Who are they? Where are they? Do we ever come in contact with them? In many cases, they are individuals that you are well acquainted with, and they are scattered throughout the church world in our country. If you have listened to preachers on radio and television, or visited different churches, it is safe to say that you have heard a minister of Satan. Whether or not you recognize them as such is another matter. The first clue is the fact that we hear so many opposing doctrines, and they are all attributed to Christ our Lord, as though he is divided or confused. (Galatians 1:6-7) Paul wrote, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
To pervert the gospel means that some misdirect or distort the gospel of Christ by mixing in manmade doctrines and handed down traditions. Jesus called it, “the leaven of the Pharisees.”
The gospel that Jesus preached was offensive to the religious leaders. His word brought to light the thoughts and intents of the heart. He told them that they indeed appeared clean on the outside, but the inside was full of corruption. They honored God with their lips but despised the Son of God and the doctrine he preached.
They thought themselves to be very diligent in the words of Moses and the prophets, but sadly they did not hear nor understand. If they had, they would have known Jesus.
Can you see the similarities when you look at modern-day religion? The straight and narrow teaching of Jesus is still offensive to many religious leaders of our day. They misdirect his gospel by bringing out more perverted Bibles and commentaries, which are supposed to make things easier to understand. They ignore the fact that carnal man will never be able to open the mysteries of God’s word nor understand them without the Spirit of Christ.
Those that distort the gospel of Christ do not know him. While they indeed have the outward appearance as disciples of Christ, the spirit within is still carnal and walks in darkness. If this were not so, they would see the light of truth shining forth from the pages of the Bible, without all the mutilation deceived men and women have done to the scriptures. (2 Corinthians 11:13) “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
How do the ministers of Satan transform themselves? Let us never forget that for everything true and holy, Satan has an imitation; and if it were not a convincing imitation, how would he ever deceive a person and make them believe it came from God? Jesus Christ appoints his ministers by baptizing them in the Holy Ghost and sealing them with the word of truth in their mind. Satan calls his ministers by touching them with a seducing spirit, which persuades them that it comes from the Lord. But instead of arming them with the one true gospel, he sends them out with a perverted gospel. (Jeremiah 23:21) God’s prophet said, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.”
God has not sent these ministers of Satan, but the beguiling spirit of Satan pushes them onward. Their minds are troubled. Confusion in the scripture constantly tosses them to and fro, never allowing them to be at peace with themselves. And that unclean spirit of deception holds them prisoner in a world of false religion. They speak the word only with carnal understanding. They cannot see the spiritual fulfilling of the gospel of Christ. But Satan never lets up, doing whatever is necessary to keep them blinded to the truth. He stirs their emotions, causing wide mood swings and unrest.
“Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” (Jeremiah 5:14)
The ministers of Satan use the word of God when they preach, but they do so without spiritual understanding. The true revelation of the word is hid from them, which leaves them with only carnal, earthly understanding. And because the people do not receive the true revelation of Jesus Christ, they find no peace within. The word of God in the mouth of a deceived preacher becomes a consuming fire. Congregations receive it as the truth and are swept away by it, and devoured.
If you can receive it, this explains one of the mysteries in the book of Revelation. (Revelation 13:13) When the word of God speaks of the beast, it addresses the beastly spirit of Satan that lives in the hearts and minds of lost humanity. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” The fire that the beast brings down from heaven is the word of God in the mouth of his ministers. “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:29)
Another powerful arm of the beastly spirit of Satan is his ability to demonstrate unexplained events. Using his ministers who seem to be ministers of righteousness, this beguiling spirit causes emotions and visible displays that seem to come from the Lord. Even though the apostle John told us that we should try the spirits to see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1), most people don’t because they lack knowledge and understanding of God’s word. So, they trade the truth of God’s word for an emotional high or a sign of some sort, and that deceiving spirit is quick to comply. Does the beastly spirit in this world have power to do miracles in the presence of his followers? Listen to the words of the apostle John.
“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.” (The beastly spirit of man.) (Revelation 13:14)
What is a miracle? “An event or action that apparently contradicts known scientific laws.” (Webster’s) How important is it to study and pray? Consider this, if you do not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, you leave yourself open to the clever scheme of that fallen spirit. His lies and emotional power can deceive you.
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) Speaking of angels, the word of God says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14) Satan, that wicked spirit of deception is transformed, presenting himself as the Spirit of truth. To the deceived, he seems to be an angel of light, but in reality he is that man of sin that must be revealed. His cloak of religion must be removed. Not to expose a flesh and blood man, but to reveal that wicked, beguiling spirit that shows himself to be the Spirit of Christ.
“Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:15)
These transformed ministers of Satan who seem to be ministers of righteousness must also be revealed. How? Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18) How did he say he would come to us? “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:17)
What change takes place when Christ comes to you in the Spirit of truth? “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
That wicked that shall be revealed is that spirit of Satan, and the deceived spirit in all his ministers. These marauding ministers of Satan have the outward appearance as ministers of Christ, but they have not heard nor understood the scriptures. They only speak with earthly understanding.
“The Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth.” The spirit of his mouth is the gospel that he preached. The lies and confusion of Satan cannot stand before the righteous words of Jesus Christ.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Seeing that the ministers of Satan use the word of God to hide their true identity, what happens to their followers? The apostle Peter spoke of the writings of Paul, God’s servant.
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16)
“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision.” (They of the circumcision, meaning those in religion.) “Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” (Titus 1:10-11) This is a description of the ministers of Satan. They subvert the word of God and replace it with the commandments of men. And most of them are paid for telling the people what they want to hear.
The ministers of Satan have devised a clever plan in an attempt to silence the truth of God’s word and shame those who would question their authority. They say that we should never argue about doctrine, “because we all serve the same God.” This is a foolish statement because Jesus only preached one gospel, one time for all the world, past, present, and future. We all believe in one God? The Bible says, “the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)
If the beguiling spirit of Satan and his ministers can keep you submissive and silent, your mind is brought into bondage by his lies and confusion. As Paul said, “teaching things which they ought not.” And many believe his lies. The saying is true, “if a thing is repeated enough times, by enough people, it is eventually accepted as truth.” This very thing has happened over and over in the divided churches of our day.
Is it wrong to take a stand for the truth of God’s word, and dispute with those that would pervert the gospel of Christ? Unity of the spirit, one mind and one judgment, speak the same thing, are commandments that are clearly stated in your Bible. But self-called ministers of Satan teach otherwise, saying “you go to your church, and I’ll go to mine; you believe your doctrine, and I’ll believe mine, but we all serve the same God.” The old military strategy, “divide and conquer” comes to mind. Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, and he spoke the word of God with great power and boldness; so much so, that Satan’s ministers were unable to resist his words, although they brought their best arguments against him.
Stephen had a crowd against him, but he stood firm in the truth. He was despised and later stoned for the words he spoke.
“Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” (Acts 6:9-10) It cost Stephen his life to stand on the gospel of Christ.
The apostle Paul was also full of the Holy Ghost, “And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.” (Acts 9:29)
Another time, Paul was at Athens and when he saw the corruption on every hand, his spirit was stirred in him. “Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” (Acts 17:17)
Again, Paul was at Ephesus. “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.” (Acts 19:8)
The word dispute means, “to argue or debate a question.” (Webster’s)
Satan’s ministers cannot see into the spiritual revelation of Jesus Christ, and neither can they understand the mysteries of his word. They are deceived by earthly wisdom and carnal understanding. By their smooth speech and enticing spirit, they convince the people to follow them. Gullible congregations are taught that it is wrong to question or disagree with the teacher.
Jesus spoke of a people, “which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak.” (Revelation 2:24). And Jeremiah foretold of such people many years earlier. He wrote these words, “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:30-31)
The apostle Paul also warned us of this end-time mentality, when men and women take it upon themselves to invent new doctrines and think they can gain eternal life by their own means.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
A terrible thing happens to religious people who turn away from the truth of the gospel and follow after every wind of doctrine that blows.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew 7:22)
But the answer that Jesus gave is a chilling revelation. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23)
All their works were done in the name of Jesus. They honored him with lip service but followed the ministers of Satan, which appear to be ministers of righteousness.
Ministers who pervert the gospel of Christ with confusion and the commandments of men. They attempt to divide the word along denominational lines and convince the people that it’s alright because we all serve the same God. “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” is the answer that Jesus gave.
