VAIN IMAGINATIONS Luke 2:34-35; Ecclesiasticus 37:3
Man has no power to produce imaginations of thought through daydreams or night dreams, Jeremiah 10:23; John 9:4, 15:5; James 1:13. Demons are the vile spirits with power to inject vain imaginations and thoughts in our heads, II Hermas Command IV:1-14. God left men open to this so that we might reprove these evil spirits and exemplify His righteousness before Him, Ezekiel 38:9-11 Psalm of Solomon 4:1-12(10), Psalm 44:22; Romans 12:1; II Corinthians 5:1-4, 10:4-7; Hebrews 12:3-4; Wisdom 2:10-21, Secrets 49:2, Romans 8:18-21. When God will, He seals our spiritual ears from the vain thoughts of demons, Job 36:8-10. Otherwise, weak men fall, as it is written, II Hermas Command IV:16, John 9:4; Romans 7:18-21; I John 3:8. The devil is allowed to take men captive at his will, so you and I who understand do have opportunity to fight him, II Timothy 2:24-26. In this manner we show God that we do love our brother although he is wounded and in need of a good "spiritual Samaritan", Luke 10:33-37. It is the angels who will convince those to whom we speak of sin, and it is God who will open the ears of the hearers when He will, Job 36:8-10; Zechariah 1:20-21, 4:6; John 16:7-11. Moses understood this power of God although he was vexed because of it, Deuteronomy 29:2-4. God has done all things according to His will for the purpose we wrote about. Please be patient with your brethren who do not understand this word if you attempt to inform them. If they cannot hear you, you know it is not the will of God at this time. They may understand later, Daniel 10:12-13. Here Gabriel was wrestling demons in an effort to convince Darius to allow Zerubbabel to rebuild Jerusalem, I Esdras 4:13-58. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Jeremiah, II Chronicles 16:9; Daniel 9:1-2,21-22, 10:21. I hope you are getting a feeling of how the angels work, John 6:29,44, 14:10, 15:5. Because men did not know all these things, demons hardened the ears of the people and frustrated many teachers, and they divided God's children through ignorance and darkness, Matthew 12:25, 23:15; John 3:19-21; James 3:14-16. Now that you are being shown all things, be comforted in the Wisdom of God, Mark 9:49-50; Romans 8:28. So vain imaginations means VAIN IMAGE IN NATIONS, Matthew 12:43-54; Revelation 13:4-7,14.
The basis of God's instructions to us in this life is according to His purpose. Men of God should always think in heavenly places at all times for peace and wisdom, Proverbs 3:5-7; Isaiah 26:3-4; Matthew 6:19-21,33; I John 2:15-17. We should consider ourselves pilgrims in this life and not possessors of this world, Secrets 53:2,3, II Kings 5:20; I Corinthians 7:29-31; Hebrews 11:10-14. Men who keep their minds on God day and night are the ones who get the true bread daily, Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 1:1-2, 63:5-6, 119:148; Isaiah 55:7-9, 58:13-14; Matthew 6:21, 22:37-40; Ecclesiasticus 38:24, 39:1.
Because the Spirit knows demons have men preoccupied in vain thoughts and worldly cares of this life, He said, Ecclesiastes 1:2-3,14, 2:17, 12:13-14. The Spirit has also asked another question about demons, Psalm 2:1-4. Surely this concerns demons, because the men acting such a role had never heard so much as the name of God, Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:34; Ezekiel 20:40-44; Acts 19:2; Hebrews 12:22-24. Demons have a purpose in bogging men down in cares of this life. I know I do not have to re-explain it, but for those new persons to whom you might show this paper, it is possession, Ecclesiastes 3:11, I Hermas Vision 1:21,22, II Hermas Command X:11-13, Ezekiel 35:5,10, 38:9-11; Luke 21:34-36; I Corinthians 6:19-20; II Timothy 2:26. Now demons knew that our iniquity had an end when Christ died, and all men were counted not guilty in that very hour, II Corinthians 5:18-19. The spiritual presence of the Holy Ghost fulfills the rest of the text in Ezekiel 35:5,10. So even in the very presence of the Holy Ghost, who is their judge, the demons have done those things to prove Ecclesiastes 1:15, II Baruch 48:29-30, Exodus 34:7. Those of you in the U.S. can remember the trial of "The Chicago 8" by Judge Julius Hoffman. Demons expressed ill-behavior in those brethren to a mild degree in comparison to what they do against us before the angels and Pravuil, Genesis 19:1-5. These actions score them more as robots. They would madly attack the angels in the same way as they fornicate with men if the angels were helpless and visible to them as we are. They also put on a show more filthy than the worst pornography, Deuteronomy 32:19; Isaiah 3:8-15. Demons know the "eyes" of God are on the righteous, and therefore "they shall take up Serpents" as in Demonic Possession", Psalm 34:15; Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 10:18; Luke 4:23; II Corinthians 12:7-8. Of course this is to provoke the angels, but they preach through this to reach our ears, Psalm 23:5; Isaiah 27:1-4; Ezekiel 28:2. Therefore, demons have known the truth for a long time while they kept us in prison, Isaiah 42:22, 49:24-26; Romans 1:18-19,22,25.
SATAN'S PURPOSE IN USING VAIN EVIL THOUGHTS IS MULTIPLE:
1. It served him as a means of probing a person for his weak points so that he could devise a trap against that weakness and cause trespasses, Ezekiel 28:2; John 8:34; Romans 6:15-19; I John 3:8. What this means is demons will suggest every possible transgression in the form of temptation and strike at the nerves in your body which register excitement. If your weakness is beautiful women, they will make certain you are confronted with one in
(a) A vain remembrance or reminder of beautiful women you have seen before, James 1:14-15. In such a case, a familiar spirit, one that was either in you, on you, or around your associates, will present the picture to your mind as a daydream. The devils will then strike at your sex nerve areas and suggest that you call that woman, or masturbate, or look on her vital areas, Ezekiel 29:6-7. Demons would go so far as to tell you that you could have her easily for sex. All the while they would give you a naked image of her in thought. Any slowness to resist this madness or any half-step on your part in the direction of any evil suggestion, tells the demon that sex is your weakness. Once they find this out, a trap is devised. You may then be confronted by some beautiful possessed, and uneducated sister who may be bold enough to take you in private quarters. For you the trapping pretense may be a need for private advice in her home, need for friendship, or courtship, Proverbs 7:4-23.
(b) Lascivious sisters on T.V. commercials that exploit sex for attention- getting may be still another avenue to get you to fall. Here the demon will suggest that you look at your favorite program where such a commercial will be used. The demons attack during the commercial. When you go to bed, you may dream of having sex with the girl in the commercial. Thus, the demon hopes to sear your mind by a wet-dream, I Timothy 4:1-2. Remember every man is not open to demons to produce daydreams or night dreams to the same degree. So if you are one God has kept closed to the day-dream technic demons exploit, they will use T.V., magazines, and newspapers as the means of putting the lascivious pictures on your mind, Isaiah 2:12,16. Here they circumvent God's hedged ones, II Baruch 48:29-30, Isaiah 33:14-16.
2. Demons remind us of offenses of the past which serve to stir up hatred over again and also to fret the person who is assaulted with the evil remembrance, Psalm 37:1,7-8, II Hermas Command IX:3, I John 2:9-11.
3. Vain thoughts and imaginations have been exploited by demons to waste time, and prolong whatever we are doing to make work harder. We cannot concentrate well on our tasks when crowned with thorns who pierce our conscious thought concentration, Genesis 3:17-19; II Samuel 23:6-7; Ecclesiastes 5:3,7.
4. Thoughts of necessity to cause fear and provoke to steal come from the devil. God does not provoke us to such thoughts, Matthew 6:25-34. Here Jesus gave us good advice for our trial to keep demons from tormenting us over these matters. Lying spirits in false prophets are preoccupied in these things, II Hermas Command XI:6,2,11, X:4-6,11-14, Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiasticus 38:24-34. Demons will always tempt a poor man to steal if they find that his weakness is covetousness, Proverbs 30:7-8; Luke 12:15.
5. Vain imaginations at critical times on jobs and at other times serve to cause errors and death, Enoch 15:11,12, 16:1,2. Surgeons who are left open by God have demons attacking them on operating tables. Here deaths may result or a tool may be sewn in the body. If you should sue, sue the demon in such a case and do not ruin your brother who could not help himself because of the attack by the demons. Industrial accidents are numerous due to demonic distraction and vain thoughts injected at critical times when attention is most needed. In those instances demons make sure the innocent victim is walking by, or is idly in the way to produce the accident. Men cannot prevent demons from assaulting them at such times, neither can they hedge themselves in, John 15:4-5. But God allows this to teach us (II Baruch 48:29,30) and to test our brotherly love and understanding, Romans 8:18-21. Demons have sent victims after covetousness in many such cases, and an age of lawsuits for filthy lucre has been exploited. God does not allow us to be trapped by demons in these ways as much as the demon would like in spite of our many trespasses. The mercy of God has caused the industrial safety records that exist today as well as the healing records of the doctors.
6. Vain imaginations and auto accidents. Some time ago we mentioned that demons distract men in many ways and sometimes cause accidents. My sister experienced distraction while driving but God helped her so that so that no accident occurred. But the incident crystallized in her mind her spiritual warfare with the powers of darkness and made her more aware of their terror in what we call normal accidents in this life. It happened that she was approaching a railroad crossing which is about 100 feet from a stop intersection. While crossing the track, a voice asked her, "What would you do if a train came and your car stalled on the track?" She mused that she would open the door and grab her two children with her and escape. At this point the demon put a picture in her mind of the baby's jacket being caught on the door handle of the stalled car while a train is approaching. In the meantime, she was entering the intersection without stopping and completely oblivious of the stop she should have made, Psalm 2:1, 37:7, 119:113. It just happened that there were no other cars around while she skidded to a halt in the middle of the intersection. Here, demons produced the vain imagination for the purpose of distracting and fretting our sister. This happens to others who are open, and in such instances they become casualties for the sake of the cross, Secrets 49:2, Romans 8:18-21; Revelation 6:11. What we have just explained is the spiritual warfare aspect of what is commonly called absent mindedness. These people are to be loved and not called stupid or negligent. They cannot help themselves if God leaves them open, II Timothy 2:26. I also have this kind of battle to fight, but I remind the demons who have the power to give me thoughts that such instances are still another reason why God has damned them, Deuteronomy 32:30; Zechariah 2:7-9; Luke 4:13; James 4:7. You can fight back also by reminding demons of their foolishness and their terrible damnation to come. But if you happen to get an excessive number of telephone calls or friends dropping by, or your children start misbehaving while you read these letters, then you know demons are taking advantage of good (in a friendly visit or phone call) and creating disturbances to distract you from hearing the angels support this work, II Hermas Command II:4, X:11-13. Detracting demons make it a point to assault me piercing my head with vain pictures and "unreal" thoughts for which cause I often ask God to cover my head, Ephesians 6:17, and He does. I know being unhedged is a part of my prescribed battle, Secrets 49:2.
7. Vain Imaginations and Ignorance. In cases of distress when not enough information is available to possibly relieve the resulting anxiety, demons both torment and offer false solutions. As an example, there was a note left on the blackboard for me to see the director in the department where I work, because an error had been made. Immediately, anxiety -producing demons told me I had erred in the work I had completed with a co-worker. Because I could not determine where or how the error was made, the demons told me very many wrong possibilities which proved wrong later on. They also accused my co-worker as the one who made the mistake. Because I understood this demonic devise, I rejected them but they kept plaguing my mind any way. I got no satisfaction until I saw the director of the department and found the situation was altogether different from what the demons said, Psalm 37:7; Jonah 2:8. There have also been cases in my experience where persons with different personalities from mine have said things to me which were harmless to them but demons informed me of vile intentions by those people and began to set off the nerve endings in my body that were supposed to mean anger. In other words, the demons were trying to press my body's "anger button". God astounded me by allowing the demons both to talk to me and work on my body while my spirit remained perfectly calm, Genesis 1:27; Psalm 39:1-4, 139:14; Matthew 26:41; John 4:24; Hebrews 4:12. God, who knows more about His creature than any physician or psychologist, commanded that my spirit should be separated from the influence of the forces acting on my spirit to teach us that what we think of as normal reactions in this world are not normal reactions at all for His image, Wisdom 9:13-18, Enoch 69:11. What we feel are blows from demons called fiery darts, Jeremiah 51:35; Romans 8:3-8; II Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:16. Every man must learn his true nature especially our possessed brethren and those with Ph.D.'s in psychology, Isaiah 54:13. You are not what you think you are, Psalm 8:3-5; Hebrews 2:11-15. Demons have always despised the prophets and shed man's blood although God was kind and lenient with them, while we suffered pain and punishment, Matthew 5:44-45,48, Enoch 16:1,2, Mark 9:1; John 12:24; Hebrews 12:8, II Baruch 48:29-30, Ezekiel 35:6; II Esdras 7:19-25, 8:18-22. Thus, they fought God who benefited them, Ezekiel 35:12-14. Since Satan procured such for his children, demons should stop fighting God through us and judge Satan, Beelzebub, and Babylon, and hate them while they have a chance. They are weapons of vengeance, Psalm 139:21-22; Proverbs 8:13; Isaiah 10:6,15. It is the fire next time.
FROM GOD'S EYES Ode 13 (LBB)
What do I see when I look into your eyes, Psalm 77:4
What hidden mysteries unveil to your surprise, Song of Solomon 5:7, II Corinthians 12:1-6
In candid truthfulness and without disguise, I Corinthians 13:11-12; Revelation 10:7
It is more than that constant sparkle so rare, II Esdras 14:49
Like the softness of starlight always found there, Genesis 1:14-18, II Hermas XI:17
More than sweet music in your eyes so fair, Luke 11:34-36; Ephesians 5:17-19
I see you outset like a distant star, Genesis 15:5
Reveal your personality, so near yet afar, Testament of Naphthali 1:16-21, Psalm 139:5-10 I see only goodness which no hurt or wrong can bar, Numbers 23:19-23; Micah 6:5; Habakkuk 1:13
I see all the struggles of the ages of the past, I Hermas I:28, Isaiah 57:20
And all your lessons learned bound secure and fast, Testament of Judah III:48-50
I see your new nature which in you will always last, Hosea 2:18-20, Jubilees 1:23-25
I see love and hate occur but for a while, Ephesians 2:1-8; II Timothy 2:26; James 1:20
I see fleeting deceit and kindness in your smile, James 3:10, Testament of Asher I:31,32
I see your unknown conscience enact a long grave trial, Secrets 30:15, Daniel 10:13; Ephesians 6:12
I see your pains masked by an aire so gay, Testament of Asher I:27 And your remembered joys in frequent musing play, Philippians 4:8
I see your wishes magnified; your displeasures fade away, Psalm 40:8; Isaiah 42:21
I see your hidden spirit solemn and profound, Secrets XXX:12, Luke 17:20-22