The LORD God is the Lord of Hosts (Rev 19:11-20), and this has been mentioned 261 times in the Old Testament Scripture. Therefore, He rules over the angelic hosts, including the fallen angels. As a ruler, it is the LORD God who established the covenant with day and night, and the laws of heaven and earth. (Jer 33:25-26) These laws govern not only the physical world but also the spiritual world as well.
For example, God appointed a time to judge the devil Satan, his angelic host and man. The law appointed for men is for men to die once and then face judgment. (Heb 9:27, Job 30:23) This judgment will be held on a fixed day, whereby Jesus Christ will be the judge. (Dan 8:19, Acts 17:30-31)
This article is written as a reflectional piece based on the sharing of Reverend Lieow Meng Kuang on how we can attain victory in our spiritual encounter with God at Prescott Hotel Klang on 16th to 18th of July 2015. In this second session, Reverend Lieow discussed on whether Christians can still hold past covenantal ties to dark spirits.
Not only men, the devil and his angelic hosts have an appointed day for judgment as well. The reason the devil is not destroyed is because his appointed time of judgment by God has not come. God has the power to destroy the devil and his angelic host. In the end, Jesus will go on a war with his armies of heaven. He will throw the beast and the false prophet into the firey lake of burning sulfur. And the kings of the earth and their armies will also be killed by the sword coming out from the mouth of Jesus. (Rev 19:11-21)
Yet, before the devil’s appointed time of judgment, he is given authority under a long chain in this world. He is called ‘the ruler of the world,’ ‘ruler of the kingdom of the air,’ and ‘the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient.’ (John 14:30; Eph 2:1-2) The whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19) All of the children of Adam are subjected under his rule. (Eph 2:1-2)
But on the cross, Jesus Christ has ‘disarmed the powers and authorities’ of the devil and his angelic hosts. (Col 2:15) He is seated ‘far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.’ ‘And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church’ (Eph 1:21) Jesus ‘is the head over every power and authority’ (Col 2:10).
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On the cross, God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21) On the cross, Jesus forgave us all our sins and canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us. He had take this charge away and nailed it to the cross. (Col 2:14)
Yet, some of us who are first-generation Christians may hold certain past covenantal ties with the devil, his angelic host, and the elemental forces of this world. How can this be? Are not all past covenantal ties broken when we believe in Jesus Christ? The answer is yes! We are justified and sanctified by the blood of Jesus. (Rom 5:9; Heb 13:12)
However, if we still practice religious activities associated with worshipping an idol, we are actually offering ourselves as slaves to who we obey. Paul says to the Romans church, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Rom 6:16)
Having an idol is actually a sign of covenant with the fallen angelic hosts and principalities. When God wanted to establish Israelites’ land, He commanded them, “Do not make a covenant with them (people living in the land) or with their gods…. Or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.” (Exo 23:32-33)
That is why God took the subject of idolatry seriously. The first commandment that God gave the Israelites through Moses was, “You shall have no other gods before.” This is followed by, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath on in the waters below. You shall no bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God.’ (Exo 20:1-5)
Hence, shall we partake food offered to idols? Scripture has much to say about this. The apostles consulted the Gentiles believers in Christ to abstain from food sacrificed to idols. (Act 15:28-30)
Paul has also addressed this matter clearly to the Corinthian church. He says, “Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Cor 10:18-22) Hence, when we partake from and worship God and the demon, we are actually arousing God’s jealousy.
Some of us may think that if we consecrate the food by the word of God and prayer, even the food offered to demons is acceptable. Paul says, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” But if we were to read the whole passage, this part was written for believers who added human restraints to justify their faith in Christ. Not only they abstain from certain foods, they also forbid people to marry. Hence, although all food is to be eaten and received with thanksgiving, Paul has clearly stated that we shall not partake in food offered to idols.
In addition to idols, when we subject ourselves to elemental principles – basic or rudimental principles or personification of natural forces – we are actually choosing to be enslaved by them.
Paul rebuked the Galatian church by saying, “But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you want to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!” (Gal 4:9-10) The weak and miserable forces refer to elemental forces. (Gal 4:3) The people in this Scripture knowingly follow religious practices associated with elemental principles. While I know some of us unknowingly follow to appease the people around us, it is perhaps wise to not practice it, to avoid any chances of being enslaved by them.
Paul also rebuked the Colossian church by saying, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?”
Hence, based on biblical Scripture, it is unwise to partake or perform religious rituals associated to idols and elemental principles.
Also, the purpose of this article is not to induce fear amongst ourselves or to make us paranoid on whether we have any past covenantal ties.
Jesus Christ already says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)
And ‘for in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.’ (Col 2:9-10)
Darkness has no authority in our life. In fact, Scriptures says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
“Since He (God) did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one – for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” (Rom 8: 32-24)
And finally, “Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus or Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)
At this point however, on a side note, I also need to point out one sobering fact. Nothing external can separate us from the love of God. But personally, I do believe that we – ourselves – can separate ourselves from His love based on our free will. We can choose to walk away from God in thoughts and actions.
With that said, this article is written, so that we now do not unknowingly practice religious activities associated with worshipping or elemental spirits. In the past, some of us might have unknowingly participated. But now that we know, children of God, let us be wise and choose to do the right thing. Like the psalmist who says, “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments” (Psa 119:66); let us grow mature to eat solid food, like those ‘who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good and evil.” And hallelujah! We praise God for the access and availability of His Word in our lives. Amen.
Note: This article is not vetted by the speaker Reverend Lieow Meng Kuang and may not accurately represent the information he shared. It is a reflectional piece put together by the writer from her perspective and understanding as a participant of his seminar, Victory in Spiritual Encounter.Hence, the writer encourages the reader to examine this article in light of the Bible scripture to make a personal stand on this matter. The Bible, again, holds all authority in all matters. To gain a more accurate understanding about this topic, you can also attend the Victory in Spiritual Encounter by Reverend Lieow.
Reverend Lieow Meng Kuang has ministered to the Tamil community and Orang Asli community. At present, Reverend Lieow is stationed at Tapah, where he continues to serve as the Senior Pastor to the Orang Asli church there, and supervised the co-workers among the tribes. Reverend Lieow has over 30 years of experience in healing, deliverance, interpretation of dreams, and spiritual discernment of various types of spirits in the crosss-cultural Malaysian context. And in his seminars, he will teach on how to deal with these issues based on James 5:13-16. Reverend Lieow is married to Mary Chok Fonng Yeen and has four chidlren. For more information on his seminar, please email him at lieow55@gmail.com and kingbun@gmail.com
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