We Are not Ignorant of Satan’s Designs – Are You?

There are obstacles to overcome in living up to our dedication. We face a twofold fight. First, there is the conflict Paul faced. “I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within,” he wrote, “but I behold in my members another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin’s law that is in my members.” Inherited imperfection persists for us too. Consequently, we have an ongoing struggle against our fleshly tendencies. We have a second battle to wage, our fight against this world under demon influence. Satan, the ruler of the world, aims his missiles at us in an attempt to break our loyalty to Jehovah and Jesus. He seeks to enslave us by tempting us to give in to his corrupting influence. One way Satan does this is by making his world seem attractive, alluring.

COMMENTARY

Satan is a clever one. There is no doubt about it. And he is powerful. He does seek to make the world under his evil influence seem attractive — appealing to our own desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes, to entice us.

But that is not the extent of the wicked one’s machinations. The Deceiver would have us believe that he has no influence over that which is touted as “Jehovah’s clean organization” and “pure worship.” Just as he has convinced the masses that he either doesn’t exist or that he dwells in some subterranean inferno, so too, Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot honestly boast of being enlightened as to the full extent of his nefarious designs.

Without dispute, Jehovah’s Witnesses are absolutely convinced that the organization is a predator-free, spiritual paradise and that God has provided a protective bubble around it. Where does that notion originate anyway? It is certainly not based upon reality or the Scriptures.

A few years ago a couple of zealous pioneer sisters in England knocked on my door. (I no longer reside in the UK) I told them my situation, that I was disfellowshipped. They were undeterred. Maybe they were just happy to have someone, anyone to talk to; they persisted in trying to preach to me. So, I told them straight out that I had publicly accused the leadership of the Watchtower of apostasy for their ten-year, secret partnership with the United Nations.

One of the sisters responded that God would never allow that to happen. Jehovah would never permit the Watchtower to be unfaithful to him. (I only bring this particular incident up because it reflects the general thinking of all of Jehovah’s Witnesses.)

But what is the scriptural basis for that opinion? God allowed his own heavenly sons to become demons, didn’t he? He allowed Adam and Eve to plunge their then-unborn offspring into death and despair, didn’t he? Solomon, the wisest, wealthiest man of ancient times allowed himself to be seduced by his hundreds of beautiful, demon-worshipping wives — even though Jehovah appeared to him twice, blessing him to the hilt — even giving him the privilege of writing a portion of the Bible.

I reminded the intrepid pioneer sisters that every group of people that God has ever had dealings with have eventually been seduced by Satan into apostasy —Israel, Judah, Christianity. What makes the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania so special?

They had no response.

But the sisters are surely not alone in their opinion. Somehow virtually all of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been persuaded to that same point of view. It is a massive delusion.

What is the Devil’s intention?

By inducing men to elevate the organization to the position of the infallible mouthpiece of God, the stage is set for God’s anointed oracle to go mute at the most critical point in history.

Because Jehovah’s Witnesses are absolutely convinced that Satan and the demons have already been hurled down from heaven, supposedly bringing untold woe upon the world in the form of a long-since forgotten war, Jehovah’s Witnesses will inevitably have their faith tested to the limit in the near future when Satan and his horde of demons are cast down to the earth and immediately, viciously attack those who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.

In the meanwhile, there is not a whole lot anyone among us who know the truth can do to break the spell the Devil has cast over Jehovah’s Witnesses. After all, it is Jehovah’s will to allow a “deluding influence” to have its way, that they may get to believing the lie.