SATAN
CHURCH
MYSTERY
36
AND THE
OF THE
Some may say, How would you deal with one who was apparently under the power of Satan or his agents? Our
reply would be that we have no warrant from Scripture to enter the field of service and ministry covered by the
message of the Circumcision, or of things outside the sphere of the One Body, but that keeping within that sphere,
we have a decided command as to our mode of action from Scripture, which says nothing of casting out demons, but
speaks of delivering by means of the truth.
` ... the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness
instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of
the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his
will' (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
It will be remembered that 1 Timothy 3:6,7 shows that the `snare of the Devil' is a constant trap for the `novice'.
How many there are in the Devil's snare because of hastily conceived ideas of the truth of the One Body. Such are
enemies, though unwillingly, of our faith.
The true method of attack upon Satan and his bondage is the wielding of the sword of the Spirit. We are obeying
God's explicit instructions when we `preach the Word' and are using the sword of the Spirit. The more `truth' we
declare the more `truth' is believed, and the more complete is our opposition to Satan. But to spend all day or all
night in prayer warfare is something uncommanded; it results in prayer taking the place of the Scriptures; and it has
no place in the life and witness of those whose first and last thought is that, both in matter and method their witness
shall be in harmony with `Thus saith the Lord'.
5. PAUL'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Personal experience may be good when appropriate, but it is out of place when it overbears the direct testimony
of Scripture. Books may be written and crammed with experiences that prove nothing more than that such things
were felt by the individual writer. Peter's experience on the Mount of the Transfiguration was convincing to
himself, but, he says, we have a `more sure' word of prophecy (2 Pet. 1:19). Paul's experiences, however, are
woven intimately into the fabric of inspired truth, and can be safely given a place. We have found that those who
are actively concerned in the warfare against Satan seldom hesitate to speak of all sickness among saints as the result
of the attack of the Evil One. It seems strange to think that those who should rejoice in the complete victory of
Christ over sin, Satan, and death, should be ready to concede so much power to the enemy over the bodies of those
who belong to the Lord. Possibly such would have persuaded Martha and Mary that the death of Lazarus was the
direct attack of the Devil, but they would have been mistaken. Possibly the man born blind entertained the same
belief, but he, too, was mistaken (See Exod. 4:11). However, we know that one affliction that came upon Paul was
of Satanic origin, but we find that he did not `resist' it as an attack of the Devil.
This special affliction was sent to Paul, `lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations' (2 Cor. 12:7). To have resisted this stake in the flesh would have been spiritually disastrous. Three
times he prayed for deliverance, but we do not read that he engaged in prayer warfare. Then, meekly yet gloriously,
he bowed to the Divine appointment, learning the blessed lesson of sufficient grace and perfected strength - a lesson
that no amount of healing could have ever taught.
Was Timothy in his persistent weakness foolishly allowing Satan to attack him? If so, Paul would have been
wiser to have advised a prayer conflict instead of the `little wine' of 1 Timothy 5:23. Was Epaphroditus allowing
Satan to have his own way with him? And Trophimus too? We have nothing to warrant such a conclusion.
Let us take as another example, Paul's imprisonment. Who can but believe that behind the malignant hatred of
the Jew was the hatred of the Devil? Prison meant an end of Paul's missionary journeys. Does he resist? No. Two
years of weary imprisonment under Felix, two years more at Rome, and never once through that time does Paul sign
himself other than as the prisoner of the Lord, though he makes it plain that his imprisonment was attributable to the
Jews' antagonism (Acts 28:17-19). Had Paul `resisted', should we have possessed his prison ministry? Did not
Satan go too far? Was not Paul more truly a conqueror in his quiet confidence in the Lord, than if he had moved
heaven and earth with his fervour?