents the last Adam) won his struggle in a garden called Gethsemane.

Jesus tasted death on the cross so that - all who trust him would have eternal life in God’s kingdom.

Are We Having Another Jesus Movement? My Experience At Lee University

 

Could God send another revival like the "Jesus Movement" of 1969? Historically, each revival tends to be unique. The one common factor is repentance. 

We could be at the beginning of another revival, but it may look different. 

Outpourings of the Holy Spirit have often started historically with young people. The Holy Spirit is renewing the lives of young believers and hopefully some old ones too! 

I have concerns about the attacks by (supposed) theologically sound Christians against this college prayer movement. Their harsh criticism is irresponsible.

It is yet to be determined if this is the beginning of another "Great Awakening" in America. I hope and pray that it is.

Students are - staying up all night praying - worshiping God - and repenting of sin. Isn't that a good thing?

I attended the last student-led chapel gathering at Lee University. When I entered the chapel, young and old alike sat in silence. The atmosphere was peaceful and gentle. We sang old hymns and modern praise choruses that would break out spontaneously. 

I heard the confession of sin, the reading of Scripture, testimonies, and people asking for prayer. They had no worship band or choir leading the meeting.

One accusation is that these are "copy-cat" meetings on College campuses. What's wrong with that? Revival can spread that way! Spiritual hunger grows when we hear God is moving in power. 

The leadership at Lee University described these meetings as "prayer vigils." They aren't claiming this is another "Great Awakening"  or revival. 

God is sovereign, but prayer is a factor in the history of revivals.

The prayer meetings at Lee began with a small group of students who inquired of their professor about the meaning of revival. They ask their teacher - if they could go to their chapel to pray. He said yes - and this is how the "prayer vigil" began.

It sounds similar to the description of early church meetings by the Apostle Paul.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. - Ephesians 5: 15-21 ESV

One of the charges against this move of the Spirit is - too much emotionalism. Do those biblical theologians who criticize emotions ever read the Psalms? Our emotions are a gift from God - He even has emotions. The Bible is our guide, but God's presence in our lives produces godly emotions. 

"Taste and see that the LORD is good..." - Psalm 34:8

Revival | This Time It's Different: Ken Fish