A Circle of Death

What we have described in the preceding subsections of "The Twelve Principalities of Satan" is simply this: a circle of death. These twelve principalities have become self-perpetuating strong holds (see "Strong Holds (Idols of the Heart)") and are working in concert to bring about the destruction of the church. This should be of no surprise for we know that "the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10). "The Principality of Disobedience" works in men to obey Satan over God, which ensures lying will be used to justify their sins. "The Principality of Lying" moves many to believe in lies; thereby ushering the belief that they have been rejected. "The Principality of Rejection" in turn causes men to be bitter about the injustices they have suffered and to not trust anyone; especially God. Rejecting God causes men to look to the world for solace: to find "peace" in the ways of the world—in the traditions of men over the Word of God. "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15). "The Principality of Tradition" manipulates many Christians to believe that there are things in the world system that have value. Moreover, these Christians then begin to worship the images that represent those things of value: thereby ushering in "The Principality of Idolatry". "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). These principalities and powers work together to cause those Christians to desire a leader who will represent their form of worship and Satan dutifully produces one infused with "The Principality of Entrepreneurship" who steps up to the challenge. "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; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

The entrepreneur often works by "The Principality of Sedition" to usurp the authority of the incumbent minister in order to be "chosen" by the people. This leader solidifies his position by continuing to lead these Christians astray by mixing Christian practice with the world system and preaching about the things in the world that please his audience. He is not focused on pleasing God with "all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" (Mark 12:29), for he is given over to "The Principality of Rebellion" that will cause him to continue preaching "with enticing words of man's wisdom" (1 Corinthians 2:4). And in order to keep the illusion of his "Christianity" intact, the leader has to promote a false image of himself; thereby ushering in "The Principality of Hypocrisy". His hypocrisy spreads like a cancer through the congregation and influences the people to accept hypocrisy as normal. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). Now, no longer rightly related to God, the power of God is no longer available to this body of Christians and they are "forced" to substitute Satan's power for it: thereby ushering in "The Principality of Witchcraft". This spirit works to present to the world a superficial, superstitious (calling those things that be not as though they were), and fleshly Christianity as faith. Now fully baptized—indoctrinated—in the world system, they are driven fully towards rebellion and complete rejection of the Word of God: thereby replacing God through "The Principality of Covetousness" with the thing in the world which seems to have power—money. In the world it is believed that "money is power"; however, even the world knows that "power corrupts." Christians given over to covetousness eventually "grow" from the love of money to the love of power; thereby ushering in "The Principality of Antichrist" that pushes them to believe that they are gods because of their wisdom, money and power. They are wholly given over to serving themselves not God. They are fully servants of sin and, as such, will receive their just reward: they become servants of "The Principality of Death".

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12). These twelve principalities all work toward producing unbelief in those infected. "And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:18-19). "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Hebrews 4:1). These twelve principalities influence the church, the church produces leaders influenced by these spirits and ultimately the whole community loses connection to God. It is a vicious circle: we begin with the world system outside the church and end up with the world system inside the church. The church embraces the external forces, brings them inside, and what is on the inside makes the church change its image on the outside. At first, the church looked like the church—even with bad things on the inside it still looked like the church. Now, the things inside the church have become apparent; they are showing themselves outside of the church for the entire world to see.

When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32)

Thus, instead of setting their "affection on things above," many Christians have set it squarely "on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2), and, effectively, have returned to the grave of their former lives for they are no longer "risen with Christ." Hence, the circle of death: from a life of unrealized death to a life hidden in Christ back to a life of bondage and fear of death. "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (2 Peter 2:20-22). Christians all over the world believe that Jesus has somehow changed; ignoring that scripture states, "I am the LORD, I change not" (Malachi 3:6). It is no different from right to left—conservative to liberal. We have replaced the Bible with theological interpretation of the Bible from books written by the likes of Joel Osteen, Dan Brown, Paul Tillich, T.D. Jakes or anyone else for that matter. We have replaced casting out spirits with psychology. We replaced the manifestation of the Spirit with making money, building huge cathedrals, making weird noises, dancing, and shouting. The perception of power has been exchanged for our notion of holiness. We replaced God with a man or woman standing in a pulpit, a stage, or some other place of "power." Most likely, we prefer that person to be on television. All of this we have done because we have lost touch with God through his Son, Jesus, by his Spirit.

Can we come back? The answer is yes we can. This book, Beyond Tradition into the Kingdom of God, functions as one of the calls God is making to his people to return. Judgment begins with the house of God. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear" (1 Peter 4:17-18)? So listen Christians, this book functions as a warning with a call to righteousness—the state of being in order with God through his Word and Spirit. "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame" (1 Corinthians 15:34). If you heed what is here, we promise you will be taking steps back to where God is. Leave tradition! Leave the fables! Leave deceit! Leave hypocrisy! God is waiting for a body and we need to come to him so he may have one.

DRAFT V2010-06-28T4:47:26 PM