Month: November 2017

DATELINE: November 18, 2017, Sydney, Australia; Malcolm Young, founding member of Australia’s hard rock band, AC/DC, died, aged 64. Cause of death, dementia. Previously afflicted with cancer and wore a pacemaker due to heart problems.

Hard drugs, alcohol and satanic lyrics were Malcolm’s trademark, like the words to “Highway to Hell” above. His other main paean to demonic imagery was the song “Hell’s Bells,” (“Won’t take no prisoners, won’t spare no lives, nobody’s puttin’ up a fight; I got my bell, I’m gonna take you to hell. Satan get you, Hell’s Bells.”) When it came to popular and financially-successful hard rock of the 80s and 90s, no one did it with more rebellion and antichrist imagery than AC/DC.

It’s axiomatic to state that rock ‘n’ roll took a toll on Malcolm, as it did AC/DC’s first lead singer Bon Scott, who died of “acute alcohol poisoning,” literally choking on his own vomit after a night of heavy drinking. To say that the band has been cursed, is obvious. To conclude that they partially brought it on themselves, is also painfully conclusive. One can only pray that the rest of the band, including Malcolm’s brother-bandmate Angus Young, gets the message before “Hell’s Bells” toll again at an untimely age. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

November 5, 2017 will be remembered as the day that Satan came calling to small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Devin Kelley barged through the front door while Sunday services were in progress and began firing at random with an assault rifle. Before his massacre had ended, 26 were dead and two dozen seriously injured. As with the Las Vegas shooting four short weeks before, descriptions of this mass murder were predictable: “evil,” “deranged,” “madman,” “psychopath.” As I pointed out in my blog of October 9 (to read CLICK HERE), “Based on 40 years of experience and 40,000 documented exorcisms, I can state without hesitation that Stephen Paddock [the Las Vegas shooter] was demon possessed. And I can also attest that if more Christian leaders would practice deliverance and spiritual warfare, America might be able to avoid a copycat crime.”

Whether the slaughter in Sutherland was a copycat, no one knows. But here are some interesting facts:

• Kelley was a Facebook-declared atheist. No wonder his target was a church. America has sown decades of secularism and humanism. Should we be surprised at the tragic harvest we reap?
• Kelley at one time taught a Bible class. And, according to teenage best-friend Ralph Martinez, they both attended Tree of Life Church in New Braunfels, Texas, a charismatic church. Was Kelley born again? Who knows. If he was, what does this say to the “Christians can’t have a demon” proposition? The killings were obviously demonic.
• Kelley was a spousal-abuser and child-batterer. He also tortured animals. Why hadn’t anyone recognized that such individuals only escalate their inhumanity?
• Kelley’s victims were the elderly, children, even a pregnant woman. Can anyone reasonably argue that mere madness would cause such carnage in a house of worship? I as I said in my blog about Las Vegas, why are Christian leaders timid to declare that he was possessed by demons? How and when he got these evil spirits we’ll never know, but the murders committed at First Baptist were the acts of a demoniac, not just an emotionally tortured soul.

We can arm church deacons. We can place security guards and metal detectors at the entrance to every church. But if we must do that, it will say more about the paucity of power in the church then it will about the rise of violence in our age. In a world where nothing is immoral, and everything is permissible, demons have been given territorial reign to do what they wish. The salt has lost its savor (Luke 13:34), and the carcass of culture rots while we watch. Unless American Christians get on the front lines of spiritual warfare, Satan won’t just be in Sutherland on a Sunday. Every congregation in the country will be at risk!

Dr. Alan Jacobs, professor of the honors program at Baylor University, and an evangelical Christian, has written a book entitled, “How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds.” The theme of the book is how to create better dialogue in an era of hostilities. As an academic, and a Christian, Jacobs laments being misunderstood by both intellectuals and secularists. To understand this dilemma, he references anthropologist Susan Harding who came up with the idea of what she called the Repugnant Cultural Other (RCO), categorizing other people and their viewpoints in such a way that no rational thought is needed when referring to them. In other words, if someone you disagree with belongs to the group defined as the RCO, you can be dismissive of them without having to dialogue. You can attack them any way you wish, and don’t have to take them seriously.

My point? This construct describes how the current Christian power structure in America treats those of us who believe in exorcism and deliverance, especially the idea that Christians can have demons. These arbiters of religious correctness (writers, TV evangelists, media owners) have unconsciously branded people like me the RTO, the “Repugnant Theological Other.” This label makes it okay for evangelical leaders, and entire denominations, to have group animosity toward any teaching that demons actively attack Christians because of curses and generational evil. To them, people such as me are “repugnant.” Too many Christian leaders who claim to be defenders of the “truth” are masking a desire to control those outside their group think. I gladly receive their disdain.

Remember what they said of Jesus when he demonstrated His power over Satan by casting out demons, “He [Jesus] casts out devils through Beelzebub” (Luke 11:15). Jesus was not part of the ruling system of religion, and to the Pharisees Christ was “repugnant.” To the critics of deliverance ministry, please consider whether your opinion about exorcism results from carefully considered study or simply the desire to keep the favor of your ingroup. Or to quote the Apostle Paul, “If I pleased men I would not be the servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).

An encouraging word: RESIST THE DEVIL

The craftiness of the devil and demons should not make any Christian fearful. The Word is filled with promises of protection from every evil device of darkness. Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7); No weapon forged against you will prevail. (Is. 54:17); Nothing will harm you. (Luke 10:19). There are many, many more assurances of God’s grace prevailing when the Enemy strikes, if we are walking before the Lord without willful sin. Satan can and should be resisted with ease. Lay every fear aside. God delivers and protects those who fully trust in Him. Pray, proclaim your authority in Christ, resist, and Satan will turn away.

Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18).  You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online

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