Category: mystery program

Possessed with Devils #25

Thursday, October 30, 2025

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24 KJV).

What does the Bible say about devil possession?

In prophecy, Satan uses evil spirits to corrupt Israel’s people and Israel’s Promised Land. Thus, these are “unclean spirits,” “foul spirits,” or “devils.” Remember, “the Jews require a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22; cf. John 4:48). In God’s Word, healing the sick and casting out devils are two signs or indications the Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly kingdom is approaching (see Matthew 4:17,23,24—today’s Scripture; cf. Zechariah 13:2). In mystery (Paul’s epistles), however, God’s current relations with man, the battle has moved from Earth to Heaven, with emphasis on “spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places” (Ephesians 6:12). Thus, no devil possession is possible today, rendering exorcism unnecessary in our Dispensation of Grace. Still, unless we teach and believe sound Bible doctrine, works-religion and denominationalism will be Satan’s instruments to blind and pollute our minds and hearts (2 Corinthians 4:3,4; 2 Corinthians 11:3,4,13-15; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 2:26).

Finally, as for the terminology, we must set the record straight. Due to the influence of modern English versions (products of unbelief), “demon possession” and “demons” are used as supposedly “better alternatives” to “devil possession” and “devils.” This allegedly distinguishes between Satan (Devil) and his angelic employees (demons). However, our King James translators knew the difference between being possessed of devils (evil spirits) and being possessed of the Devil (Satan, the chief evil spirit). See Luke 22:3 and John 13:27, for example; though, differentiating between Satan and other evil spirits is generally immaterial because they all labor to oppose God’s works.

While “demon” is indeed a transliteration of the Greek “daimonion,” it poses two challenges for English readers. Firstly, “demon” does not contain the built-in clue as to its connection to “evil” (“devil” includes the very word “evil,” but “demon” is unclear). Secondly, the ancient Greeks used “demon” in both bad and good senses, evil spirits and good spirits—but “devil” is always bad. Modern English versions are ambiguous and therefore weak here. The Authorized Version King James Bible is superior, being more precise and, consequently, easier to read!

-FINIS!-

Possessed with Devils #21

Sunday, October 26, 2025

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24 KJV).

What does the Bible say about devil possession?

Two passages that will revolutionize the way we look at the Holy Scriptures (if we let them!) are Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25,26. Acts chapter 3 is Jesus Christ preached according to prophecy, that “which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Romans chapter 16 is Jesus Christ preached according to mystery, that “which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest [through Pauline revelation].” Remember Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Prophecy corresponds to God’s will for Earth, whereas mystery regulates His will for Heaven. To mix them is to become totally mixed up. These prophetic and mystery programs cannot be combined, lest unanswerable confusion result. Again, we must “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

The kingdom of the Gospel of the Kingdom is God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom. Prophecy is the series of events which will result in God having an earthly people, Israel, to accomplish His will in the Earth. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth [not ‘heaven!’],” says Matthew 5:5, the earthly kingdom constitution. “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:…” (Matthew 25:34), which kingdom loops back to God placing Adam on the Earth (not in Heaven!).

Mystery is what information God kept secret from mankind until Christ revealed it to and through the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 onward. As Israel will exalt Jesus Christ in Earth, so we learn from Pauline revelation how the Church the Body of Christ will glorify Him in the Heavenly Places. God is not claiming real estate on the Earth today. The current battle is in the heavenly places, and, to miss this is to give Satan the victory. Devil possession is Satan’s way of corrupting the Promised Land, but with Israel temporarily fallen (Romans chapter 11), Satan and God are at war in the heavenly places now….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #20

Monday, September 29, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

In Acts chapters 7–9, religious leader Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee who hated Jesus’ name and tirelessly hunted believing Jews. Yet, Saul gave up depending on his “goodness” and trusted Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:3-9). As Paul the Apostle decades later, he writes of himself: “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Timothy 1:13-16).

The salvation or justification of Saul/Paul is a “pattern” of how God has dealt with Christ-rejecting sinners for 2,000 years now. Firstly, He has been “merciful” or compassionate, holding back the wrath we sinners deserve. Secondly, He has been “gracious” or generous, giving us the favor we sinners do not deserve. Thirdly, He has been “peaceful” or friendly, pausing the war we sinners deserve. For a moment, He has interrupted the prophetic program, “[that] which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21), that He may operate the mystery program, “[that] which was kept since the world began, but now is manifest [through the Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon]” (Romans 16:25,26).

God has caused the nation Israel to temporarily fall, concluded all Jews and all Gentiles in unbelief, that He might have mercy on all nations without distinction (see Romans 11:11-14,30-32). What we need to do is the only thing we can do without doing anything: we need to believe on Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins. Since the Lord Jesus was our substitute on Calvary so long ago, we now enjoy God’s blessings….

The Kingdom of God is Within You #9

Saturday, July 19, 2025

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV).

Is there really a “mis-translation” in the King James Bible here?

To put it as succinctly as possible, “the kingdom of God” is the realm or sphere over which God has influence. It excludes unbelievers, Satan, and fallen angels. The expression is found in both Pauline and non-Pauline Bible verses. As touching us in mystery, we the Church the Body of Christ are “the kingdom of God.” In the prophetic program, however, the term takes the form of a literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom—and this is because Israel is God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly people. In today’s Scripture, Jesus tells the Pharisees they need to have faith in Him before they see His literal, physical, visible, earthly kingdom founded. They must have God’s influence in their hearts (“the kingdom of God is within you”—today’s Scripture) before they observe with their physical eyes how He demolishes earthly governments.

Read Luke 17:20 again. By looking for a literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom at so late a time during Christ’s earthly ministry, the unbelieving Pharisees (who have failed to receive Jesus by faith) and the rest of lost Israel have opened themselves up to the deception of the Antichrist’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom that will counterfeit and come before Jesus Christ’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom.

That is the warning of Luke 17:20-25: “…The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.”

Again, Calvary is just weeks away, which postpones the kingdom….

Wisdom for Life #11

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Read these words from Ephesians chapter 3, verses 9-11: “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:….”

Paul aimed to make all men see what is “the fellowship of the mystery”—this “fellowship” being the Church the Body of Christ, a secret God did not reveal until his ministry. If the members of the Body of Christ would simply walk by faith in “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:2), Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon, then they would be God’s “manifold [multifaceted] wisdom” for both people and angels to see. Alas, because of sin or “fleshly wisdom” (2 Corinthians 1:12), there is more manifold foolishness amongst God’s people than manifold wisdom!

“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:28,29). Paul and his ministry companions preached Christ, teaching every person in all wisdom—spiritual wisdom—because that would make those people “perfect [mature, lacking nothing] in Christ Jesus.” We as believers in Christ should thus heed the exhortation issued in Ephesians 5:16-18: “See then that ye walk circumspectly [looking around, cautiously], not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;….”

Let us now summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Wisdom for Life #10

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Here are the first seven verses of the Book of Proverbs (outlining its purpose): “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Precious few have ever been taught that Proverbs is not a set of principles without a dispensational context. It is a Book of great prophetic significance for Israel. Check chapter 1, verses 8-19, which are a veiled reference to Calvary. Verses 20-33 point to John the Baptist’s preaching, as well as Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) and the horrors of the Antichrist’s diabolical schemes. Yet, whether prophecy or mystery, today’s Scripture is still true and is always true, because these verses are transdispensational. Paul definitely agrees with trusting in the LORD as opposed to trusting in our “wisdom.”

Whether prophecy or mystery, sinful man, filled with Satan’s life, needs God’s power in order to be filled with God’s life. Once the sinner trusts the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for his or her sins (1 Corinthians 15:3,4); he or she becomes a vessel of the Holy Spirit who can then be filled with Jesus Christ’s life as that saint walks by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s words to and about the Church the Body of Christ. Passages such as Romans chapters 12–16, Ephesians chapter 4, and Colossians chapter 3, can then serve as replacements for the evil deeds of Romans chapter 1.

This is true wisdom for life….

Wisdom for Life #9

Monday, June 30, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Doubtless, the deadliest—but most innocuous (innocent-looking) form of—human wisdom is that which man uses to corrupt the Holy Bible. Whether the textual critics constantly using Roman Catholic manuscripts to attack the Protestant King James Bible with “re-translations,” or the denominationalists repeatedly failing to rightly divide the word of truth by applying Israel’s verses to us, man has created in his own image various counterfeit “Bibles” and assorted perverted “Christian” sects and factions.

Members of the unsuspecting “Christian” public have been preyed upon in this manner for centuries—yea, millennia. They have incorporated into their minds, hearts, and lives, that which does not profit… what Scripture calls “wood, hay, stubble” (1 Corinthians 3:12). Rather than building on the foundation of the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (1 Corinthians 3:11; cf. Romans 16:25,26), Paul’s preaching of Christ in Romans to Philemon, they disobey 2 Corinthians 5:16 and know Christ after the flesh (relying on the prophetic view of Him as seen in Matthew to John).

In his “wisdom,” man pompously declares, “I can do something good for God. I am smart enough to manage sin.” This is self-deception. Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24), is, “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15). Here is God’s wisdom for victorious Christian (grace) living. It is not what we do for Him (law, performance-based acceptance system), but rather what He can do for us through Calvary’s crosswork (grace-based acceptance system).

Again, true wisdom for life is trusting in the LORD, not in ourselves….

Wisdom for Life #8

Sunday, June 29, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

In contradistinction to the love of man’s wisdom—the philosophy the Corinthians so treasured—Paul reminded those saints of the capital city of southern Greece: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Here is how their Christian life began… and this is how it would work!

Now, chapter 3: “[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. [10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. [11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. [14] If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

God gave Paul, the “wise masterbuilder,”  the “blueprints” for His current dealings with man—namely, wisdom for life in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God….

Wisdom for Life #7

Saturday, June 28, 2025

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is true wisdom for life….

Judges contains the record of some of Israel’s darkest years. Two particular verses that encapsulate the deplorable spiritual conditions that time are as follows. “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Such is not “dead history.” Relative righteousness—“what is good to you may not be good to me,” “what is right for me does not govern what is right for you”—is nothing new.

“Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Man’s wisdom is that which he reasons apart from God’s wisdom. In short, man’s wisdom is but satanic wisdom. God kept a secret from “wise” Satan, but He revealed this hidden wisdom to the Apostle Paul (2 Peter 3:15,16). Not only would Father God use Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary to redeem Israel from her sins, He would also redeem us from our sins as members of the Church the Body of Christ. Man in his wisdom cannot figure this out.

Human effort is not enough and will never be enough; human wisdom is not enough and will never be enough. Wisdom for life starts with faith in the Lord God’s words to and about us, and this is Paul’s epistles of Romans to Philemon. We study Genesis to Revelation, because it is all inspired of God and all for our learning, but Paul’s ministry focuses on what God is doing today as He forms a heavenly people for His name….

Training Replacements #11

Friday, June 20, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

The Lord Jesus Christ has not been on planet Earth physically for 2,000 years. However, He did send the Holy Spirit to take His place. Firstly, the Holy Spirit came upon the Little Flock, Israel’s believing remnant, in Acts chapter 2: He enlightened the people of God as touching prophecy (today’s Scripture). Secondly, the Holy Spirit’s ministry moved over to Paul’s ministry and the Gentiles in chapter 9, after unbelieving Israel had fallen and mystery had interrupted prophecy.

Acts 26:16-18 describes our Apostle Paul’s commissioning: “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I [the Lord Jesus Christ] have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee [‘apostle’ = ‘sent one’], To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

First Corinthians 4:1,2 likens Paul unto a “steward”—a household manager who distributes his master’s goods throughout the estate as his master directs. Paul delivers (“dispenses”) to us information the Lord Jesus Christ directly gave to him: this is the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon, or what the Bible calls “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:1,2). Here is how Christ lives His life in and through us as members of the Church the Body of Christ. Unless we know God’s will to and about us, we cannot work with Him by faith in accomplishing His will. If we do not hold firm to that sound doctrine, our lives and ministries are simply the works of sinful flesh.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….