Feelings Of Evil


By Phil Scovell






     I carefully watched the reports on television and listened to
the news broadcasts on the radio concerning the Virginia Tech
school shootings.  I was no stranger to the emotions I new would
be generated since I experienced, as did everyone else in Denver,
the shootings at the Columbine High School.  I also knew what this
would mean to those with whom I pray.  They soon began to call. 
The murders scared them and even made some feel like they wanted
to murder as well.  That caused them to fear even more.  Was this
due to mental illness that they suddenly wanted to kill?  No, is
the simple answer.  Trying to explain it in detail to most is
impossible because they only can see it from one viewpoint and
that is generally the secular explanation.  So allow me to use
myself as an example of how such feelings sometimes occur even in
the life of a Christian.

     A couple of days after the school shootings, my youngest son,
24 years of age, was in my office.  We began talking about the
shootings.  My son is a registered gun owner and is getting his
permit to carry a concealed weapon as well.  My son was just
commenting on how senseless and heartless the whole situation was
and, as do we all, he was trying to figure out how such a thing
could even happen.

     As we talked for a few minutes, from in front of me and to my
right, so at about the 2 o'clock position, I felt a malevolence
suddenly appear.  No, I didn't see it because I am totally blind
but my emotions, and my spirit, felt his presence.  The second the
evil spirit appeared, he crashed into me with his feelings of fear
and murder and destruction.  Words came.  "I would have used a
silencer."  Then something felt as if it physically slammed into
my body.  The anxiety of his presence shot off the scale.  My
chest flushed and my stomach flip flopped.  Raw fear gripped me
and I felt it physically.

     I want you to note several things.  I am a Born Again
Christian.  I am not living in sin of any kind.  I am not mentally
ill either.  Yet, I was demonically attacked.  Was it real?  Of
course.  No, I wasn't having an anxiety attack or a panic attack
but that's exactly what it felt like when it occurred, not to
mention, the thoughts, or voice, that accompanied the attack.  It
lasted about three seconds.  Years ago, it would have lasted
hours, if not days, and perhaps even weeks, as the memory
refreshed in my thoughts repetitively.  Why?  Because back then, I
believed the lie that I was flawed and something was wrong with
me.  If people knew my thoughts, I believed, they would think I
was mentally ill.  For that matter, when I was about thirteen
years old, I thought I was going to grow up and be the antichrist. 
No fooling.  Of course, I didn't tell anybody.  You know why, too. 
People already thought I was crazy and needed to see a
psychiatrist, at least this is what our Christian friends at
church told my mom, just because I was blind.  Imagine what they
would think if they heard I was afraid I would grow up to be than
antichrist.

     I often tell the story of going to a psychologist at a mental
health facility many years ago.  I went because I was having
anxiety and panic attacks, hearing voices, having nightmares, and
was scared out of my mind, as they say, from just the fear alone. 
The psychologist said she was going to ask me some questions as
she filled out my forms.  She let me know there were some
questions that, based upon how I answered, she would have to
report to the authorities.  For example, "Do you have thoughts of
suicide or doing bodily harm to yourself or others?  Do you want
to kill anyone?  Do you hear voices telling you to do things of
violence?"  I quickly said no to all three things.  Why?  Because
to have tried explaining the psychodynamics of demonics to this
psychologist would have been, not only impossible, but
detrimental.  She would, of course, due to her training,
immediately assumed I was crazy, mentally ill, and I likely would
have been placed in the hospital for observation, medication, and
direct psychological evaluation, and last, but not least, put on a
suicide watch.  Let me return to the demonic attack to explain
further.

     I mentioned it lasted about three seconds.  The reason?  I
almost instantly became aware, by the Holy Spirit, that this was a
demonic attack.  How did I know this?  First, I knew I didn't want
to kill anyone.  So when I heard the words in my thoughts, "I
would have used a silencer," was beyond the ridiculous.  Since I
knew I would not say, or even think, such a thing, I knew I was
hearing a lie in my thoughts.

     Secondly, it was spoken in the first person.  This was
perpetrated to deceive me into thinking that they were really my
own thoughts.  Only crazy people would think such a thing.

     Thirdly, fear flooded my emotions to almost the point of
overload.  These were demonic feelings designed to mask, or cover,
the actual demonic presence.  Few Christians even remotely believe
demons can do this, that is, put their feelings upon you and
especially if you are a Christian.  Such things don't happen to
Christian, do they?  Then why does James 4:7 warn of to "Resist
the devil?"  Why did the Apostle Paul instruct us to put on the
whole armor of God, in Ephesians 6, and to stand against the
wiles, or deceitfulness, of the Enemy?  "Oh, I forgot.  You don't
believe demons can even put their thoughts into our thoughts so
how could they possibly use their feelings against our feelings? 
Good question.  Let me quote then, from Ephesians 6:16 and see
what the Bible says.

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."


QUENCH

     This is an odd word to use but perhaps the whole thing is a
metaphor and has no definite meaning at all.  Of course he is
speaking metaphorically, or figuratively, or symbolically.  You
don't think Paul was really suggesting that we all walk around
with a bulky warriors suit of armor, do you?  In today's way of
speaking, we might call it body armor.  No, Paul is just telling
us to be prepared.  For what?  For the fiery darts that will come
from the Enemy.  They aren't real, you say?  I'm tempted to
suggest you haven't even read the New Testament once, if that's
what you believe, but I understand how much of the New Testament
teaching has been explained away and rendered inapplicable;
leaving today's Christian exposed and spiritually endangered.

     The word used for "quench" in this verse means (to
extinguish, quench, of fire or things on fire, to be quenched, to
go out, to quench,  to suppress, stifle).  Paul used the word, I
might remind you, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  So the
word was not used accidentally or by mistake.  Nor did Paul throw
it in their for special effects.


FIERY

     The Greek word used for "fiery" in this passage means (to
burn with fire, to set on fire, kindle, to be on fire, to burn, to
be incensed, indignant, make to glow, full of fire, fiery,
ignited, of darts filled with inflammable substances and set on
fire).  The question is, however, was Paul speaking literally or
was he just working on his poetic side of life that day.


DARTS

     The word for "darts" is (a missile, dart, javelin, or arrow). 
I trust you will find as interesting as I do, that this word
"darts" is used this single time in all of the New Testament. 
Just once; making it unique.  So with these three words, quench,
fiery, and darts in mind, let me make some theological and
spiritual observations.

     Often we get the idea that the angels of God are feelingless. 
I don't know where we get this idea, perhaps because Jesus said
they didn't marry.  A little tongue in cheek there but valid,
theologically, regardless.  So, knowing that fallen angels, or
what the Bible calls unclean spirits, devils, foul spirits, and
the like, perhaps we just assume that demons don't have feelings,
that is, emotions as well.  By the way, if God's angelic host
don't have emotions or feelings, why do they rejoice when someone
comes to know Christ?  (See Luke 15:10).  Why did a whole bunch of
angels come to announce our Lord's birth and praised God to a
bunch of shepherds or later hurried into town to see if the
Messiah truly had come?  (See Luke 2:8-20).  I guess my point is,
if you are going to use the word "quench" to describe the effect
of flaming darts, or arrows, targeted at Christians, it might just
be possible there is a little bit of pain involved?  No, it
doesn't say physical or mental or emotional pain.  Maybe it is all
three?  Maybe Paul was just speaking poetically because he didn't
have anything else to do.  I wonder why he didn't make it rhyme in
that case.

     "Fiery" is a pretty definite word.  I mean, when you start a
fire, you plan on burning something.  Did you notice that part of
the definition of "fiery" was to glow?  Glow from what I wonder? 
The fiery darts, if they find their mark, will burn and perhaps
even cause you to glow.  You?  How about your emotions maybe?

     The word for "darts," as previously mentioned, is unique
because of its single usage in all of the New Testament.  Why
would not a similar word be used when referring to God?  It is
because God doesn't deal with us in the same way Satan does.  He,
Satan, walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 
(See 1 Peter 5:8).  Why does he make so much noise?  I thought he
was an emotionless being.  Well, a roaring lion uses his noise to
scare and frighten his prey.  Do you think there might be a
spiritual application there?  Do you think it is even remotely
possible the Enemy attempts to attack our emotions, since they are
not born anew yet, and thus to create an atmosphere of fear?  I
hope you are agreeing with me by this point.


ALL

     Fortunately, for us as Christian, we can "quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked."  Guess what the Greek word is for the
word "all?"  It means, (individually, each, every, any, all, the
whole, everyone, all things, everything, collectively, some of all
types).  Does that sound like Jesus leaves anything, or anyone,
out?

     "Well, I just don't believe all that?"

     Fine.  Nobody is twisting your arm.  With that in mind, let
me ask you one question.  How do you defend yourself from direct
demonic attack?  You don't experience such a thing?  How about
fear.  Have you ever been afraid, as an adult, in a room by
yourself?  Why?  As an adult, do you still have trouble sleeping
in the dark?  How about awaking from a nightmare and being scared
half out of your mind, with your heart beating so fast, it feels
like it will explode, your pulse racing, and breathing heavily? 
Oh, well, that's just a nightmare, I guess, so the aftermath of
fear and anxiety isn't really demonic.  Is it?  What about the sin
you committed, maybe more than once, that still haunts you until
this day?  You've confessed it and confessed it and confessed it
so many times, you've lost count.  Sure, you believe the Bible and
you know God has heard you and forgiven you.  So why does the
guilt hang around?  That surely isn't demonic, is it?  What about
the emotional pain you experience when a particular and specific
memory comes to mind.  Why won't that pain go away.  Surely it
isn't God's will for you to carry that burden?  He said His burden
were light.  (See Matthew 11:30).  So, if the pain is getting
heavier and heavier, and keep coming back and coming back, what
causes that?  Do you know?  Is it remotely possible that these are
the fiery darts of the Enemy you are feeling?  Oh, that's right. 
Christians cannot be attacked demonically and they most certainly
cannot put their feelings on our feelings.  Let me give you a
little advice.  If you are trying to live with these fiery darts
just described, you are going to get burn and burned badly.  Paul
said we could quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  I wonder
if Paul got confused when he said "all."


CONCLUSION

     The real life example I used at the beginning of this
testimony did happen just as I described it.  It isn't a joke and
I didn't make it up.  Demons do exist today.  They torment,
confuse, and deceive.  We are told in Scripture to resist them,
not give place to them, be alert and keenly aware of their
presence, and not to allow them to take advantage of us.  All the
passages of Scripture related to these concepts are clearly trying
to tell us to be on guard.  Are we?

     Finally, if God can commune with us using His thoughts in our
minds, and if we can be moved in our emotions spiritually by the
moving and convicting power of the Holy Spirit, what makes you
think demons don't have the same access to our minds and emotions
which are not yet saved?

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which
is able to save your souls," (James 1:21).


It Sounds Like God To Me.
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