Why Satanic Policies Often Prevail
Next Satan took him to the peak of a very high mountain, and showed him the nations of the world and all their glory. "I`ll give it all to you, he said, if you kneel and worship me." In context, Jesus had just been baptized whereby stepping out and up publicly into his earthly leadership role. He is immediately led into the wilderness specifically to be tested for 40 days and nights. The focus here is on Satan`s timing, how accurately swift he strikes with deadly precision, when people are placed in positions of power over others. The evil one knows that shortly after being promoted, or soon after rising up to a higher position, we humans are especially vulnerable. Still others who`ve already yielded to Satan follow his lead step by step by advancing up the corporate ladder. Either way my initial focus is on the mountain top experience. What happens in us.
He knows that in the human mind, the moment we come up, we often begin talking to ourselves (inner thought voice) as we experience the freshness of the new level of success. In our minds we say "So this is what success feels like up here; I like it! I`m king of the hill! Top of my game! Oh yeah, the thrill of victory can be intoxicating. The right thing to do would be to praise God, give him the glory. Even still, the exalted feeling will still surface. Yes sir, the battle in the mind is real... Furthermore, the devil is poised, because he knows that all high places are slippery places. So, he simply waits for the exalted mood to fade or wear off. Then when the honeymoon is over a sense of vulnerability swoops in alarming you of how easily you could blow it if you don`t perform at an even greater level. You sense that "What got you here won`t keep you here." You`ve won the position, and don`t want to lose it, which simultaneously creates a deeper sense of urgency to keep on winning. These are natural human tendencies. Its not difficult for the evil one to recognize when the honeymoon of achieving success phase is over for humans. Its at this point when the evil one slithers upon the scene offering various ways that seemingly guarantee continued success. The methods will seem to provide job security, protect your interests, offer greater skill levels, reinforce the status-quo that placed you where you stand...Their is only one condition that is required of you. To "kneel down" and worship Satan. This kneeling down stuff speaks of falling from a upright position of integrity to a position whereby you willingly compromise with evil.
Satan is popping his collar in America right now. Observe the following example. Morning headlines: "Stunning Drug Lab Scandal could overturn 23,000 convictions. Annie Dookhan who worked at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute in Boston. She admitted to tampering with evidence, forging test results and lying about it. The former lab tech served 3 years in prison before being released last year. Why Dookhan did it remains a somewhat of a mystery. Investigators and former colleagues have said the Trinidian immigrant seemed driven by a compulsion to overachieve, even if it meant making things up or cutting corners. She became the labs most prolific analyst. A record that impressed her supervisors but also worried her co-workers. A concern that went overlooked, investigators found. "Some are having their case dismissed because we believe that the integrity of the system of justice is more important than their convictions." Again, I say Satan is popping his collar in America right now. But, as revealed in the conclusion of this example, this fight is fixed! In the mighty name of Jesus: good will prevail over evil.
Here is a fairly familiar biblical episode where when, the evil one (operating somewhat like a puppet master) responds to the healing of a lame man. My specific focus once again is upon how such evil supernatural/human collaborations were in play behind the scene establishing evil policies that inevitably spread. The sequence of events reveal how Satan protects his evil interest upon the earth within human affairs. First lets backtrack; Christianity was brand new to the scene, Jesus had been recently crucified, the day of Pentecost had came and gone, where when his disciples had been filled with the Holy Spirit. This "filling" empowered the disciples for a higher level of ministry. Satan could not stop them from being empowered, nor could he prevent the disciples from doing what God empowered them to do. His options were limited, and so, Satan not only focused on discrediting Jesus`s disciples, he approached through the sinful tendencies of the religious leaders who opposed Christianity from the start. This is often how many evil policies are birthed.
As stated elsewhere, the methods employed will always subdue the deep seated sense of inferiority that`s often the root cause behind the need to elevate oneself above others. Doing this, in turn, seems to provide job security, protect self-interest, etc. Such self-centered sin-filled motivations ultimately manifest as policies, evil doctrines, and laws. It`s significant to note that when such policies are enacted practically everyone on both sides of the aisle will not recognize that Satan has achieved his goal. Keep this truth in mind as we move to the next scene.
Here, is the scene when the lame man (from birth) saw Peter and John approaching the temple entrance and asked them for alms. At this point Acts 3:4-8 records Peter`s response, "And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."
At this point Peter began preaching to the crowd, by breaking down, what, why, and the how, the lame man was , healed, delivered and set free. Oh yeah Peter and John, fully empowered, anointed, and under the direction of the Holy One, began preaching the gospel truth about Jesus. In response, as recorded Acts 3:10 the eye witnesses were "...filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." This brings us to my focus in Acts 4:1-3 "While they were talking to the people, the chief priests, the captain of the Temple police, and some of the Sadducees came upon them, very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming that Jesus had risen from the dead. They arrested them and since it was already evening, jailed them overnight. But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers now reached a new high about 5,000 men!"
According to historical sources, It was not until 64 A.D. when the evil one would step up his game by employing Nero ( who would become the Roman Emperor) to specifically target Christians for persecution. However, during this particular period of time, when Peter and John were arrested the Roman authorities actually sanctioned specific religious activities. Subsequently, the arrest was not done by the Roman authorities. On the night in question, Peter and John were arrested by the Jewish leaders. Although Christianity was actually a sect of Judaism at the time, most if not all, Jewish leaders held a condescending position. As stated above, Christianity was brand new to the scene, and this significance points to how and why the religious leaders who had been well established not only questioned Peter and John`s religious authority, but flat out disagreed with what the two were so adamantly proclaiming. To add insult to injury; here, Peter and John were telling everyone that their authority came from the same man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who, the religious leaders had crucified. Moreover they proclaimed that this very same Jesus has risen from the dead, and that the same resurrection power that raised Jesus was employed upon the lame man. All of which contradicted what the religious leaders believed, and taught so strongly against.
You see, the Sadducees were Levitical priests who claimed to represent ancient orthodoxy. They further claimed too limit their beliefs to only the doctrines they could find in the first five books of the Old Testament. They denied the existence of the soul, angels, spirits and the biblical doctrine of resurrection. In their minds to believe in anything other than what they believed was inconceivable or mere foolish at best. Moreover, for the Sadducees the "Messiah" would not be divine, and they rejected the idea of God interacting in human affairs. They dismissed the belief in eternity and denied the existence of the spirit realm. Subsequently, they tenaciously opposed any kind of developments in biblical law that they could not find in the Torah (Pentateuch/ first five books in O.T.) These were their core beliefs. Get this in your spirit: Satan understands the power of "core beliefs."
The best definition I`ve found of core beliefs is as follows. "Core beliefs are strongly-held, rigid, inflexible beliefs that are maintained by the tendency to focus on information that supports the belief and ignoring evidence that contradicts it." Oh yeah, core beliefs define how we see ourselves; view others, the world, and our future. Prayerfully consider how the evil one with this understanding about "core beliefs" starts planting his evil ideology, and distorted beliefs very early within the minds of humans. What I mean is that one reason why core beliefs present such challenges is because they often reach back into childhood. Or, in this case, the Sadducees core beliefs came from the Maccabean heroes. They were the Levitical priests who supposedly represented the ancient orthodoxy that the Sadducees clung too which reached back to 168-134 B.C. They believed that the messianic age actually started with themselves and trickled down to the Sadducees. This was why they rejected Peter and John proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah. Moreover, these truths about the influence of core beliefs is why scripture commands us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
The Sadducees derived its members from the wealthy upper class of the Jewish aristocracy. In contrast to the Sadducees the Pharisees were from the middle class and they believed in the Doctrine of the Resurrection, and angels and other spirit beings. Although their differences were major they agreed when it came to getting rid of Jesus. Subsequently, both Sadducees and Pharisees shoved their differences aside in the joint effort to silence Jesus by having him crucified. However, crucifying Jesus did not stop his gospel message from moving forward.
Jesus disciples were not theologians, rabbis, scribes, nor were they a part of the upper echelon of their community. Having no high ranking authority, office, education, or social standing, added fuel as to why the disciples were looked down upon when they preached the gospel truth about Jesus. Even though they preached with undeniable power, some of the religious leaders chose to hold on to their core beliefs and others held on to their fears. Therefore envision the chief priests, the captain of the Temple police and the Sadducees not only being very disturbed, but drenched with a superior attitude, especially the Sadducees, as they approached Peter and John. Those with condescending attitude and pride tend to exaggerate the value of their opinions so much so that an elevated importance of what they perceive to be the "real deal" eliminates any possibility that would suggest that they are in error. Such people see themselves as greater than others, which often leads to abusing those they look down upon.
Getting back to the text, Acts 4, Its important to note that it`s at this point when the newly formed Body Of Christ began encountering resistance, and equally important is that this expressed hostility against Jesus true followers actually came from the religious system that it was spawned from. The resistance starts the night Peter and John were arrested. The following day we find Peter and John being taken before the Sanhedrin court.Here is how the trial opened. Acts 4:7 " The next day it happened that the council of all the Jewish leaders was in session in Jerusalem.-Annas the High Priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others of the High Priest`s relatives. So the two disciples were brought in before them. "By what power, or by whose authority have you done this? the Council demanded. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Honorable leaders and elders of our nation, if you mean the good deed done to the cripple, and how he was healed, let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that it was done in the name and power of Jesus from Nazareth, the Messiah, the man you crucified-but God raised back to life again.It is by his authority that this man stands here healed! For Jesus the Messiah is (the one referred to in the Scriptures when they speak of) a "stone discarded by the builders which became the capstone of the arch." There is salvation in no one else! Under all heaven there is no other name for men to call upon to save them."
At the beginning of the trial the first question the authorities asked was a typical question that leaders ask when their position is threatened. Although these religious leaders believed they had the authority over religious matters in the nation, right there in real time they had a serious dilemma. Envision them asking Peter the question about who gave Peter and John the power and authority to perform a miracle upon a man who was previously crippled, with the same man standing healed right next to Peter and John in the courtroom. Furthermore, visualize Peter operating so eloquently under the anointing in the courtroom as a seasoned man of God. Imagine what it must have been like for the senior ex-high priest Annas, and the high priest Caiaphas and all the other religious leaders. All were fully aware that Peter and John had not received a rabbinical education. On one hand, I can hear each one of them mumbling with indignation under their breath somewhat like this; "The nerve, what audacity for them to teach the people! We are the only ones highly skilled and qualified in such matters. The devil is a liar!"
On the other hand, these same religious leaders also knew that Peter and John had been very close with Jesus. This is important because when you compare the religious leaders ineffectiveness in ministry with Jesus` effectiveness in ministry the truth becomes glaringly obvious. The same comparison is revealed when comparing Jesus`s disciples effectiveness at the temple when you think about how long the crippled man had been coming to the temple, whereby exposing the ineffectiveness of the religious leaders ministry. With these truths in mind what was the battle like internally?
What kind of thoughts and emotions were racing through the religious leaders minds as they observed how Peter broke down the Scriptures in court that day? Oh yeah, a person who had not gone to seminary or bible collage could or should not have been able to elaborate at such a high level. Every thing happening was supposedly beyond the scope of one unschooled in such religious matters. Furthermore they were seething based on how the eye witnesses responded to the miracle and preaching which followed by Peter and John. Acts 3:10 records how the eye witnesses were "...filled with wonder and amazement." And how 5,000 men believed (got converted) and became true believers. This, as stated above, is when the sense of vulnerability swoops in whereby alarming them they could lose their positions of authority. Let me be clear: the sense of vulnerability surfaced not only because of how many people were converted and filled with wonder, but because the Gospel message Peter and John taught was the exact opposite to what the Saducces taught relative to bodily resurrections. I can`t overemphasize how strongly the doctrine of bodily resurrection was rejected by the Saducces.
Keep in mind that; core beliefs are strongly-held, rigid, inflexible beliefs that are maintained by the tendency to focus on information that supports the belief and ignoring evidence that contradicts it. Keeping this truth in mind is important because it points to why they would question Peter and John even with the evidence standing right next to Peter and John in the court room. You see, looking at the miracle and listening to Peter`s unlearned eloquence created a deeper sense of urgency within each of their minds. What I mean is that even though they chose to hold on to their core beliefs, it was impossible to ignore, even though they appeared to do so on the surface, the overwhelming evidence, which in turn, stirred specific emotions and thoughts.
This was when the evil one slithered upon the scene offering various ways that seemingly guaranteed job security, protected their interests, and reinforce the status-quo that placed all 70-plus members on the Sanhedrin Court which they presided over. Once again, the only condition required was for them kneel down in agreement with evil.
You see, the religious leaders were not the only ones observing the activities of Peter and John throughout this biblical episode. From the beginning with healing the crippled man, preaching in the temple, and watching eye witnesses being "...filled with wonder and amazement." and the 5,000 being saved, and the scene in the courtroom, were being observed by the evil one and his cohorts. However, make no mistake, they were not merely sitting back observing the scenes! You see, although unseen by most, there was a spiritual battle being waged between good and evil. While Peter (being filled with the Holy Spirit) was operating under the anointing of the Holy One, the Devil was doing his thing too! The question, then, becomes, "What was the evil one doing?
As stated at the beginning of this lesson, the devil is poised because he knows that all high places are slippery places. Think about how much time he had to work within their minds based on what had happened. I mean, he had all night to plant his evil ideology within each of their minds. Get this, it was only a few weeks ago that senior ex-high priest Annas and the reigning high priest Caiaphas had participated in the trial of Jesus. Now here comes Peter and John filled with the same power; healing a crippled man and preaching that Jesus had risen from death back to life. Consequently, at this particular point they felt deeply threatened again. They wrongfully thought it was over when they had Jesus crucified. Now as conveyed above, because many of the people had heard the gospel message and seen the crippled man healed and were becoming believers the alarm sounds again causing that deep sense of urgency to rise to the surface of their behavior. Anger, fear, envy, and hatred battle for center stage in each of the religious leaders minds.
Therefore after listening to Peter, and seeing all the evidence before them, they sent Peter and John out of the Council chamber and conferred among themselves. Acts 4:16 -18 "Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus." My brother, my sister, this is one example of how satanic polices get started. The disciples responded to the command as follows, Acts 4:19 -20 "But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye, For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Although Peter and John chose not to kneel down with evil, the religious leaders tenaciously held on to what was clearly against God. This was just the beginning of what would grow into satanic policies. They did not stop Peter and John. It`s significant to keep in mind how the evil one closely identifies with human tendencies, strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral patterns. He knows how to bait his hook. Subsequently this is one road that leads to why satanic policies prevail.
More on Core Beliefs
"The mother who taught me what I know of tenderness and love and compassion taught me also the bleak rituals of keeping Negroes in their "place." The father who rebuked me for an air of superiority toward schoolmates from the mill and rounded out his rebuke by gravely reminding me that "all men are brothers," trained me in the steel-rigid decorums I must demand of every colored male. They who so gravely taught me to split me "soul," taught me also to split my conscience from my acts and Christianity from southern tradition. The author goes on to write, " I do not remember how or when, but by the time I had learned that God is love, that Jesus is His Son and came to give us more abundant life, that all men are brothers with a common Father, I also knew that I was better than a Negro, that all black folks have their place and must be kept in it,
From the day I was born, I began to learn my lessons. I was put in a rigid frame too intricate, too twisting to describe here so briefly, but I learned to conform to its slide-rule measurements. I learned it is possible to be a Christian and a white southerner simultaneously; to be a gentlewoman and an arrogant callous creature in the same moment; to pray at night and ride a Jim Crow car the next morning and to feel comfortable in doing both. I learned to believe in freedom, to glow when the word democracy was used, and to practice slavery from morning to night. I learned it the way all of my southern people learn it: by closing door after door until one`s mind and heart and conscience are blocked off from each other and from reality." ( Lillian Smith`s book Killers of the Dream )
