If Satan exists and indeed has an "army" of helpers, I want to know how they "work"?
I am talking about people who are NOT proclaimed "devil worshipers". They are people who talk about God and pray at meals and bedtime. Yet they speak of evil and do evil things quite often.
I believe that these people are being taken without their will into this so-called "satan's army". I would like to know other opinions on how these people are influenced. And possibly how people (who also love God and do not worship the devil) notice these "devilish qualities" in these others and not feel as if they are being pulled constantly between good and evil.
How does this army work if there is one. I don't think they know they have certain jobs to accomplish such as angels do possibly...
Serious answers please... I really want some mindful opinions here... thanks !
2006-07-30 14:40:35 · 27 answers · asked by xxxcariooo 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am NOT talking about myself. I do not kill people on the side but then go to church on Sundays. Jes.
2006-07-31 09:14:57 · update #1
Satan and his minions work on the human mind. Various thoughts and ideas are planted, deceptions arranged - anything goes as long as the main objective is achieved - "turning people from God and/or making sure many just never believe to begin with.
Why? Pay back. Satan and his henchmen are doomed with no hope of redemption for his vain attempt to dethrone God. Having nothing to lose, he aims to destroy something God holds dear. Humans, made in God's likeness.
People do not knowingly accept thoughts and ideas Satan throws at them. Many just do not believe he exists. The most dangerous enemy (by a Soldier's standard) is the enemy you do not know is there. Stealth is a major tool.
Satan can not control people, but he and his cronies have been on the earth since its beginning and have witnessed mankind from infancy on up. Satan and his goon-squad are master psychologists! They know how to steer people by using greed, lust, ambition, hate..., basic emotions and desires against people.
Even if you say you do not believe Satan exists - you would have to admit the above scenario (if Satan does exist) would indeed be a masterful plot. And while you do not believe - Satan has major laughs at your expense.
Thats how he also trips up believers. Using any level of vanity against them, jealousy and so forth. Satan is a master button pusher. He tries several combinations till the right ones are pushed.
You've seen people like this. They will throw one thing and then another at you till they get the desired reaction. Its a mirror of Satan - except Satan is much better at the craft.
2006-07-30 14:52:55 · answer #1 · answered by Victor ious 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You got some good answers so far, and some not so good. Sin is Sin. It is as simple as that. We all sin. Sometimes knowingly, IE I choose to drive above the speed limit today or put down Muslims or whatever. Sometimes we don't try to sin but end up doing it anyway. Sin, by the way is anything that goes against any law you believe in. This is because the bible says when you take a law of man and it is not sinful, and make it your own law you make it the same as God's laws. So while there may indeed be a "Satan's Army" as you put it, it is figurative. It doesn't matter if you are good or evil if you sincerely repent and ask God into your heart and accept the sacrifice of his Son Jesus. That is what matters. Having God's salvation for you that you have accepted.
2006-07-30 15:06:53 · answer #2 · answered by sir_john_65 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Consider the case of the Catholic church, and how they prohibit the use of birth control, and do not allow women preists, or their priests to marry. Also consider the large number of (over 100) priests found guilty of pedophilia. We could go on about the thousands of people killed in the name of the church during the spanish inquisitions, etc.
Consider the case of right-wing fundamentalist churches and how they castigate gays and lesbians, spewing a message of hatred and non-forgiveness when the message Christ brought was of accepting and loving everyone.
In both cases a majority of people that attend those churches are good people with the best of intentions and spirit. How does that good will get mangled and redirected towards evil?
Some might say that President G.W. Bush was another good case of good intention being twisted into evil.
It is said that satan is the great deceiver, and that his ways are subtle, and not overt. Besides these example's I am sure that you can see others in day to day life.
2006-07-30 14:53:01 · answer #3 · answered by Atom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The angels of God and the angels with Satan are everywhere in this world. They are wispering things in people ears everywhere. Some choose to listen to one, some to the other. Read the book of Daniel in the Bible sometime. The book of Job also shows some of the ways of how the devil works against people.
2006-07-30 14:48:08 · answer #4 · answered by I-o-d-tiger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
anything that anyone does that isn't what God approves of, is helping the devil.
you might be helping the devil and not know it.
The devils only real army are the demons and they get people to do bad things by speaking to their mind without them knowing it.
If you don't truely believe in Jesus then you can pray and talk about God, but you still aren't in with God, and you are on the devils side, even if you don't break any commandments or do anything bad, and some pretend to believe, but do evil when nobody is looking.
2006-07-30 14:48:07 · answer #5 · answered by You may be right 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To get a REALLY good idea of how both Angels and demons work read the books Into the Darkness and piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. Available through Amazon.com
2006-07-30 14:45:56 · answer #6 · answered by David T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my faith we who are here on earth are called the "Church Militant". Catholics nowadays hardly hear this phrase anymore.
If you fool the enemy into believing you don't exist that battle is won. That is what many people are fooled into its(Satan's) clutches. This is done by filling their time with the pomps of the world-music, promiscuous relationships, addictions,money,power,etc...
Those who are striving to do the Will of God, are the ones who are in the crossfire between good and evil.
Take a look at the lives of the saints,(st John Vianney, st. Pio, st. Anthony of the Desert, St. Francis,St. Teresa of Avila,...) the fought the devil by resisting temptations, suffering beatings by the devil and demons.
I think that these are the battles that are being fought for our souls and the saints have made it possible by following God's will to manifest this other world for us that is just a veil's thickness away.
Those who are closest to God will be under increased attack because they are more of a prize to Satan. As long as the Christian warrior remains faithful to the King of Kings, he will win his battle. We are given the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the spirit, remembering always that the war between good and evil was won on the cross.
Matt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
"the Christian church on earth, which is supposed to be engaged in a constant warfare against its enemies..."
2006-07-30 15:22:29 · answer #7 · answered by Tiberias 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Satan has the lie that we may be like God. Whenever we remove God from the throne of our heart, we replace it with something else, ourselves, our spouse, a car, sex, money...That is his first lie.
Satan's army want to divide us from each other...that is why he creeps into marriages and tries to get us to think we are married, and don't have any freedom, and resent our spouse. All those who believe are supposed to be on the same team as God. When a wolf wants a sheep for dinner, he cuts it from the flock. When Satan convinces us to cut ourselves off from other believers he's licking his lips for the coming meal.
First John Chapter 2 talks about other ways we are decieved. We begin to love the things of this world. God says to not be part of the world. My pastor explained it this way...God wants us to love people and use things....secular believe is to use people and love things. In this lie, Satan is helping us kick God's word out of our hearts.
I'm glad you want to be prepared! How can you fight an enemy you don't know?! If a football team emails all its plays out to the other teams, it doesn't stand a chance of winning. God has laid out all the ways Satan tries to deceive us in His Word. (Also thanks to my Pastor this sunday!) We can read, and learn and be prepared.
visit www.khouse.org Pastor Chuck has a download about the ways we are tempted, and how to overcome.
2006-07-30 14:52:35 · answer #8 · answered by Jennifer W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Temptation basically. They can't harm a human being physically so why not do it mentally? They give us humans thoughts that can lead us away from the Lord. Those thoughts are too powerful for humans to escape so you pray to God. In the even that you don't pray to God then you might just submit and do what your temptation has lead you to do.
Demons think they G'd up but they really bustas that got kicked out of Heaven for being groupies.
2006-07-30 14:45:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of us have a hard time telling the difference between "messages" from God and "messages" from Satan. You have to wonder, is this the devil making me think it's God or is it really Him, is this what He wants for me? Most people will simply pick the choice that's easiest or looks the prettiest and most times, it's not God they're listening to
2006-07-30 14:45:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋