Characteristics The Evil Angels

 
ARTICLE XII – SECTION E: CHARACTERISTICS – THE EVIL ANGELS 

Some of the same characteristics of the holy angles are shared by the fallen angels.  They are spirit beings and they are non-corporeal.  One notable difference is they desire to indwell men, and on one occasion, when denied this option, they chose swine (Mat 8:31).

They are stronger than men (Not the Lord):

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.”  Mar 5:2-4.

They are not omniscient, but they are wiser than men:

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.”  Mar 1:23-24.

They are viciously wicked and unclean:

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”  Mat 8:28.

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”  Mat 10:1.

Some are more wicked than others:

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”  Mat 12:43-45.

PURPOSE & ACTIVITIES OF THE EVIL ANGELS 

The evil angels are out to thwart God’s purposes because they worship Satan.  They are assisting Satan in his goal to rule and be, “like the most High.” (Isa 14:13-14).  Satan’s goal has not changed; he is haughty, proven by his attempt to tempt Jesus to worship him:

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”  Mat 4:9.

Satan’s devils are under his control and advance his plans.  They are in opposition to us constantly, hindering us in our service to the Lord:

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.  Eph 6:12.

Satan is not omnipresent, devils therefore carry out many of his tasks.  They are manipulating, seducing, and inducing people to depart from the faith and follow false doctrines:

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”  1Ti 4:1.

They are promoting all forms of idol worship.  Many scoff at idol worship thinking that things made by man contain no spiritual significance.  Did you know that the current United States government is an idol?  Any man made construction that devils use to assume to take authority over and rule you and make you subject to its laws in direct violation of the commandments of God, and your God given rights, is an idol.  

The Bible makes it clear that behind any type of idol worship is a devil associated with idol worship:

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:  Rev 9:20.

Devils cause various physical afflictions:
Sometimes they accomplish God’s purposes:

And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.”  1Ki 22:21-23.

Devil possession exists today, even if the world does not believe it does.  Jesus cast out devils – it was a REAL work:

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:”  Mat 8:16.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.”  Mat 9:32-33.

Jesus indicated this was proof of His Divine mission:

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.  Mat 12:26-28.

The Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by Beelzebub.  He showed them this was foolish:

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”  Mat 12:26-28.

In fact, those who mocked casting out devils bordered on committing an unpardonable sin:

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”  Mat 12:31.

Jesus indicted casting out devils would be one of the signs of those that believe in Him:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”  Mar 16:17-18.

It worked for the early Apostles:

There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.  Act 5:16.

It worked for Philip the evangelist:

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.”  Act 8:6-7.

It worked for the Apostle Paul:

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”  Act 16:16-18.

The sons of Sceva proved you better be walking the walk before you talk the talk:

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”  Act 19:13-16.

Some postulate that activity of devils increased during the Lord’s ministry for the following reasons.

Satan’s opposition is directed at the Seed of woman:

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  Gen 3:15.

Jesus came to destroy Satan’s works:

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”  1Jn 3:8.

It will continue to increase the closer we get to Christ’s return.  Being possessed by devils and influenced by devils is two different things; one is domination, the other warfare.  All sickness is caused by sin or Satan, but not necessarily by possession by devils, and sickness is not an indication of possession.

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.”  Luk 13:32.

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:”  Mat 8:16.

There is a contrast between casting out and healing.  It is not biblical to cast out a devil when someone is merely sick.

Possession of devils in our society is harder to see, but assumed by the lifestyles of some, and because devils are wise and adaptive to respective cultures.  Their grosser aspects may be repressed in a highly cultured society like ours to hide their activities.  Whereas in a more primitive society, you might see outright devil worship (like voodoo, human sacrifices, animal sacrifices, and so on).

They can appear as roaring lions:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”  1Pe 5:8.

 If need be, they can appear as angels of light to mask their activities.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”  2Co 11:14.

You have to take the whole armour of God to withstand their attacks:

 

They have a subtle presence (not just full frontal attack only), that is purposed to oppose God – accomplished by:

YOURSELF – deception and/or false doctrine, even in the life of a supposed moral or saved person:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? BE NOT DECEIVED: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  1Co 6:9-11.

OUTSIDER – devils will use really smart lost people, sophisticates, imagined intellectuals who become tools of the devil.

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And 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.”  2Ti 2:23-26.

INSIDER – devils manipulate and allow you to be influenced by hypocrites or religious people:

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  Joh 8:42-44.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”  1Co 11:19.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”  Mat 23:15.
 
The hypocrite does not know he is a hypocrite, or a pawn of the devil.  He also does not know his allies, or the Lord.  The hypocrite lashes out at that which is good claiming it is evil, and is thus defeated by himself.  Also, they are used as pawns by devils to kill you (with yourself) by following their false profession:

KNOW YOUR ALLIES:

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”  1Co 12:10.

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”  Heb 5:13-14.

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